Transitioning from Python to Java: Embracing Corporate Culture After a Successful and Lovely Startup Journey
I have completed my second week in one of the biggest technology companies in Turkey
Hi. In this article I will write about my journey that is took almost 2 weeks in corporate life instead of writing something technical. I will try to keep writing about the journey for the 1st month, 6th month and 1st year.
Before I start to write, I really want to express my thanks to my old team in Entalpi and my current team. I am thankful to God that ever since I opened my eyes to the world, I have been encountering the best people in the world!
My Thoughts About the Company Transition
Probably, I would say that “the worst thing is waiting a permission for anything”, if anyone asked me that what is the worst thing that you have encountered in your first weeks. I guess this is normal for these kind of companies especially if they are such big. But I am sure it would be the same too much for a developer who comes from a startup like me.
Please do not beat me up, this is my first corporate job despite it is my almost 6th job.
I have heard from one of my colleagues that the permissions are less than his old company’s permission policies. I even do not want to think how would it be.
I have spent almost 2 weeks but I am still not able to code in the company even one line because of trying to complete my permissions 🥲
I’d say that as a second thing that demoralize me we have restrictions to use the latest technologies. Big restrictions… For example, when my team lead said to me that you will be working as a Java and Python developer and their weights will be changeable, my eyes were sparkle. The eye sparkling took until I’ve heard the Python version was 2. But I can understand that the systems they are working on them are old systems and probably (I’m sure), it is not easy to upgrade the technology (tech stack).
After this experience I better figured out why we can not easily upgrade or change tech stack in an on-going project (it was almost going to finish its 10th year). Also, I’ve accepted that I was wrong when I said we should start to change our tech stack at my previous job (4th).
Maybe the third thing that I’d want to talk about it would be that they still treat me like I am an intern. I do not know why it is like that but I think the people who accepts us into their teams do not read our resumes. They still ask me that do you know what interface is, what are the relationships in a database, etc. I understand that probably they think I have no enough background to work as a new grad without any experience but I have almost 5 years experiences. I think they disclaim the part-time experiences and the full-time experiences that are experienced while studying. At the same time, I am a new grad 😅 I graduated last year. Almost, 6 or 7 months ago.
To be honest, I understand that. For this situation, I have 2 thoughts:
- The first one is that they can not believe a person who says I know something and I have done some projects to solve real problems by using X and Y etc. Maybe they experienced too many persons write things that they only thought instead of what they did to their resumes or cover letters.
- The second thing could be that they assume that the person is exaggerating what he did. And also, this can be true. It is possible that I assume more than its real value what I did.
However, I believe that if the team synergy is compatible, the rest is easy. And for now, I see that our synergy is compatible.
Of course there are so many good things that I have encountered in my 2 weeks journey.
The first goodness is the employees. It is obviously appearing by looking at their face they have a happy environment to work. Also the team is very good. On-boarding process was clear and helpful to adopt the new environment as a new developer. But I am still waiting some permissions to code.
Also one of the things that I liked is HR. When you talk with someone from HR, you feel that you are a value for them. Thanks for the HR team because of they broke my preconception about the “HR”.
I used to think that we are working and they do nothing(!). I’ve understood what they do 🥲.
The last thing that I want to share is there are too many meetings as I saw. I do not know is this good or not. I am closer to think that it is bad because of my workaholic brain. I support that: “Talk is cheap. Show me the code.”.
However, it is not strange for me because I was working in a consultancy team for one of the biggest holdings in Turkey. We had too much meetings. Therefore I can understand why we need to do meetings after seeing the changed business requirements 🥲
My Thoughts About the Technology Transition
To be honest I still have no experience with Java in a production level. But maybe I can tell what I felt while learning (especially refreshing my old knowledge) Java.
I’ve changed my job because of I didn’t want to contradict myself. I always say that “I do not want to be an X Developer. I want to be an IT Professional”. Therefore, I didn’t want to stand in front of the change in my life. I think that the change makes me more strong and improves my skills.
It wasn’t difficult to get used to web development with Java by using Spring Framework (Spring Boot). I’ve prepared a small database of Java resources that I liked and got benefits. You can access it by using the link below.
I am sure and accept that I need and have to work and study much more about development with Java. But it will not be a big problem (at least, I think that).
It is a cliche but I want to repeat it as common. I feel more flexible with Django. Especially its request object seems more powerful after getting experience with Spring. Also, it seems easier than Spring Framework to do functional programming.
I know we have the opportunity to do functional programming with Spring Framework. I have no experience with that.
However, I feel that I am doing more engineering while coding Spring (Java).
Story of the Image
I do not now why but I was feeling more flexible in my personal life while coding Python 🥲 Of course, it is not about to code Python. But now I feel like a real white collar. Java made me feel a white collar 🤓 Because of having different (different for the people except me) thoughts in my mind, the only disappointment is that now is a real white collar. I’ll try to keep myself on my own way to smoke, say and do whatever I want and when I want 🥲
The Image that is used in the banner, is taken from “Happiness” animation by Steve Cutts.
I want to suggest you a book: White Niggers - Ingvar Ambjørnsen (In Turkish: “Beyaz Zenciler”).
The traffic was bustling in both directions on the bridge. I found myself pondering where these people were going. Where were they headed, what were they doing, what dreams did they have when the lights went out at night, what thoughts occupied their minds when the TV and weekend drinks ran dry? Questions. The universe was filled with questions. Each of us was a mystery awaiting solutions from the outside or within ourselves! We were hoping for news from invisible fairies, from the gods we created ourselves. — A part of White Niggers
Final Thoughts
I haven’t done anything for money. What I have done is only because of I wanted. Therefore, nothing is irreplaceable for me. I wish myself that to keep this philosophy (feeling, intend, approach) in rest of my life and do whatever and whenever I want.
Probably, I’ll start to write about Spring in the next weeks. I wish you the best!
You can check my links by using the link below.
Regards
