I've Been A Developer For 9 Years And Now I Can't Get A Job - Don't Make The Same Mistakes I Did!

Summary

In this deeply personal video, the speaker reflects on nine years as a web developer, sharing the regrets and lessons learned from career stagnation, burnout, and missed opportunities. After failing an IBM coding test, they realize the importance of foundational skills like data structures, algorithms, and low-level programming. The speaker emphasizes pursuing personal technical interests—such as operating system development or creating programming languages—alongside career-focused work, highlighting how passion projects can enhance skills and open new opportunities. Ultimately, the video encourages developers to balance career goals with personal growth, learn continuously, and work on projects that truly excite them.

Takeaways

• 😀 Career reflection: The speaker has been a web developer for nine years, mostly doing CRUD applications, and realizes they have stagnated in their career.
• 😀 Burnout is often misunderstood: Leaving a job thinking it’s programming burnout may actually be general life burnout.
• 😀 Importance of personal projects: Working on projects you genuinely care about can enhance skills and open unexpected career opportunities.
• 😀 Learning gaps: The speaker regrets not learning data structures, algorithms, and low-level programming earlier in their career.
• 😀 LeetCode and coding tests matter: Even experienced developers may struggle with standardized coding challenges without preparation.
• 😀 Foundational knowledge is crucial: Understanding memory management, C programming, and operating systems can make you a better developer overall.
• 😀 Career assumptions can be limiting: Believing all development jobs are the same and assuming pay and opportunities are uniform is misleading.
• 😀 Following passions accelerates growth: Exploring areas like graphics programming, operating systems, or creating a programming language can improve skill and confidence.
• 😀 Continuous learning is key: It’s never too late to acquire new technical skills or explore new areas of development.
• 😀 Advice for other developers: Prioritize learning fundamentals, explore personal projects, and work on what you enjoy rather than only what seems career-focused.
• 😀 Reflection is therapeutic: Sharing personal career mistakes helps identify growth areas and encourages others to avoid similar pitfalls.

Q & A

What triggered the creator to reflect on their career in this video?

The creator applied for a job at IBM and struggled with the HackerRank coding test, which highlighted gaps in their knowledge and prompted reflection on career choices and past decisions.

How many years has the creator been working as a web developer?

The creator has been working as a web developer for nine years.

What was the main reason the creator left their previous job?

They felt burnt out and unfulfilled due to repetitive and boring work, not because they disliked programming itself.

What kind of projects did the creator mostly work on during their career?

The creator primarily worked on CRUD applications (Create, Read, Update, Delete), which involved managing resources and creating front-end interfaces for users.

What does the creator identify as a major regret in their career?

A major regret is focusing on web development trends and career advancement rather than working on personal passion projects like operating systems, low-level programming, or creating programming languages.

Why did the creator struggle with technical interviews at big tech companies?

They lacked foundational knowledge in data structures, algorithms, and low-level programming, which are essential for coding interviews at companies like IBM, Google, or Apple.

What technical skills is the creator currently focusing on improving?

The creator is learning data structures, algorithms, C programming, memory management, and experimenting with building a personal programming language.

How does working on passion projects benefit a developer, according to the creator?

It exposes the developer to challenging concepts, improves overall coding skills, boosts confidence, and may open up new career opportunities.

What advice does the creator give regarding career growth?

They advise working on projects you genuinely enjoy, diversifying skills, learning foundational CS concepts, and being proactive in exploring career opportunities.

How does the creator view their initial perception of burnout?

Initially, they thought they were burnt out with programming specifically, but later realized it was more about burnout with life in general and unfulfilling work.

Why does the creator think knowledge of low-level programming is valuable even for web developers?

It enhances understanding of computer fundamentals, improves coding efficiency, builds problem-solving skills, and makes a developer more versatile and confident.

What role did the creator's early apprenticeship play in their career?

The apprenticeship was foundational, teaching most of the skills they use today, though the work was stressful and contributed to long-term anxiety.