Starting a new job as a software engineer, especially as a junior to mid- level engineer, can be overwhelming. I’ve been told that switching companies or teams can put your career on pause for six months as you acclimate and settle in.
3 Top Tips for Success in a New Software Engineering Role
- Push one pull request every day.
- Identify and pitch improvements.
- Find your niche on your team.
While I don’t disagree with that sentiment, I actively try to push back against it. Here are three things I recommend focusing on to expedite your transition and set you up for success.
Adopt a Daily PR Mindset
A great way to integrate yourself into a new team and demonstrate your value is to try to push one pull request (PR) per day. I recognize this is controversial because engineers don’t like seemingly arbitrary benchmarks for their performance, but don’t think of this as a benchmark — it truly is a mindset to adopt.
By aiming to contribute something every day, whether it is a minor configuration change or a feature, you’re consistently aiming to add value to the company. Maybe even updating a document counts toward your daily goal. Making daily contributions helps you build trust with your new team and gain visibility as a new contributor to the company.
If you’re pushing code early and often, you’re also learning a lot about your new team. What does it take to get something to production? What’s their review process like? How does their build pipeline work? All are important questions you should get answers to early on to set yourself up for long-term success.
Again, it’s important to note that this isn’t a benchmark to hold yourself or colleagues to. Instead, it’s a guideline to keep you focused and motivated. Even if you don’t push a PR some days, the mindset will drive you toward incremental improvements and contributions.
Identify and Pitch Improvements
When you start a new job, you’ll often encounter existing technical debt and areas for improvement. While it’s essential to respect the existing codebase and avoid being overly critical, identifying and addressing apparent issues or inefficiencies will be appreciated and can significantly enhance your standing within the team.
This work requires nuance and care. Take on the grunt work assigned to you, which will happen to any new hire, but also constantly scan for areas where you can make a significant impact. This could be fixing a long-standing bug, optimizing a piece of code, or enhancing documentation.
Start small with simple, non-controversial improvements. This can help you demonstrate initiative, ultimately allowing you to build trust with your manager and team. The more senior you get, the more independent you’re expected to be, so pitching improvements on your own early on will send a positive signal that you’ll be able to drive larger impacts down the road.
One of the other benefits of constantly seeking improvements to pitch is that this will naturally lead you to explore the codebase more deeply. That means you’ll be accelerating your learning process and shortening the time it takes to get you up to speed on the intricacies of your new system.
Find and Fill a Niche
Every team has gaps and niches that need to be filled. Take the time to understand your team’s services, tools and pain points. Identify areas where your skills and experience can offer a unique perspective. Then, once you find a niche, propose and implement solutions.
For example, if you notice a gap in the team’s knowledge about a particular technology you’re familiar with, offer to conduct a workshop or create documentation.
Whether it’s introducing new technologies or streamlining development processes, finding a way to make a meaningful impact early on can establish you as a valuable team member. By carving out a niche, you contribute to the team’s success and establish yourself as a valuable member.
Starting a new role as a software engineer can be challenging, but focusing on these areas can help expedite your transition and set you up for success. Adopting a daily PR mindset encourages continuous contribution and learning. Identifying and pitching improvements showcases your initiative and helps build trust with your team. Finding and filling a niche allows you to leverage your unique skills and become a valuable team member.
By concentrating on these strategies, you can quickly integrate into your new team, demonstrate your value, and get past that six-month transition faster.
