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Ben Halpern
Ben Halpern Subscriber

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What are common myths about software careers?

Whether they were once true and now outdated, or were never a thing: What are commonly held beliefs about software development careers that are actually myth?

Latest comments (63)

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_hs_ profile image
HS

You can get rich really fast. People think once you start typing weird language into computers you turn Bill Gates style or FB Mark. But this is only non business people.

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Avery

That you have to choose between tech and business as you grow your career. Also that the tech track is capped earlier is also a myth.

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Patrick R

That you're always going to be working with fantastic, perfect, shiny, and bug-free codebases. Most projects I've been subjected to have been varying degrees of dumpster fires, some only less raging than others. You'll then wonder why the hell you can't just re-write the whole thing.

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jonrgrover

Myth: your ability to troubleshoot indicates your ability to write software.

I have seen lots of employers who think that troubleshooting is the easy more Jr. task and programming is a harder more Sr. task. Troubleshooting and writing software have some commonalities but you do not need to be good at one to do the other well. Companies that ask me to prove myself by troubleshooting first generally let me go within a month. Companies that ask me to program first end up liking me and keeping me a long time.

 
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Adam Crockett 🌀

It's not my job, somebody else do it. Vs here's an opportunity to attain that label.
I see this mentality alot, Im guilty of it even if I wish I wasn't.

The point is I want to see a world in development where your ability to do something is controlled by your motivation and skill alone. FE and BE that's another frustrating label set, you are developer.

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Jitendra • Edited

Myth as in Misconception: That who aces interview is a great performer in the everyday job.

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Levi Velázquez

A myth for outsiders (non-developers)

"can you fix my pc ? my screen is black".

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Jan Schröder

You're doing something with computers, right?

Relevant Xkcd

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Felippe Regazio

"programmers are math geniuses, arent they?"

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Claro A Briones

Myth/question I usually get: How can you sit at your computer all day and code?

The reality: I spend a good chunk of my time learning about the domain, talking to the SMEs and whiteboarding.

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zeddotes

That everyone is a code monkey. Excuse my language.

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