Intro
When I started in 2019, according to Daxx, there was an estimated total of 26.4 million software developers in the world. And that number is predicted to reach 28.7 million software developers by 2024. The term web developer and software developer is often interchangeable in today's world since web tools and frameworks power most modern software. Looking at these numbers alone, you can only assume that every person will go through different journeys to become a web dev.
I myself, as a web dev working in Malaysia, may not be the best web developer out here in this space, but I hope what I've written here would be valuable to whoever comes after me and walks this path to be a web dev.
Be a Problem Solver 📝
"A man's worth is how much value he provides."
Because money is rewarded by providing value and value is the definition of having problems solved. Therefore, companies would compensate well to quick problem solvers. And to be a quick problem solver, one would have to spend many hours to have the subject well-versed. (In this context, the subject would be web development).
Because our current world right now revolves around software, which translates to a lot of opportunities to solve the world's issues with software solutions. That said, the ability to solve problems is crucial.
James Jani has a superb explanation on what makes a person valuable. Do check it out!
Being Adaptable 🔌
To be a web developer, one should always be willing to learn and always be improving. Many of the programming languages and web frameworks are mere tools to solve problems. A web developer must learn and discover which of these tools would best solve the problem.
Having the mindset of not willing to learn other programming languages because you're not familiar with them can be very detrimental. Because when you have more tools in your arsenal, you can solve more problems.
Work Smart, Not Hard 🧠
"You don't have to reinvent the wheel, just attach it to a new wagon" -Mark McCormack.
In my internship, I made a very detrimental mistake on my first software project. I was only familiar with PHP because it was the only web programming subject taught in my university. As a result, I did not take up the time to research the vast frameworks available for use when I started the web software project. This caused me a tremendous amount of time to write scaffolding code which instead, I could have just taken a bit of time to research and use existing web frameworks with existing scaffolding code.
Knowing the optimum tool to solve a problem can save a lot of time. To simply put it, you do not have to reinvent the wheel when the wheel is widely available.
Be Consistent & Don't Give Up 💪🏻
"The key to success is consistency" - Zak Frazer
It definitely sounds cliché, but the general saying still applies to the goal of being a web developer (or any career in general). What are you doing a bit of almost every day to contribute to the ultimate goal? The habit of consistently trying to upskill yourself to become well-versed in your field. Because success is made possible through habits, and habits are built from consistently staying on course and never giving up.
(Notice how the word almost is bolded because it is important to take breaks and avoid getting burned out.)
Sean Ho (a chemical engineer turned developer) has an excellent retrospect if you have symptoms of imposter syndrome while navigating the tech space.
Finally, Learn to Enjoy the Process! 🤗
"Instead of doing things you enjoy, learn to enjoy the things you do" -Ali Abdaal.
According to Ali Abdaal (a doctor and a YouTuber), the secret of being productive is to learn how to enjoy the process.
One of the most crucial things to be a developer is to like coding. It's hard to be productive if you do not enjoy coding. I think one of the ways to enjoy the process is to gamify the process. "Gamify" means essentially having a roadmap to a goal and track your progress as you slowly reach your goal. Websites like FreeCodeCamp does a wonderful job of "gamifying" the process of becoming a web developer.
Though coding alone isn't the only process you should enjoy, the ability to get comfortable to verbalize your thought process in layman's terms is also important.
This is because besides hammering on a keyboard for hours a day nonstop, you will also need to be working with stakeholders on short deadlines. Therefore, the ability to convey why your tech will be beneficial to the users/stakeholders is a process that you should cherish.
Because the code was never really the important part of shipping a great software product to the end-users, being passionate in verbalizing your brand new feature or your new solution to a problem is also pivotal.
I hope you find this write-up somewhat valuable! Till next time. ♥
This post is motivated by the amazing cohort program by Sina, Daren Tan & Team from Playbook (Learning Loop). Check it out below! 👇🏻
