What A Senior Software Engineer At A Big Tech Company Wishes They Had Known Before Entering The Technology Industry

Don't be afraid of how much you don't know. When you graduate, you might have some basic ideas about certain things, or perhaps you've tried things out on your own. You might be looking for a job, find something, and then think, "I don't know how to do any of this." That's okay.

You need to keep learning. Once you realize how much there is to potentially know, hopefully you'll understand that nobody can know it all. Instead, pursue the things you like and try different things out. See what works for you and what doesn't. Push yourself, but don't have an existential crisis about not knowing everything, because there's a lot that I don't know, and that's okay.

This will help you learn your strengths and weaknesses, and how to collaborate with others to get things done. Never stop learning.

As a bonus, if you want a pay raise, the best way is often to switch companies. You could probably get an extra $30,000 at least in this industry if you switch jobs. If you need to increase your base salary, find another company.

Also, college is a great time for short-term thinking. Hopefully, you're done in four years and really thinking about the next paper, the next test, and the end of the quarter or semester. In the industry, we think in increments of three months, six months, or a year. We might decide not to do something this year, but we can lay the groundwork for it. Perhaps in a year and a half, we'll get started on another project, get comfortable with that, and maybe not see the things you're working on ship.