Coffee break #23. How can a developer overcome the impostor syndrome?

How can a developer overcome the impostor syndrome?

Source: Medium Whether you're a beginner or have been paid to write code for years, you'll (probably) run into impostor syndrome—an insecurity about meeting your employer's expectations. I've been a programmer for four years now and still face this problem every day! The nature of software development is rapidly evolving and constantly changing. This is what makes software creation so challenging and interesting. But it also means that you are constantly confronted with skills and technologies that you do not yet own. Fortunately, there are several ways to overcome impostor syndrome. I want to share with you those of them that I consider the most effective.

Find a mentor

It's not easy, but it's one of the things that helped me the most in the beginning. It is preferable that your mentor be a more experienced developer than you. A mentor will help you overcome many of the challenges you are bound to face. Don't rely on a mentor to help you code. It is enough that he evaluates your progress by checking the code.

Connect with people who have as much experience as you

If you can't find a mentor, look for "peers" - those who are experiencing problems similar to yours. Sometimes it is very useful to tell someone about your professional failures, victories, or even just about everyday life. With such people, you can be more open without worrying about the light in which they see you. And more importantly, you can learn from their problems. There are a huge number of developer communities on the Internet, including for beginners. You gain a lot by asking for advice and reading about other juniors' problems.

Surround yourself with smart people and take advantage of it

I got my first job in software development as a test engineer at Groupon. I understand that not everyone is lucky enough to join a company with hundreds of experienced professionals. But if you're focused on gaining experience, plunge yourself into an environment where you'll be the dumbest person in the room. So you will learn a lot.

Be Curious

If you are surrounded by smart people and difficult problems, be curious. Read books to help you navigate your way from junior to senior. Don't be afraid to ask direct questions to the most experienced people on your team. Many avoid this for fear of exposing their ignorance in the eyes of colleagues, but remember that your goal is not to impress, but to acquire the necessary knowledge.

Choose something and practice it regularly

A colleague of mine once declared his next month to be "React Month". Thus, he spent all this time focusing on studying this library. From the outside, I could see how his conversations about React were changing. By the end of the month, he created the #react-js Slack channel, where he shared links to libraries and concepts that others have not come across, wrote a great blog post about learning ReactJS, and is now working on a large project. I didn't quite understand why he chose ReactJS, but it doesn't matter. He took this technology and regularly practiced it in parallel with the study of theory.

Make decisions consciously

Sometimes a developer can fall into the trap of pasting in code copied from a template and "making it work" without thinking through their choice. Try not to make this mistake. When you write code, make sure you understand how it works and why it is so structured. I'm not saying that you should never copy-paste someone else's code. What I'm saying is that if you're copying code, it's important to fully understand the original author's intent.

Get ready for impostor syndrome

Awareness is a big step in actively combating impostor syndrome. For example, I immediately have self-doubt when I implement a feature and it starts running slower than it "should". When this happens, I start to fear that my colleagues and managers will see this mistake, and this only makes the situation worse. It turns out a vicious circle, and the only way out of it is to realize that you are stuck in it. In such cases, I remind myself:

1. This function will run for as long as I need.
2. I work hard and worry about the quality of the generated code.
3. I'll ask for help if I get stuck on this error. I can do it and I must do it.
4. I will communicate my problem to all concerned parties.
5. F**k everything else.

Now go and fight your self-doubt and impostor syndrome! Remember that there is a big difference between how you perceive yourself and how it really looks.