Talking Code

Going from Junior to Senior Developer

Episode Summary

Ben Orenstein of Upcase tells us how to go from a junior to a senior developer. He reveals a number of things senior developers do that junior developers don't.

Episode Notes

Ben Orenstein of Upcase tells us how to go from a junior to a senior developer. He reveals a number of things senior developers do that junior developers don't.

Here's what to listen for:

• 02:34 - Would a degree in computer science benefit somebody who is interested in starting programming?
• 03:23 - How do you convince people that getting a computer science degree isn’t necessary?
• 08:41 - What is the path from zero to junior developer?
• 14:16 - How do you define what a junior developer is?
• 15:35 - What goals are junior developers making?
• 17:24 - How was Upcase started? What was the focus/goal?
• 19:43 - What might an intermediate developer be doing that a junior developer isn’t?
• 21:50 - What is the difference between TDD (test-driven development) and writing tests after you write your code?
• 26:15 - Where do you look for your first job? How do you go about getting hired?
• 30:01 - How do deal with impostor syndrome when applying for a job?
• 32:46 - What kind of qualities that you look for when making a hiring decision for junior developers?
• 33:55 - How can you create a work environment for junior developers that helps them get better?
• 35:33 - What did Ben mean by, “To become a better programmer, one should practice like a musician.”?