5 Years as a Developer: What I Learned from Two Job Changes
I joined my first company in 2019 and have changed jobs twice since then. After two startups, I'm now at a mid-sized company. It's not a flashy career for my years of experience, but I thought writing down the mistakes I've made along the way might help someone, so here goes.
1. I regret choosing my first company based only on its 'tech stack.' In the end, people and processes matter more. I should have asked about the team atmosphere and code review culture during the interview, but back then I didn't even know I should ask those things.
2. With job changes, preparation comes before timing. I left in a hurry for my first job change, so I couldn't even negotiate my salary properly. Looking back, I should have spent at least six months preparing and polishing my portfolio.
3. The tech a company uses and the tech I want to learn can be different. That's unavoidable, so I had no choice but to fill the gap with personal projects. Studying after work isn't easy, but in the end, that becomes the material for your next job change.
4. Salary is decided in negotiation. Even for the same role and same years of experience, the variation between companies is huge. At the very least, when changing jobs, it's good to create a situation where you can compare two or three offers.
Looking back now, what I regret most is the period when I waited, thinking, 'The company will help me grow.' In the end, you have to take care of it yourself. I'm curious what made all of you decide to change jobs.