In this episode, Dave and Jamison answer these questions:
I’m a junior software engineer who has been placed in charge of a handful of graduates and interns who have joined my team. The project is fairly technical.
For the first two weeks, the new starters were pair programming. That went well, and after talking to each new starter they were eager to start working individually.
We’re one month in and I’m concerned about the performance of one of the engineers, “Morgan” (fake name). Morgan has completed a degree from a good university we often hire from but appears to lack any knowledge of software development. As a result, Morgan seems to struggle with researching and working through problems beyond following tutorials. I got the impression that while pair programming Morgan didn’t contribute much.
Is there anything I could do to give Morgan the boost needed to start rolling? I’m sure I could spoon feed Morgan, but it would monopolize my time when I’m already spending time with the other new starters on top of my own tasks.
I want to give Morgan a shot, but I don’t know what to do. At what point do I tell my manager about my concerns?
Things I’ve encountered:
Even all these issues in aggregate would be fine with me, but the continual resemblance and behavior of a stunned mullet isn’t encouraging. After being told to research a concept, Morgan must be told the specific Google query to type in.
Thanks, and apologies for the essay!
Listener Confused Cat asks,
I spent just over four years on a team where technical growth was lacking. Recently, I transitioned to a new team within the same company, and I’m enjoying the atmosphere, the team dynamics, and the opportunity to engage in more challenging software development tasks. Fortunately, my motivation is beginning to resurface.
However, I’ve noticed that my technical skills have become somewhat rusty. While I can still deliver systems and features, I feel like I’m falling behind compared to some of my peers. This self-awareness is causing me to doubt myself, despite receiving no negative feedback from my current team or supervisor. It’s not just imposter syndrome; I genuinely feel the need to upskill.
How can I navigate this situation effectively? What strategies would you suggest for advancing my skills while holding a senior position and preventing feelings of inadequacy from affecting my performance?
Episode 347: New untrusting manager and crappy project management
Episode 346: Changing jobs with no raise and wrangling a cowboy coder
Episode 345: Head of Engineering vs writing code and Voluntary Severance
Episode 344: Showing impact without hiring and over over over engineering
Episode 343: Tech lead/manager and discouraging seniors
Episode 342: Losing my job to AI and bad review season
Episode 341: Offer rescinded and layoff stuff
Episode 340: Productivity lulls and code review showdown
Episode 339: Coworker double-dipping and building toxic community
Episode 338: I am the golden handcuffs and Staying in management
Episode 337: Helping the principal and Manager conflict
Episode 336: Roadmap roadkill and returning to office
Episode 335: Senior questions and overly optimistic
Episode 334: Personal brand and awkward silence
Episode 333: Unsure about management and I shall decline the offer
Episode 332: Layoff + baby survival and 18-year-old CS graduate
Episode 331: Prickly ticket and title downgrade
Episode 330: Mixed signals and not ready for senior
Episode 329: Falling behind and can't get a management job
Episode 328: Fear of sudden firing and reducing the lottery factor
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The Unbelivable Truth - Series 1 - 26 including specials and pilot