4 Years of Programming - Everything I Got Wrong

Summary

In this video, the creator reflects on their nearly 4.5-year journey as a programmer, sharing insights and lessons learned. They recount their initial struggles with PHP, the importance of mastering daily tools like Git, and overcoming imposter syndrome. The video also discusses their transition to a remote job with an AI startup, the challenges faced due to unrealistic expectations and pressure, and the decision to quit. The creator emphasizes the value of choosing the right company early in one's career and the impact it has on learning and job satisfaction.

Takeaways

• 🌟 The speaker reflects on their journey as a programmer and shares insights they wish they knew at the beginning.
• 📚 They emphasize the importance of learning the tools you'll use daily, such as git, GitHub, and bitbucket.
• 😵 The initial job experience was overwhelming due to the vast codebase and the pressure to learn PHP quickly.
• 🤝 A supportive manager and team can greatly ease the transition into a new programming job.
• 🚀 Overcoming imposter syndrome by taking on new challenges and learning opportunities is crucial for growth.
• 💡 The speaker encourages embracing a mindset of continuous learning, even if it means stepping out of your comfort zone.
• 🔄 The realization that companies are paying you to learn can be a powerful motivator to take on new projects.
• 🌍 The desire for a digital nomad lifestyle led to seeking new opportunities that allowed remote work and travel.
• 💼 The second job at an AI startup had a promising start but turned out to be a significant mistake due to poor management and unrealistic expectations.
• 📉 The pressure and lack of support at the AI startup led to a decline in job satisfaction and a loss of passion for coding.
• 🔄 Taking a break and rediscovering the joy of coding through learning and practicing can help regain motivation after a challenging experience.

Q & A

How long has the speaker been a programmer?

The speaker has been a programmer for nearly 4 and a half years.

What was the speaker's background before becoming a programmer?

Before becoming a programmer, the speaker worked in marketing and advertising.

How quickly did the speaker secure a job after learning to code?

The speaker secured a job as a programmer 11 months after starting to learn code.

What was the speaker's initial reaction upon seeing the codebase on the first day at the new job?

The speaker was overwhelmed and had a meltdown because there was so much code that they didn't understand.

What was the speaker's first piece of advice for new programmers?

The speaker's first piece of advice was to learn the tools that will be used on a day-to-day basis for the job.

What was the speaker's experience with imposter syndrome?

The speaker experienced imposter syndrome, feeling paranoid about being found out or potentially being fired due to not being good enough.

How did the speaker overcome their fear of taking on new projects?

The speaker overcame their fear by adopting a mindset that the company was paying them to learn and started to take on new skills and projects.

What did the speaker learn from using Scrimba?

The speaker learned React with Scrimba and uses it daily in their job now.

Why did the speaker decide to leave their job as a WordPress developer?

The speaker decided to leave because they wanted to code more, work with React, possibly some backend, and have the freedom to travel the world.

What was the speaker's biggest mistake in tech?

The speaker's biggest mistake was ignoring a gut feeling about a potential job and accepting it without considering the potential challenges with the CTO.

What was the speaker's experience like working at the AI startup?

The experience was initially positive with travel and learning opportunities, but it became stressful due to high pressure, lack of support, and an absence of project management or UX design.

What did the speaker do after quitting the job at the AI startup?

The speaker took a break, traveled, and then got back into coding by doing lots of LeetCode problems and learning JavaScript and Python.

What is the speaker's advice for new programmers in their first few years?

The speaker advises new programmers to be intentional and careful with the companies they choose to work for in the first few years of their career.

Outlines

00:00

💻 Early Challenges as a Programmer

The speaker reflects on their journey as a programmer, starting from their first job as a WordPress developer. They recount the steep learning curve they faced, having to quickly learn PHP, JavaScript, and jQuery in just four weeks before starting the job. The initial shock of seeing the codebase and feeling overwhelmed by the amount of unfamiliar code is described. Despite this, the supportive manager helped them ease into the job with small tasks. They emphasize the importance of learning the tools used daily at work, such as git and GitHub, which they found challenging initially. The speaker also discusses the imposter syndrome they experienced and how it affected their willingness to take on new projects and challenges.

05:01

🚀 Overcoming Fear and Embracing Learning

The speaker shares their mindset shift from fearing failure and rejection to embracing learning and taking on new challenges. They describe how they became more fearless, started learning new skills, and volunteered for projects that were slightly beyond their comfort zone. This change in attitude led to significant improvements in their skills and confidence. The speaker also discusses their experience with Scrimba, an online learning platform, which they used to learn React. They highlight the benefits of the platform's interactive tutorials and the updated features in Scrimba's version two. Additionally, they talk about their desire to become a digital nomad, leading to a job change where they sought a higher salary, the opportunity to work with React, and the flexibility to travel.

