Carlos Salgado
writes on January 29, 2021
Hello! My name is Carlos Salgado, and I am 21 years old. I am a Developer 2 at Treehouse, and my journey into the tech world has been anything but normal! I joined Treehouse as an Apprentice, and then got promoted to a Junior Developer a few months after.
Going from Apprentice to Developer 2 has taught me a lot. I will be writing about the advice I would give to students just getting started in tech.
The Importance of Soft Skills in Tech
Through the several years that I have been working in the industry, I have had many learning opportunities. When you think about a technical role, you might think that all that matters are your technical skills, but this is only half true. You need a lot of soft skills combined with your technical skills to be a successful developer.
Tip #1 for Working in Tech: Get Used to Learning New Things
Being comfortable with learning new things is one of the skills that will benefit you. As you may be aware, the tech world is constantly changing, including the programming languages themselves. So if you build a solid foundation of soft skills, you’ll be ready to take on what’s ahead.
For example, if you become comfortable with change and enjoy learning new technologies, you will find it easier to navigate your career.
Tip #2 for Working in Tech: Keep a “Wins” Journal
Another piece of advice I would give is to keep a journal and write about your wins. Sometimes we focus on what we don’t know instead of what we do.
In an industry where innovation is constantly happening, we will never be able to say we know everything. Once we become comfortable with the idea of never knowing everything, I think that’s where we become more confident in ourselves. And by keeping a record of what you do know and have mastered, you can reflect on the things you are doing well.
Tip #3 for Working in Tech: Commit to One Language
Another bit of advice is to choose one language and become really good at it. I know I mentioned previously to stay up with new things, but there is a fine line between innovating and following the hype. So really focus on one programming language until you feel confident in it.
These are the main tips I would give anyone entering the industry! Things I wish I knew before I became a developer.
After I learned to be comfortable with the idea that I will never know everything and started a journal with my wins, I became so much more confident. This has allowed me to overcome imposter syndrome, since I learned to focus on my wins, while still innovating.
If you want to enter the tech industry, know that as long as you are comfortable with learning new things, focusing on one thing at a time, and acknowledging how much you already learned, you will have a successful and enjoyable time in your career.
