Three things I picked up from my non-tech background
I come from Geodetic Engineering, In which I acquired a set of skills along with a hard to come by mindset. People might wonder “What on earth is Geodetic Engineering?” It’s one of the most used fields that no one knows about it. It Measures and Represents the earth’s surface, the bottom of the ocean, and the earth’s gravitational field.
The most relevant skills are error theory, translate real-world problems into digestible problems, and the ability to pick the right tool.
Understand the nature of errors
Error Theory refers to the scientific interpretation of errors. Errors are part of everything that has a human input and are unavoidable. I `looked for errors that affect the quality and precision of my work. Comprehend that errors are something that happens if a person has a contact in the process. You will learn how to deal with that frustration. This will train you in their detection, helping you to produce a better final product, less error-prone by external factors.
Juniors developers will tremble at the sight of a bug report. Being overwhelmed by them, thinking that they’re bad at coding because a “good” developer would not get that bug. Understanding that errors are an unavoidable part of programming will make you better. Learning how to embrace error WILL turn you into a battle-tested developer. You will be ready to tackle any real-world situation.
Translate real-world problems into digestible tasks
No matter the skill level of a person, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by a complex or perceived “hard to tackle” problem. While Facing hard projects I needed to create a map for a complex structure (A Bridge). It was easy to get overwhelmed by the complexity of the tasks. Keeping in the implications of a bad job, how the ripple effect will reach every facet of the project.
Dividing the massive project into easy to execute tasks helps to get a clear line of action. The capability to assign priorities will build a solid foundation to keep forward. This will turn the titanic task into easy-to-follow and execute tasks.
Before writing a program or application, it’s essential to divide the project into easy-to-follow steps. This tactic will let you define a set timeline. It will let you make a work plan and tackle the problems one by one. Doing this will avoid getting overwhelmed and avoid/detect mistakes early in development.
Use the right tool at the right time
When you’re able to understand the project and break it apart, you’ll be able to pick the right tool for it. The selection of the right tool that yields the best results while meeting a deadline is essential in Engineering.
A former teacher at Uni used to say to the class: “You don’t need a shotgun to kill a mosquito”. Following that mentality, you don’t need the newest, most advanced technology to solve a simple problem. An essential part of the Tech industry is the preconception that everything is on a deadline. There’s always a deadline to respect and a time frame to follow.
The most effective way to keep meeting deadlines is to know how to produce the best results in the least amount of time. You can, by knowing which tool fits the project criteria better. You don’t need to use React on a simple information website that has little to no JavaScript implementation. If you’re able to understand the requirements, will allow you to pick the right tool for the job. It might suit better to use a front end framework that’s easy to use as Bootstrap.
Conclusion
There are always takeaways from previous experience. Never assume that an experience won’t be relevant in your current job. You can have educational background that provides the ability to explain hard-to-grasp information. You can also have a sales or retail position experience, that grants you the ability to deal with the client’s frustrations.
There’s always something to pick up, something to stick by, no matter the field. Being able to identify your strengths and translate them to your current position will only net you good results. Don’t feel shame about your background. Be proud of the good things you learned along the way, and pave your way to success.