Myths Within the Tech Space Debunked.
A Self-Taught Programmer’s Guide.
It can be a confusing experience to start a career in tech especially when coming from a non-technical background. Feeling like you aren’t gifted or smart enough to be a developer. And as if that weren’t enough, you encounter a bunch of gatekeepers bent on keeping you from making progress. We cannot pretend that the software industry is a peaceful one full of like-minded people. There is a lot of noise within the tech space. I have compiled a list of myths that many potential developers experience when starting out:
- That developers don’t sleep.
(Speaking from experience). In response to a tweet by Tech Cabal: “What are the greatest myths about working in tech?”, a user highlighted this issue.
While it is true that most developers prefer to work at night, you can’t underestimate the power of 7–8 hours of sleep! It’s also perfectly fine to work during the day and get good sleep at night by the way. Resting will prevent burnout, and allow you to see that persistent bug when you wake up.
2. That you need to know everything to be an excellent developer!
No, you don’t. Focus on a stack. Create great applications and become a better developer instead. Master the basics before getting into libraries that easily come and go. Learn concepts that you can reuse throughout your entire career.
The imposter syndrome is real in tech, and some days you will not feel good enough. When it feels like this, always try to remember the progress you’ve made. Even the most experienced developers forget lines of code they wrote.
3. Code because of passion. Not money.
Seriously, go get that bag! Whether you code for passion or the paycheck, employers are after your talent and what you bring to the table. Whatever drives you, keep at it!
4. The best developers are introverted, anti-social, and must wear hoodies and company-branded T-shirts.
No, you don’t have to be introverted as a developer. Embrace your personality, and focus on becoming a better programmer. Soft skills form a key part of succeeding in any industry including tech, and your good communication skills as an extrovert will come in handy.
As a woman, you may be tempted to tone down your clothing or make an effort to reduce your makeup or hair to fit in. Well, I’m here to tell you that it’s okay to take care of your appearance as you please. Wearing heels and makeup doesn’t make you a terrible developer.
5. Tech is easy money!
You don’t have to earn ridiculous figures like your favorite Twitter tech bro, but you can work towards it. Everyone starts somewhere. Earning a monthly salary of 10,000 Kenyan Shillings (100USD) while starting out doesn’t stop you from making 600,000KSHS (6000USD) in the future. Trust the process, NETWORK, get a mentor, and put in the work.
It is also worthwhile to note that rejections in job applications are inevitable. Grow your skills and keep applying for those jobs.
6. That you need a Computer Science Degree to make it in Tech
Tech is a space that embraces people from any educational background. Practicing your technical skills comes from working on projects and gaining experience. I have met multiple kickass developers who graduated from the infamous ‘YouTube University’. Seriously, hone your skills and earn your chops.
So How Can We Make it Easier for Beginners Especially on Social Media?
Tech fosters collaboration e.g. open source, and people can share their projects and get feedback from their friends. While there exist a wide range of apps and platforms for techies to interact, Twitter is my personal favorite. It has helped me to connect with many like-minded people and this is something I am forever grateful for. We can make social media a safe space for beginners to feel appreciated and mentored.
- Practicing Empathy.
It’s easy to find ourselves in a disagreement with someone on Reddit about our favorite IDE, or the infamous IDE vs command line debate. And while it’s okay to vent, just make sure your venting isn’t in turn causing more stress elsewhere! Put yourself in the shoes of the person on the receiving end.
2. Take care of other people.
Engage positively at the workplace and on social media. Foster a community that has more mentors, no gatekeepers. Speak up for others. Be the place where people would enjoy coming back to.
3. As a beginner, make better use of social media!
Social media is a powerful tool with active tech communities. It’s perfectly fine to ask for help, teach and share what you know with others. Keep up with relevant events and Twitter spaces by following the right people. These are opportunities to network, talk about your skills, and even get mentors. Use social media to make noise about your work, find like-minded people and work on projects together. Utilize these platforms to collaborate with positive people, and unfollow negative ones.
The next time you encounter people making a lot more money than you do, look for inspiration, not comparison, because we are all on our own paths.
Tools to get you started(or Keep Going)?
In the spirit of teaching and supporting self-taught programmers, here’s a list of some tools that would help in your growth.
Pramp.com- For mock interviews.
leetcode.com, hackerank.com — For solving programming challenges.
Twitter — to connect with the right people.
