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Leveling Up Through Side Projects in Software Engineering
As a new software engineer, one of my biggest takeaways is realizing the need to be selective and strategic with in-company side projects. This has been a tough but important lesson since it meant saying no to many exciting opportunities.
Hunger
The hyper-achiever in me, always “young, scrappy, and hungry,” constantly looked for side projects and active ways to integrate into the company culture. Being ambitious and having passion is not bad, but when untamed, that sneaky saboteur would sign me up for several projects at a time after only a couple of months into the job.
By the end of the first year, I would end up with one side project remaining, feeling disappointed in myself and burnt out. Pretty unhealthy and unsustainable, right? If you are cringing because this sounds too familiar, you are not alone! This article offers some experience in successfully managing an overly ambitious workload.
Expectations
First of all, forget about joining any side projects before your six-month mark in a new company. In many entry-level job descriptions where responsibilities and expectations are laid out, you are usually expected to develop autonomy within those first six months. So until then, to my fellow high-achievers, I say: pump the…
