Elevate Your Developer Skills: A Step-by-Step Plan
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Chapter 1: My Journey to Becoming a Developer
As I near the completion of my Computer Science degree at the University of Cadiz, I reflect on my journey. During my third year, I had the unique opportunity to live in Rome for six months through an Erasmus scholarship. Now, with just a couple of courses left to complete my degree, I found myself with ample free time after returning from Rome.
Upon my return, I made the decision to actively seek employment as a developer. The tech industry is thriving, and I felt optimistic about landing interviews soon. However, I soon encountered a harsh reality: the education I received had not adequately prepared me for a career in development. During my interviews, recruiters asked questions about topics I was unfamiliar with, and my code faced criticism in technical assessments.
This realization sparked a desire to create a structured plan to enhance my developer profile, ensuring that my skills would be undeniable to potential employers. I began implementing this plan, which I continue to follow today, leading to my current position as a Backend Developer.
If you're also looking to improve your employability, let me share my strategy for becoming a more proficient developer.
Section 1.1: Identifying the Gaps in My Knowledge
My initial challenge stemmed from a lack of hands-on experience in the development field. My knowledge was limited to what was taught in university, along with a few personal projects outside of class assignments. Additionally, I discovered that there were many crucial areas I had yet to explore, including testing, architecture, and quality assurance.
To address this, I recognized that my improvement plan would need two foundational elements: Practice and Theory.
Subsection 1.1.1: The Importance of Practice
To enhance my skills, I realized I needed to engage in extensive practice. Programming is inherently a skill that improves with deliberate effort. To facilitate daily practice, I decided to undertake the #100DaysOfCode challenge, which I discovered through a Medium article. This challenge encourages participants to code for at least one hour each day and share their progress on Twitter using a specific hashtag.
I compiled a list of resources, coding platforms, and projects I wanted to tackle, and embarked on this challenge with a focus on intentional practice.
How To Become A Better Programmer? You Got This - YouTube
The #100DaysOfCode challenge has been instrumental in my journey to becoming a more competent developer, allowing me to improve my skills while dedicating just one hour a day.
Section 1.2: The Role of Teaching in Mastery
However, I understood that practice alone wouldn't suffice. Without a clear structure or comprehension of the concepts being applied, my learning would be slow and ineffective. Therefore, I recognized the need for a parallel learning process to solidify the new concepts I was acquiring.
I pondered, "What learning method would enable me to grasp these concepts quickly and thoroughly?" After some research, I discovered that teaching is an effective approach.
Consequently, I launched a YouTube channel to create tech content in Spanish and began writing articles on Medium. My goal is to produce one article daily, focusing on the concepts I’m currently studying. This approach not only helps me master the material but also makes the learning process enjoyable and engaging.
Chapter 2: Reflections and Future Steps
How I Learned to Code in 6 MONTHS & Got a Job Offer (Self-Taught) - YouTube
Reflecting on my early interviews, I realized that my university education fell short in preparing me to be a proficient developer. After completing my degree, I devised a plan to enhance my skills over the summer, focusing on two key components: the #100DaysOfCode challenge for practical experience and teaching to deepen my theoretical understanding.
Though it requires a commitment of my free time, this plan has successfully led me to my current role as a Backend Developer. I believe it can be a powerful strategy for anyone aspiring to improve their development skills.
What methods are you employing to enhance your skills as a developer? Are there any additional components you would incorporate into my plan?
Final Thoughts
Thank you for taking the time to read my insights. I would love to hear your thoughts, so please don’t hesitate to share them in the comments. If you found this article helpful, a clap and a share would be greatly appreciated. And don’t forget to follow me for more articles in the future.
About the Author
My passions lie at the intersection of technology and communication, and I seize every opportunity to discuss or write about the tech world. If you’d like to connect, feel free to reach out:
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