Anyone who has ever started a career in IT will surely admit that the beginnings are often challenging. After all, it is a very dynamic, demanding industry focused on continuous development. However, from our experience, we can assure you that once you get over the first difficulties, you will quickly see how easy it is to go absolutely crazy about the world of constant improvement and innovation!
We know how important it is to have support and hear a good word at the beginning of any career path, so we decided to ask our Applover specialists what advice they would like to hear at the beginning of their way in software development. Here they are!
Advice from me, as a student: take education into your own hands and don’t be afraid to change and try new technologies.
There’s no point in getting attached to the first technology you try, as there’s a good chance you’ll find something much better for you among the available options! To discover the best kind of technology for you and to maximize your potential, you need to stay up to date with new technologies and trends in the IT industry. This is an area that is developing rapidly, so it’s a good idea to take online courses, attend workshops or conferences, read blogs and industry publications, and check what updates are coming to the technology you’re currently working with. What’s more?
- Build a strong foundation in IT and programming. To succeed in the IT industry, you must have a strong computer science and programming foundation. If you’re just starting out in this profession, consider taking online courses or getting a degree in computer science and a related field.
- Get practical experience: In addition to formal education, it’s important to gain valuable experience in the IT industry. You can do this by working on personal projects, participating in hackathons or coding challenges, or interning or working for a company in the industry.
- Make contacts and build relationships. Making contacts and building relationships in the IT industry can help you learn about job opportunities, get advice from experienced professionals and gain new perspectives on the profession. You can do this by joining professional organizations or attending industry events.
- Be proactive and take the initiative. The IT industry values people who are proactive and take the initiative. Look for opportunities to lead projects or solve problems, and be willing to take on new challenges and learn from your experiences.
Whatever you do – try to learn as much as possible from it
Both projects and people are very different from each other. Things don’t always go smoothly, so if you ever encounter obstacles – learn from them. Someone negatively evaluated you on a code review? It happens, but try to learn as much as you can from such experiences and simply avoid making the same mistakes again, so in time the critics will run out of real arguments! Even if you are in a project that is in a bad state – you can check on how such a situation occurred and learn to prevent it in the future. Working in IT is full of challenges, and how much you get out of it depends only on you!
Don’t be afraid to ask for help.
Starting a career in IT can be overwhelming with the vast amount of technologies and tools to learn and the different roles available. It’s important to remember that it’s completely normal not to know everything and to have questions. Asking for help, guidance, or clarification from your colleagues or mentors is not a sign of weakness, it’s a sign of willingness to learn and improve. They have all been in your shoes before, and they understand the importance of asking for help to grow and succeed in your career. So, don’t hesitate to reach out and ask questions, they will be more than happy to help you. But don’t forget also to develop your independence and problem-solving skills. By taking the time to research and experiment on your own with new tasks and tools, you’ll become more proficient in your role and demonstrate your dedication to your work. The most important thing is to find a balance between asking for help and learning to find the answers yourself.
Automate repetitive tasks.
Automating repetitive tasks eliminates the human aspect, making them less prone to error. If you have the option, it’s better to use a tool that will do something for you than to risk a mistake. It’s worth valuing your time and knowing when you can spend it on a more challenging task and less… boring 🙂
For those who are just taking their first steps in the IT industry or thinking about re-branding, foremost, I wish a lot of passion.
Passion for technology, but also for creating good products. Then this work can be gratifying and interesting – there’s no denying that the beginnings are complex, and there is a lot of knowledge to assimilate. Competition among people just starting in IT is very high, so it’s worthwhile to stand out with something – it could be, for example, your own product that solves some problem you struggle with every day. Building something from scratch gives you exposure to many aspects of the industry – design, backend, frontend, dev-ops, and maybe even marketing. Knowing these issues, even if only in a cursory way, gives you a much better perspective – and one that comes in handy when solving problems at the intersection of several technologies that you’re likely to face multiple times every day.
If, after your first attempts with programming, you are not satisfied with the results, don’t give up. Try a different programming language, you may find something you work better with
What’s more – sticking to one language, especially at the beginning of your journey in programming, is not necessarily a good idea at all, and it can significantly limit your thinking. Only experiencing several technologies will allow you to see the complete picture of the benefits, drawbacks, similarities, and differences between various approaches to programming and determine which one is excellent for you. Don’t be afraid to try new languages because, in fact, the more you learn about them – the more resources you will have!
Changes in pizza, that is, how to use schemes for non-schematic solutions
Non-standard solutions to problems characterize the IT industry. Each case requires an individual approach and the implementation of a unique method to unravel the issue. Of course, to create a solution to a given problem, you need basic skills that every aspiring IT employee should have. This example can be compared to making a pizza. Once a person is able to make a pizza and has all the skills to repeat the process, he or she must be prepared to make the required changes. Because it may be that suddenly the pizza needs to have different ingredients or the dough needs to have a slightly different texture or be of entirely different components than before. Despite having the basic skills, the employee must be prepared to make massive changes and use her skills to develop a completely different product.
You don’t have to be a technical person in IT.
Remember that working in IT is not only about programming. There are plenty of other ways to find yourself in this industry. For successful projects, the team also needs great project managers, testers, designers, analysts, HR, marketing, administration, and salespeople. There is no point in excluding the possibility of working in IT just because you are not a programmer!
Don’t treat yourself too hard. Focus on the goal you want to achieve and pursue it! Gain knowledge, don’t give up, and stay positive
In a few points:
- Beginnings are always tricky. Try to find a structured knowledge source, and don’t be afraid to text a more experienced designer. Many people will be happy to share advice with you – they started once too!
- Set yourself a clear goal – want to become a Product Designer? Or do you dream of designing 3D animations right away? It’s a good idea to determine from the beginning what you would most like to do and pursue it.
- The huge amount of material we can find online nowadays makes it hard to know which ones are valuable. Use proven sources and look for those who have authority on the web (for example, designers who work for Google/Apple).
- Don’t give up, and think positively. Nothing is as good for our mind as a positive attitude and focus on what we want to achieve. I’m keeping my fingers crossed!
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The IT industry is a lifestyle
Beginnings are always full of risk and a sense of uncertainty. Yet, these first steps are worth daring because IT can repay in high-speed development. The world is increasingly benefiting from innovative solutions, and technology is present in every area of life and definitely makes it easier to perform everyday duties. That’s the reason why at Applover, for many of us IT is not just a job, but a real passion – we really love what we do! Software development is the prospect of an interesting career, full of inspiring people with passion and great knowledge. If you would like to test your strength in our team, check out our open job positions.
