Why Junior Software Developers Fail To Improve
How to avoid plateauing and become a senior engineer faster
I’ve hired and mentored a number of junior developers over the years.
Some learn rapidly, add value, and subsequently leave for higher-paying jobs. I wish all developers we hired were like this.
Unfortunately, the average hire is more likely to plateau within their first six months and fail to continue improving.
I used to attribute a lack of improvement to laziness. But lately, I’ve started to wonder if some people simply haven’t learned the mindset required to succeed.
Here are a few ideas a plateauing developer can use to continue improving.
Change jobs more often
There’s nothing wrong with changing jobs when you find yourself plateauing, bored, or unable to learn new skills.
I’ve learned the most in short bursts throughout my software career when starting a new job at a new company.
Firstly, in a different role, it’s almost guaranteed that you’ll be working with at least one new piece of technology. This could be on the frontend, backend, database, or infrastructure level.
