Let’s face it: working in software is tough. I’ve worked in software for over a decade, and I’ve learned a lot of things during my journey – oftentimes the hard way.
On April 7, 2022, I tried something new: every hour for 24 hours, I tweeted a lesson I learned during my software career. I covered topics like breaking into the industry, working on projects, and seeking advancement. I used the hashtag #PandyEveryHour to track my tweets. I started at 8am (US Eastern) on April 7, and I concluded at 8am on April 8. It was an awesome experience: lots of folks liked, retweeted, and commented. Some of my insights struck nerves.
In case you missed it while my tweets went live, I compiled all the tweets below in order. Give them a read! If you like any of them in particular, be sure to “like” them on Twitter so I know!
⏰ IT'S PANDY KNIGHT EVERY HOUR! ⏰
— Pandy Knight (@AutomationPanda) April 7, 2022
Every hour for the next 24 hours, I will tweet important lessons I've learned throughout my software career.
Watch this hashtag: #PandyEveryHour
(Thanks go to @somacdivad for the inspiration!)
Breaking into the software industry
Let's talk about breaking into the software industry.
— Pandy Knight (@AutomationPanda) April 7, 2022
Whether entering from college, bootcamp, or another career, your first software job(s) will probably be your HARDEST!
Everything is new. Things won't make sense. It's okay. It gets better. Persevere!#PandyEveryHour pic.twitter.com/pGu8qLTzWs
When taking a new role, you will likely doubt your abilities. I know I did. That's "imposter syndrome."
— Pandy Knight (@AutomationPanda) April 7, 2022
It's normal. It's actually a healthy sign that you care about your role!
Use that vulnerability to be humble, learn, and grow. Figure things out as you go.#PandyEveryHour pic.twitter.com/E5HaBuhQ4p
You'll meet lots of people throughout your software journey. Most of them will be good, but some will be jerks.
— Pandy Knight (@AutomationPanda) April 7, 2022
Seek good, wholesome influences. Surround yourself with folks who build you up and inspire you. Avoid those who tear you (and others) down.#PandyEveryHour pic.twitter.com/U4v6Fk21Ek
Coding
Let's talk about coding next.
— Pandy Knight (@AutomationPanda) April 7, 2022
💥When in doubt, google it!💥
No shame. It's okay. I google stuff all the time. 🤷
Weird error message? Forgotten function args? Obscure framework trick? Google it!
If Google can't answer, then I start asking people.#PandyEveryHour pic.twitter.com/siu8TTZaHE
☝️Simple is better than complex.☝️
— Pandy Knight (@AutomationPanda) April 7, 2022
Trust me. You'll waste so much time trying to make something fancy, and it will become too hard to maintain.
This nugget of wisdom comes from the #ZenOfPython. Honestly, all 20 points are good: https://t.co/LNAJndXf2N#PandyEveryHour pic.twitter.com/X8xr3uN0wa
📄🖋️ Write your code in paragraphs 📄🖋️
— Pandy Knight (@AutomationPanda) April 7, 2022
1⃣ Write a "topic sentence" comment stating *what* the code will do.
2⃣ Write a few lines of code to implement that intention.
3⃣ Separate paragraphs with blank lines
Why? Readability counts. #Python example below. 🐍#PandyEveryHour pic.twitter.com/PqURSgJi5Q
Do code reviews for every single change you make to a repository. Nobody, no matter how senior, gets to go rogue.
— Pandy Knight (@AutomationPanda) April 7, 2022
🔵 Reviews catch problems early.
🔵 Reviews share codebase knowledge.
🔵 Reviews help folks learn new skills.
🔵 Reviews foster humility.#PandyEveryHour pic.twitter.com/t0ckynyZtH
Please test your code.
— Pandy Knight (@AutomationPanda) April 7, 2022
I don't care how "bad" you are at testing. Just do it. You gotta learn somehow.
Lamest excuse I ever heard: "We didn't test because it wasn't a requirement." Really? Don't make others suffer from your mistakes. Care about your quality.#PandyEveryHour pic.twitter.com/ckzVvQc5Mm
Don’t waste time complaining about a programming language. 🚫🙅❌
— Pandy Knight (@AutomationPanda) April 7, 2022
You’ll just look foolish, annoying, and closed-minded. Nobody wants to hear it.#PandyEveryHour pic.twitter.com/imQyFMg96y
Rewriting something from scratch is rarely the right solution. Just because you didn’t write it doesn’t mean it’s “wrong.”
— Pandy Knight (@AutomationPanda) April 7, 2022
As engineers, we relish the idea of building our own things. Business, on the other hand, doesn't like reinventing wheels that still roll.#PandyEveryHour pic.twitter.com/BYKPrd5g3e
🎚️ Seniority Level Real Talk 🎚️
— Pandy Knight (@AutomationPanda) April 7, 2022
😕 A JUNIOR engineer enjoys figuring out code.
😀 A SENIOR engineer enjoys writing code.
😈 A STAFF engineer enjoys deleting code.
😢 A PRINCIPAL engineer misses coding.#PandyEveryHour pic.twitter.com/AhERiOdBkK
Working with others
Let's talk about working with others.
