My friend, fellow software engineer and surfer bro Andrew Locke asked me a couple of questions about my career path on his awesome podcast. I hope someone finds it useful. You can learn more about Andrew by following the links on the podcast page.
In the interview I shared my professional experience of around ten years of software development and more, covering my path from modding my favorite computer games as a teenager to being a CTO in a startup. The topics covered include:
- Embedded systems - microcontrollers and low-level languages (assembly)
- My transition into the world of high-level languages by simultaneously learning C# for Unity3D and Java for Android
- Working remotely since 2014, “before it was cool”
- Learning my limits when attempting to get a MSc in astrophysics and dropping out
- The experience of being a technical co-founder
- The importance of delegation to empower your team for success
- Important career milestones:
- Great leadership that taught me how to review code and support other developers in their coding - the importance of mentorship
- Making architectural decisions for a team - the importance of a larger perspective
- Expanding my scope via conferences
Three biggest takeaways:
- Find someone to mentor you - ask them to review your code, pick their brain, learn from them
- Do personal projects - it’s really about finding something that keeps you excited and exploring. It pushes you to learn your craft. Find problems in your life that you can solve with your code
- Try at least once to build a full-stack project - it will give you a better appreciation for the challenges each “side” is facing