Switching careers into tech? Welcome to the wild world of software development! After 4 years in the coding trenches, I’ve accumulated a lot of lessons learned (along with a few stack overflow copy-pastes 😅). Here are ten key insights from a 4 years of writing code, breaking things, fixing things, and constantly learning. Strap in—this ride is insightful, a bit bumpy, and sprinkled with humor.

1. The Learning Never Stops 📚

In tech, the only constant is change. New frameworks, languages, and tools pop up faster than you can say “JavaScript fatigue.” 4 years years ago I was debugging jQuery; today it’s all about React, LLMs, TypeScript, and whatever new technology launched last week.

The lesson? Stay curious and keep learning. As a career switcher, you might feel behind, but trust me—everyone is always catching up in this field. Embrace continuous learning through online courses, documentation, and yes, even the occasional late-night YouTube tutorial.

2. Tests and Docs: Your Future Self’s BFF ✅

I get it: writing tests and documentation isn’t as flashy as deploying a new feature. Early in my career, I often thought, “I’ll add tests later.” Spoiler alert: “later” rarely comes. Bugs, on the other hand, will arrive right on time.

One of the biggest lessons I learned (the hard way) is that writing tests and good documentation is an investment in your sanity.

3. Learn to Speak “Human” (Communication FTW) 💬

Software development is a team sport, and not everyone on the team speaks tech jargon. One crucial skill from my experience in dev is clear communication with non-developer stakeholders.

Good communication builds trust. It means fewer misunderstandings and smoother projects. Remember, if you can’t explain what you’re doing in a way your grandma or your project manager would understand, do you really understand it? 😉

4. Burnout Is Real: Pace Yourself 🕯️🔥

In my first few years, I thought working 12-hour days chugging coffee made me a “real Software engineer(RDJ).” Nope. It made me a burnt-out developer.

Lesson learned: coding is a marathon, not a sprint, and work-life balance is not just corporate jargon—it’s vital.

5. Use the Right Tool for the Job 🛠️

There’s always a new “shiny tool” in tech. One key lesson from 4 years of vscode is choosing the right tools and technologies wisely.

Just because React is popular doesn’t mean it’s the best choice for every project. Pick tools that solve your problem, not the ones that look good on a résumé.

6. Legacy Code: Embrace the Horror (and Hope) 👻

At some point, you’ll inherit legacy code — that old, mysterious codebase that predates your tenure (maybe even your birth!).

When working with legacy systems, resist the urge to immediately rewrite everything from scratch. First, make sure you truly grasp what it does. Then, refactor in small steps. Over time, those small improvements add up.

7. Imposter Syndrome Club: Everyone’s a Member 🥸

Here’s a secret I just discovered: imposter syndrome doesn’t magically vanish with experience.

Feeling like Mike Ross (a fraud) is incredibly common in our field. The lesson for you as a career switcher is don’t let imposter syndrome stop you. Your non-traditional background is not a weakness; it’s a strength.

8. Understand the Business (Code ≠ Island) 💼

Early in my career, I thought my job was just to write code that runs faster and passes tests. It took years (and some hard knocks) to realize software development is about solving real problems, not just producing code for code’s sake.

Ask questions like: Who is this for? How does it make or save money? Understanding the business needs will help you prioritize and avoid over-engineering.

9. Feedback and Code Reviews: Embrace the Red Pen ✍️

One of the scariest moments for a new dev is often the first code review. But here’s the thing: code reviews and feedback are gold.

Lesson nine is learning to take feedback not as criticism of you, but as help for your code. On the flip side, when you’re the reviewer, be kind and constructive.

10. Soft Skills > Hardcore Skills (People Matter) 🤝

You might think being a great developer is all about cranking out impeccable code. Surprise: soft skills are just as critical to long-term success.

Writing code is only half the battle; working with people—that’s the other half. In an industry constantly reinventing itself, one thing remains true: people prefer to work with people who are decent humans.

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In conclusion, 4 years in software development have taught me that the tech is only part of the journey. Whether you’re pushing your first commit or deploying your hundredth app, these lessons will hopefully set you up for success.

Thanks for reading! 🚀