— Pandy Knight (@AutomationPanda) April 8, 2022
You might think that technical challenges are the hardest part of a software job. FALSE!
The hardest part is usually working with people. Everyone has objectives and opinions. We all gotta play the game. Do so with honor.#PandyEveryHour pic.twitter.com/fltHBWgIom
🙇 Be humble when you break things 🙇
— Pandy Knight (@AutomationPanda) April 8, 2022
Eventually, inevitably, you will break something important. Fess up. Seek to help fix it. Learn from it.
Once, I blew out the entire CI test environment for a pretty large company. 💪😅#PandyEveryHour pic.twitter.com/8RAKLYal3w
🙇 Be gracious when others break things 🙇
— Pandy Knight (@AutomationPanda) April 8, 2022
One time, a teammate accidentally deleted the remote main branch. They came to me, we restored it, we put a security policy on it, and nobody else had to know.
Treat others as you want to be treated. #Character#PandyEveryHour pic.twitter.com/L5PyQZB4n0
Opinions, opinions!
— Pandy Knight (@AutomationPanda) April 8, 2022
💆 Some people express opinions based on wisdom.
🗣️ Others express opinions based on arrogance.
🤔 Learn to discern the difference.
👀 Be cautious when detangling the two.#PandyEveryHour pic.twitter.com/EKFeS6ikeH
Improving your skills
Let's shift to self improvement.
— Pandy Knight (@AutomationPanda) April 8, 2022
🔨 Hone your experience into expertise 🔨
I never thought I'd become a software testing leader.
But I spent 4 years at NetApp perpetually improving my team's automation project. I learned deep things.
Experience ➡️ Expertise#PandyEveryHour pic.twitter.com/X9Lkoz1hVf
Blog about things you learn!
— Pandy Knight (@AutomationPanda) April 8, 2022
📃 It records your knowledge and skills
📃 It can help other people
📃 It shows others that you are smart
📃 It won't get locked behind proprietary walls
📃 It helps you hone communication skills
My blog: https://t.co/78scuYyI8x#PandyEveryHour
Become a part of software communities! The folks you'll meet will inspire you.
— Pandy Knight (@AutomationPanda) April 8, 2022
How?
🐼 Conferences
🐼 Meetups
🐼 Projects
🐼 Friends
It's OK to feel shy, but give it a try!
I'm part of #Python and #Testing communities.
(Shout-out @TristanLombard2!)#PandyEveryHour pic.twitter.com/11BZ1Njk3i
Career advancement
📚Pull a good story from every job📚
— Pandy Knight (@AutomationPanda) April 8, 2022
Your job history becomes your story. Make it a good one!
1⃣ IBM: hard knocks
2⃣ NetApp: honed test automation
3⃣ MaxPoint: fast-paced skills
4⃣ LexisNexis: senior tester
5⃣ PL: built practice from scratch
6⃣ Applitools: 👀#PandyEveryHour pic.twitter.com/Uls6sXUAF3
Sad fact: doing your job means you merely "meet expectations."
— Pandy Knight (@AutomationPanda) April 8, 2022
If you want to advance, you need ⭐️gold star⭐️ opportunities that exceed your role.
Look for chances to add value in unique ways. Build a helpful tool. Optimize a process. Automate busywork.
🐼⭐️⤴️#PandyEveryHour pic.twitter.com/OgkmfxaRrr
💥Software is tumultuous💥
— Pandy Knight (@AutomationPanda) April 8, 2022
⏩ Expect high turnover
⏩ Expect major org change at least every 18 months
⏩ Expect acquisitions
⏩ Expect unexpected layoffs
The only job security is career momentum. Keep moving forward!
⏩⏩⏩#PandyEveryHour pic.twitter.com/yZuMezh4tp
What's the most important thing to look for in a job?
— Pandy Knight (@AutomationPanda) April 8, 2022
🌟 OPPORTUNITY! 🌟
⭐️ Is the work meaningful to you?
⭐️ Will the job help you grow?
⭐️ Will it add to your story in a good way?
Compensation, tech stacks, and culture are important but secondary IMO.#PandyEveryHour pic.twitter.com/GoGmO9uubd
Another hard truth about software jobs:
— Pandy Knight (@AutomationPanda) April 8, 2022
You will get better promotions and raises if you switch companies.
😱😱😱
You'd think companies would want to promote their own talent, but many are stuck in annual perf cycles w/ little more than cost-of-living raises.#PandyEveryHour pic.twitter.com/Mtt6aVDoH6
Conclusion
My final lesson for this 24-hour cycle:
— Pandy Knight (@AutomationPanda) April 8, 2022
🌟 Be excellent in all things 🌟
I strive to give my best work at all times. That's why software quality matters so much to me.#BeExcellentInAllThings #SoliDeoGloria #PandyEveryHour
So, which lessons resonated the most with you? Which did you disagree with? Let me know!
The main photo for this article was taken at DjangoCon 2019 during one of the breaks between sessions.
Automation Panda 
Great thread! It’s all excellent advice, but I think everything under Career Advancement resonated with me the most.
LikeLike
Great list of takeaways. And I have to agree with all of them!
LikeLike