Fighting the myth: the IT world is (not) like El Dorado
“I’ve always thought that the Golden City – or El Dorado if you prefer – exists. And when I entered the IT world, I was sure that I had finally found it! But then… my dream vanished into thin air. What happened? What happened?!”
Sounds familiar?
That could be a quote from the beginning of a documentary about the IT world, El Dorado, and the (imaginary) similarity between them. Or these words could be uttered by some random junior developer who had a particular vision of his or her professional future. And finally, this vision – sooner or later – is confronted with the reality.
But you know what?
It doesn’t matter who the author is or from where these words come from. What matters is the fact that the IT world is nothing like El Dorado. At least not once you really look into it.
So… What does it REALLY mean to be in the IT world?
In one word, I’d say: responsibility. These fourteen letters say much more than even Merci. Responsibility for, among other things, projects, fulfilling clients’ requirements and meeting deadlines.
Sounds fun? I guess not.
Responsibility is only one of many factors necessary not only to achieve success in any area but to simply thrive and survive. And one’s sense of responsibility comes from one’s approach.
Juniors and their attitude
First, let me make it clear – I don’t mean to put all the juniors into one pot. Some of them are a perfect example of how someone starting a professional career in the IT world should behave.
But it is as it is.
Demand for programmers is bigger than supply. In other words, there are more jobs in the IT industry than people to apply for them.
Because of that, those who can fill that demand are brave and confident enough to have specific requirements. Requirements that, over time, started to expand with the broad imaginations of potential employees – indoor swimming pool, free Chinese lessons, Michelin 3-star restaurant on campus, to name a few.
Sure, that’s a vast overstatement. But you get the point, right? The point that, nowadays, a pile of money and engaging projects are not enough to attract those who can make a choice when deciding about their next professional step. Even if it’s the first one.
Looking for the antidote
And here we are again, because at first, looking for the antidote to such a situation may look similar to the search for El Dorado. It sounds impossible, right? Yes, it’s impossible to make everyone happy. So… What can you do?
Well, that’s an excellent subject for another article, and we will cover it more comprehensively another time, but let me give you one piece of advice for now – find good team mentors.
A good team mentor, meaning who?
Now comes the part for those who love lists – here are five particular characteristics of a person who isn’t just a mentor, but a good mentor:
- Is eager to share knowledge with the others
- Has compassion and genuineness
- Is a good listener
- Is objective and fair
- Mixes honesty with diplomacy
Having good team mentors aboard plays a key role in bringing up programmers and helping them be better at what they do. But hey, not only that – it also makes them more inspired and increases their commitment to their job and their company.
Conclusion
Maybe El Dorado doesn’t exist or never existed at all. And maybe – just maybe – a job in the demanding IT world is nothing like finding that famous Golden City. But I know one thing for sure – it’s not for everyone.
And how can you check if it’s right for you if not by… just trying?
Check our careers page to find out if an IT career is something you’d be interested in. Or spend winter and autumn learning how to code, increase your confidence, skills, and portfolio, and we will welcome you with open arms.
See you soon!
