Ask HN: How can I grow as an engineer without good seniors to learn from?

Article summary

A fresh graduate data engineer is working at a small company in the oil and drilling industry and is concerned about not having good seniors to learn from, despite being given full responsibility and ownership of projects. The engineer is trying to learn and improve on their own, but is worried about not producing software to the highest industry standards. The engineer is seeking guidance on how to grow as an engineer in this situation. The company is not a tech company, and the engineer has limited interaction with other tech-oriented colleagues.

Main themes

• Career development
• Mentorship
• Self-learning
• Industry standards
• Technical skills
• Non-technical skills

What commenters say

• Changing jobs to a tech company may be the best way to learn from experienced engineers and improve technical skills.
• Self-learning and reading books can be effective ways to improve technical skills, but may not replace the value of working with experienced colleagues.
• Contributing to open-source projects can provide opportunities to learn from others and gain experience, but may have limitations compared to working in a team.
• Focusing on non-technical skills, such as communication and leadership, can be beneficial for career growth, even if technical skills are not being developed at the same rate.
• Having a mentor or experienced colleague to learn from is not the only way to learn, and self-directed learning can be effective with the right mindset and approach.
• Working on personal projects and experimenting with new technologies can be a good way to learn and improve technical skills, even without guidance from others.
• Prioritizing learning and personal growth over immediate productivity and deadlines can be beneficial for long-term career development.
• Learning to learn effectively is a key skill that can be developed over time with practice and self-reflection.