First Day of Job as a Software Developer

First Day of Job as a Software Developer: How to nail the probation period. Dos and Don’ts. So, you made through the bunch of sessions came in your way to get this job? Congratulations! It was indeed a roller coaster ride. Preludes, technical rounds, coding tests, assessments and what not. It must be difficult in figuring out How to pass coding tests and assessments for a software developer job. Let’s now dig into what next is going to be served in your plate.

Environment Setup: Tech-knowledge

It is normal for employers to get kick started by seniors on their first day and getting familiar with things, in any other field. But, the developers, us, sometimes over-estimate ourselves and tend to portray that “We know it all” – Don’t do it, just don’t! The best practice is to ask about the tools during interview or in the onboarding session and prepare yourself accordingly. You will leave a remarkable impression if you come fully prepared on the first day of your joining with all the required tools knowledge.

Since, Software development is not just about writing code and programming, it is a process that involves teams and requires communication. Although the directory structure will be unfamiliar to you, you should be able to navigate it using familiar commands. If you're using Linux, you'll most likely need to be familiar with the bash shell and the standard commands for managing directories, files, and permissions, as well as how to ssh into a server. Similarly, you'll need to be familiar with Mac's terminal. Windows is tricky; you'll most likely need to know the traditional command line prompt, as well as Powershell. Before you arrive for your first day, inquire.

The build system will come next. What you need to know is determined by the language. You'll probably need to know gulp, npm, and other tools for node.js. There will be libraries as well. Most languages now have dozens of open source libraries that are widely used. The more you know about these, the better. You can check How to Install Node.js Locally with Node Version Manager (nvm) before your joining.

Do's and Don'ts

• Do ask a lot of questions

• Do learn who you should reach out for help

• Do learn team member's names

• Do make notes

• Don't hesitate to schedule things for next day.

• Don't get into an argument on first day.

• Don't act like know it all person.

• Don't shy away from asking things you are new to.

• Don't sit alone for entire day!

  Final Thoughts

  Work hard and stay committed in any case. Perform the tasks assigned to you by your project manager. Don't be afraid to express your concerns. The first day will pass quickly, and before you know it, you'll be settled in and no longer the new person.  But first, have some fun and get through the first day of work.