10:02

🌍 The Struggles of Working in a High-Pressure Startup

The speaker recounts their experience working at an AI startup, which initially seemed like a dream job with a 40% pay raise and the freedom to work remotely. However, they soon found themselves under immense pressure, with expectations far beyond their experience level and a lack of support to fill skill gaps. The absence of a project manager and UX team meant they had to take on additional responsibilities, leading to long hours and a decline in job satisfaction. The high-pressure environment eventually led to a loss of passion for coding. After quitting the job, the speaker took time off to recharge and rekindle their love for coding through learning and practicing. They advise new programmers to be cautious about the companies they work for early in their careers, as the learning phase is crucial and the wrong environment can lead to burnout.

📈 Career Growth and the Importance of Choosing the Right Company

In the final paragraph, the speaker emphasizes the importance of being intentional and selective when choosing companies to work for, especially during the early years of one's career. They note that the first few years are crucial for learning and gaining confidence, and that working in a supportive environment can significantly impact one's growth and job satisfaction. The speaker reflects on their own rapid career progression and expresses a desire to continue sharing their experiences in programming and technology, inviting viewers to follow along for more content on these topics.

Keywords

💡Programmer

A programmer is an individual who writes, tests, and debugs code for software applications and systems. In the video, the speaker reflects on their journey as a programmer, highlighting the challenges and learning experiences they encountered over four and a half years. This term is central to the video's theme, as it shapes the speaker's identity and career path.

💡Imposter Syndrome

Imposter syndrome is a psychological pattern where individuals doubt their accomplishments and fear being exposed as a 'fraud'. The speaker mentions experiencing imposter syndrome early in their career, feeling unqualified despite their success. This concept is crucial as it illustrates a common struggle among professionals and how it affected the speaker's confidence and approach to new opportunities.

💡PHP

PHP is a popular server-side scripting language used for web development. The speaker discusses learning PHP intensively before starting a job, emphasizing the steep learning curve and the pressure to quickly become proficient. PHP serves as an example of the technical skills required in the speaker's career and the challenges faced in mastering them.

💡Git

Git is a version control system used by programmers to manage and track changes in source code during software development. The speaker advises learning Git and other daily tools early in one's career, as their initial struggle with Git made their job more difficult. Git is highlighted as a foundational skill for programmers, essential for effective collaboration and project management.

💡React

React is a popular JavaScript library for building user interfaces, particularly for single-page applications. The speaker mentions learning React with Scrimba and using it daily in their job. React exemplifies the modern tech stack that the speaker sought to work with and represents the continuous learning required in the field of programming.

💡Digital Nomad

A digital nomad is a person who uses digital tools to earn a living and travels while working remotely. The speaker expresses a desire to become a digital nomad, seeking a job that allows them to code and travel the world. This concept is central to the speaker's vision of an ideal work-life balance and the flexibility offered by remote work in the tech industry.

💡Remote Work

Remote work refers to employment where one works from a remote location, typically using digital tools to collaborate with colleagues. The speaker's quest for a job that supports remote work and their travel aspirations reflects the growing trend of remote work in the tech industry and the desire for greater work flexibility.

💡Full Stack

Full Stack refers to a developer who has the skills to work on both the front-end (client-side) and back-end (server-side) of an application. The speaker's ambition to transition from WordPress development to full-stack development signifies their growth and the broadening of their skill set to include a wider range of technologies and responsibilities.

💡Tech Startup

A tech startup is a company that offers innovative technological products or services and is typically in the early stages of development. The speaker's experience with an AI startup illustrates the high-pressure environment and rapid pace that can come with working for a tech startup, as well as the potential for personal and professional growth.

💡Burnout

Burnout is a state of chronic physical and emotional exhaustion caused by excessive and prolonged stress. The speaker describes feeling the pressure from their job to the point where they no longer enjoyed coding, which is indicative of burnout. This keyword is significant as it reflects the potential downsides of high-stress work environments and the importance of maintaining a healthy work-life balance.

💡LeetCode

LeetCode is an online platform that provides a collection of coding challenges to help programmers prepare for technical interviews. The speaker mentions grinding LeetCode problems and learning algorithms, which indicates their dedication to improving their skills and preparing for new job opportunities. LeetCode is a resource often used by programmers to enhance their problem-solving abilities.

Highlights

Reflecting on nearly 4.5 years as a programmer and sharing experiences, mistakes, and lessons learned.

Started coding journey in January or February 2020 and secured a job 11 months later in 2021.

First job as a WordPress developer with a steep learning curve, especially with PHP, jQuery, and JavaScript.

