4 Common Mistakes to Avoid As a Software Engineer
Set yourself up for success.
Software engineering is a challenging and rewarding field, and it can be easy to make mistakes as you work with complex software and diverse teams.
Building and maintaining software requires a high level of skill and attention to detail. While there are many ways to excel as a software engineer, there are also several common mistakes that can hinder your progress, waste your time and energy, and impact your success.
In this article, we’ll discuss some of the most common mistakes to avoid as a software engineer, so that you can work efficiently and effectively while avoiding things that may hamper your career and overall life.
Don’t be hesitant to ask questions — but don’t expect any spoon-feeding
Most junior and even mid-level developers are reticent. They are afraid of asking stupid questions and wasting everyone’s time.
Taxing your brain to its peak is important if you want to grow and learn on the job. You hone your problem solving prowess anytime you go outside of your comfort zone.
Every team has a specific way of doing things —for example, they may be used to either synchronous or asynchronous work process, they may have different kinds of code standards, and they may even have a specific way of communicating about ongoing tasks.
Whatever be the medium, don’t be too hard on yourself if a few things don’t add up together and you’ve exhausted every avenue to acquire that information already.
If you’re stuck after trying everything, it always makes sense to reach out for help.
Beware of distractions
As a software engineer, distractions can be a major hurdle to your productivity and mental well-being. Some common distractions include too many email and messaging notifications, noisy environments, and the biggest of them all — social media.
It can be helpful to establish boundaries and set aside specific times to check your email and social media.
Setting a time for focused work everyday is extremely important too.
Try to create a quiet and comfortable workspace that is free from distractions, take help from noise-cancelling headphones or a private office if you can get one.
By not wasting time and energy on the numerous attention-grabbing phenomenons, you stay productive and focused on achieving your everyday goals as a software engineer.
Always question yourself
As human beings, we’re all highly opinionated. Being proficient in writing software exposes us to yet another group of biases and they can be quite the double-edged sword.
It’s crucial to avoid making assumptions about tasks, projects, and most of all — people.
Approach tasks from a first principles perspective, give people benefit of the doubt and always seek more information on projects before deciding on something that may or may not sit well with everyone.
There are a plethora of factors to take into account when working with code and building software that has been there before you joined the company and will remain after you’re gone.
Give information freely and ask lots of clarifying questions. Accumulation of knowledge is important especially in the early stages of your stint with any team.
The Growth Mindset
Embracing a growth mindset means that you believe in acquiring abilities and nurturing them over time with hard work and dedication, rather than being fixed traits that you are born with.
Your 9 to 5 can become monotonous really fast if you’re indifferent to growing everyday on the job.
A positive attitude towards learning helps a lot, and you know what else? Not being afraid of making mistakes while you do.
Asking for and embracing constant feedback and criticism can prove to be some of the best opportunities for growth, and you’ll thank yourself for the wisdom that you gain later on if you can take it in the spirit rather than feeling defensive or discouraged.
As developers, we know that software standards evolve rapidly, and therefore, this perspective towards your career and life in general is important to achieve whatever goals you’ve set for yourself.
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Well said!!