Feedback from a software engineer with 10 years of experience

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Started working in 2014

Industries

  • booking
    • car rental
    • flight ticket: selling ticket to travel agencies,
  • marketing
    • content creation tool for marketers (think email, pdf, website)
  • education
    • school management: classes, rooms, timetables, notes/public information, marks

Projects

Made how much ?

  • have data for the last 5 years only

Advices for myself

  • freelancing is not for everyone
    • client will screw you
  • same goes for entrepreneurship
  • be humble but know your worth
    • keep updating your resume, adding new skills
    • keep showing up at interviews to stay sharp. Layoff happen more often you would think
  • working +10h a day will have a toll on you
    • good to alternate between 10 to 6h a day based on need
    • 6h a day is more sustainable for the long run
    • this is a reminder to not abuse of 10h long work days
  • consistency and discipline will get you anything
  • young doesn't mean invisible
    • no health no work
    • take good care of your health: eating, exercising, sleeping
    • same body for the next year
  • keep meeting people to keep learning and growing
    • after some times you will know and be surrounded by the same group of people.
    • you circle will grow smaller over time
    • 1 new person every week has been my frequency. Adjust accordingly to your personality
  • time flies: have objectives
  • plan for retirement early in your very first years
    • set amount needed to retire now
    • would be good to know how many years you want to operate in your field
  • explore side projects
    • one successful one can set you off for life
    • learn adjacent skills: sales and marketing, photo/video editing/shooting, design
  • Pace yourself. Learn something every day.
    • Stay curious
    • otherwise get left behind
    • 40min a day to learn something
    • challenge your methods and ways of thinking
  • expect difficult problems no one have encounter on public forums or google
    • those are for you and only you to solve
  • your 10years of experience means nothing
    • younger folks, juniors may have better idea that you
    • hear out everyone even when in disagreement. Allow divergent opinions to exist
  • too many tools, pick yours
    • try to stick to a few in order to gain mastery over a few selected of them
    • you cannot learn them all. Jack of all trades is litteraly not possible in tech. Higher paying jobs will always go to experts.
  • avoid "mine is better than yours" debate
    • opinions don't matter, facts do. arguments constructed from tangible ev
    • I know beats I think/feel
  • Be clear when expressing theories or assertions vs truths.
    • the way to truth is by forming theories and testing them, either confirming them further or not.
    • Still nuance when communicating as you can be proven wrong but be open to correction. Nobody is perfect, therefore no work is.
  • take finances seriously
    • clear picture of where you want to be makes the road smoother
    • tech pays well and usually comfortably when among the top 10%
    • set goals
      • saving 1 year worth of expenses
      • 3 months salary on your checking
      • invest out of tech
        • home in 10 years
        • appartment complex in 10 years
  • rise early, finish early, enjoy the sun
    • tried different time to start the day
    • can feel as productive early in the morning at night
    • better for your health
    • enjoy evening with friends and family or hobbies

You are limited only by your imagination. Enjoy the ride.