Initial imposter syndrome, struggling with understanding a massive codebase in the new job.

Advice: Learn key tools like Git, GitHub, and Bitbucket early to ease daily tasks in programming jobs.

Experience working in a fast-growing team during the 2021 tech boom, collaborating with other juniors under a senior manager.

Mistake: Letting imposter syndrome limit potential by avoiding challenges and new technologies early on.

Mindset shift: Overcoming fear of failure and taking on projects outside comfort zone significantly improved skills.

Using Scrimber to learn React and appreciating its interactive coding lessons as a key learning tool.

Second job in an AI startup came with a 40% pay rise but proved to be a major mistake due to a difficult work environment.

Struggled with lack of support and high-pressure demands in AI startup, leading to burnout and quitting the job.

Took time off in Thailand and Bali to recover from job stress and rekindle love for coding.

Spent 3 months grinding LeetCode, learning JavaScript and Python, and improving skills during a break.

Key takeaway: In the first 2-3 years, be intentional and careful with job choices to avoid burnout and high quit rates.

Encourages early-career developers to focus on learning and growth, and to subscribe for more programming and digital nomad content.

Transcripts

[Music]

[Music]

hello welcome back I felt inspired to

make this video because I've been

reflecting on what is now nearly 4 and a

half years as a programmer and in this

video I want to talk about things that I

wish I knew at the start of my journey

things which took me by surprise this

one's going to be an encapsulation of my

experiences everything I've learned

mistakes I've made things I wish I knew

at the start and things I did well as

well

so yeah and I'm not really scripted it

so I'm just going to kind of free ball

so yeah let's get stuck into it I

already made a video about how I learned

code I did it in my 30s and I start

started in January or February

2020 then got a job 11 months later in

2021 so I've already made a video of

that so you can watch that if you want

but this is

about from then to now everything that's

happened so let's rewind to I think it

was like March or February

2021 I got offered the job for a

WordPress developer in between handed in

my notice in my marketing advertising

job to start in this web developer job

the manager sent me a big list of stuff

I needed to learn so it was like loads

of objectoriented stuff JavaScript

jQuery I had to

learn and the biggest one was PHP I knew

no PHP so four weeks before this job I

was crumming PHP so hard I was probably

studying for about 8 hours a day like 7

hours a day just like jQuery PHP

JavaScript just trying to like soak in

as much as I could I was just so eager

and so Keen to impress and I was there's

a lot of imposter syndrome there as well

but the big thing for me was the PHP

side because I'm going into a job that I

don't know this language um it was like

a front end job but also a little bit of

backend with WordPress I started the job

they sent me my laptop and I'll never

forget the first day looking at the code

base because it was it was massive I

freaked out I was I had meltdown because

I was reading it and I just there was so

much I didn't understand yeah so they

left me with the Co base for like 2 days

just to go through it and just to like

familiarize myself with this co-base I

don't think that in hindsight that was a

good thing for them to do because I was

just I was just thinking I just don't

know a lot of this code it's going to be

very difficult for me anyway so I

started the job and it's the chillest

job the manager was so supportive and he

just kept giving me like small

bite-sized tasks to do and my one bit of

advice first of all you're going to help

yourself out so much by learning the

tools that you're going to learn on a

day-to-day basis for example if you're a

programmer git GitHub bit bucket my my

start for this job was so much harder

because I was just not really that good

at git I I was just struggling to pull

things and push things and yeah like if

I go go back now I would I would focus

on what are the key tools that you're

going to use every single day in your

job just get really good at those like

for example for me was git the team was

growing a lot so this was in 2021 so

it's obviously a massive Tech boom so

they hired I think like five or six

people and yeah we were all designing

sites but they were all Juniors and we

had one manager who was a senior so it

was like loads of like kids running

around throwing stuff around you know I

talk to some other devs and we'd be like

do you know how this works and you'd be

like no I don't know how that works do

you know how this works no no no but

anyway I'm enjoying this job um but

probably the second mistake I make is

that I had a really heavy case of

imposter syndrome they would give us a

chance to work on new projects but I was

just so paranoid that I might get found

out or might get sacked uh or fired

whatever because I just wasn't up to the

level so instead of just pushing

yourself and challenging yourself and

learning new things which I do now which

I'd encourage anyone to do I was just I

had the mindset that like if I do take

on this new technology and I'm just not

good enough or holding the project back

that the company might sack me so then I

became a bit more Fearless and just

started to take on new skills and put my

hand up for a project and this was a

really big mindset like shift for me

where I was like all right this company

are paying me to learn so I'm just going

to start learning and I'm going to put

my hand up for things which might be a

little bit out of my skilled knowledge

but who cares let's go for it so as soon

as I adopted that mindset I started

improving a lot but it took me a while

thank you to scriber for sponsoring this

