Highschooler looking for insight from experienced software developers

Question

I am currently in high school and I am trying to sort out an internship with a local tech company. Before I do I would like some insight from people already in the field. I would like to know what working as a software engineer is like. More specifically what does your average day look like, what are some challenges you experience in your job, and what someone in my position should do in order to get a head start? And if you feel comfortable with doing so can you list your position in the company you work at and what company you work at?

Dszklarz · Accepted Answer

I'm a Junior Software Engineer, in my organization my day to day work is picking up tasks and implementing the new business need or solving bug tickets. The biggest challenge is what Software engineering is all about: figuring out new stuff constantly: sometimes a task is a simple one, you know from the start what to do and just code it. But most of the time you have to find a new way or solve a problem nobody solved yet. This is the bread and butter of SE, you have to be aware of this before choosing this field, you will have to learn and find new things every day, if you don't learn you'll be the first to get replaced.

19g615l37mca4n · Answer

I'm a staff engineer, my average day involves unblocking the teams I'm currently providing oversight for. Additionally I have several cross team work items that I'm either directly responsible for or am providing oversight for (eg tracking down an issue in our messaging infrastructure that one of the teams has been struggling with, providing oversight of a UI lift and shift). It's very busy, I read posts from folks that claim they work 3-4 hours a day and that is not my experience. I work my 8 and leave otherwise I could easily work 12 hour days and never catch up.My challenges are managing my time and priorities, staying up to date on the trends, and just avoiding burnout.As far as getting ahead, I would encourage you to find like minded individuals to collaborate with, come up with products, and just build something. Otherwise, finding good mentors is crucial. If you end up at a firm that doesn't provide that you should move until you do.

TechAnon · Answer

Download tik tok or search YouTube. There’s so much info out there about this topic.

Highschooler looking for insight from experienced software developers

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