portion of today's video so I basically

learned react with scriber a couple

years ago I think it was like 2021 and I

use it every day in my job now they got

in touch with me because they just

released version two of the platform

they gave me some logins and I've been

playing around with it for the last week

and it is really cool so this is

scrimber they've just updated to version

two which is a lot quicker and they're

updating their react course with react

19 here and also they're adding a lot

more AI content but the cool thing about

scriber is that you can be watching a

tutorial like this so I can play this

tutorial but you can pause it and

experiment with the code I can write

whatever I want here and this is how you

learn coding by experimenting trying new

things now most of the content on

scrimber is free but the pro plan's

really good you get access to the AI

engineer career path and also the

front-end developer career path as well

with mdn there's a link in the

description that'll get you 30% off for

the first few weeks you see this video

and after that it'll be 20%

off so I was in the job about 10 months

and I just felt I just wasn't coding

enough I was putting websites live I was

playing around around with WordPress a

lot I wanted to be a digital Nomad so I

was based in Manchester working remotely

but I wanted to be traveling and

traveling around the world and the

company were kind of relatively open to

it but I knew that I could probably earn

more money elsewhere I could be coding

all day elsewhere and I wanted somewhere

that was remote first that allowed me to

travel the world so I started applying

for new jobs had a few interviews and I

was looking for a big pay rise I was

looking to work with react and maybe a

bit of back end as well full stack I

wanted to go into the more software

development software engineering space

to work with apps not WordPress

basically and I wanted somewhere where I

can travel the world with but had an

interview with an AI

startup so this ended up being my second

job and my third pretty big mistake I'd

say so the job basically ticked a lot of

the boxes but I just got a very weird

energy from the CTO and it's hard to

describe but I just

I just had a good feeling that I think

he this guy could be quite hard to work

for or I just felt I could have issues

with him completely ignore this they

offered me like a 40% pay rise said I

could work anywhere in the world working

with a modern tech stack so I just

accepted it I I basically ignored this

feeling I had and just accepted the job

and this was my biggest mistake in Tech

and the first six months of this job

went really well so I was traveling a

lot I went to Cape Town Lisbon Thailand

having a blast learning reacts was

learning loads about software

engineering and the two guys in my team

were like 15 to 20 years experience so I

was learning loads from them um and I

was making a Microsoft teams app which

was really cool like I've never worked

on that platform before so I was

learning about that and picked it up

really quick now this job was advertised

they wanted someone with three years

experience I had 8 months experience so

we talked about this at interview they

said they were fine with it and that

they'll train me this just never

happened and they basically if I had any

skills Gap rather than saying okay we'll

support you with this we can help you it

was like okay we need to get this

product out so you've got to learn it as

soon as possible and I think with a lot

of AI startups they want to get the

product out as soon as possible at the

detriment of their own staff so the the

amount of pressure they were putting me

under and it got to a point where I was

in Thailand I remember I was in Bangkok

and I was waking up I'd start working

about 400 p.m. day but there was just so

much work that was starting about like

12 just to keep up with what they were

giving me also there was no project

manager there was no uh ux people so I

was doing all the ux no ux experience

and I was like building out these

components there was just a lot of the

structure that you need for a successful

software team was just not there and

they wanted to get the product out as

soon as possible so it was really

straining their relationships internally

and it just got to the point where I

just wasn't enjoying coding anymore when

I first started programming I just loved

I was like the awe of programming I

loved it and I love like geeking out on

learning new technology and this job

they basically just sucked the life out

of it with the pressure they were put me

under I I quit so I quit the job or we

mutually terminated it had a break so I

was in Thailand I went to Barley and had

some time off and then slowly got back

geek out on coding again programming and

learning new stuff and just fell in love

with coding again I then got home went

back to the UK and was learning did

loads of leak code just grinded leak

code datch algorithms and had maybe had

like 3 months off and I think in that

three months I was just learning so much

learn so much about JavaScript a little

bit about Python and then started

applying again all right so if there's

one thing I want to take away from this

video it's this I'd say at the start of

your career particularly for the first 2

or 3 years it's going to take you time

to learn stuff

to get to a level you're confident at

and to get a level where you can

meaningfully contribute to a company and

I'd just be very intentional and very

careful with the companies that you

choose in that period because you you're

in very high quit territory and that is

it so if you found some value in this

subscribe like the video and 4 years I

still can't believe how quickly it's

gone but uh I'll be making more videos

about this my experience in programming

Tech being digital no so if that sounds

fun follow along if you want all right

see you in the next one bye