No, they didn't make a mistake

— 4 minute read

Hey you, yes you! Stop feeling like they made a mistake. That company hired you because they saw you fit for the job.

And yes, you might not feel like you're ready at this time, but let me tell you a little secret. We all feel this way.

Some might call it imposter syndrome, and some might call it an introvert, whereas others might think they are a cheat.

But stop feeling that way. You are valuable, you are a developer, and you are good enough.

Why do we feel this way?

It might be a natural cause because of the day and age. We see so many great people showing off what they do, their rank, and how good they are. And yes, that's quite demotivating at times.

But the #1 thing you have to realize, those people felt the same way. They just worked hard and put in the time to get over that feeling.

It's also natural to feel nervous at first, thought run wild, your brain is tricking you into believing you don't belong in that spot.

But let's try and fix that because sorry to say this, but your brain is wrong!

Here are five tips to help show you they didn't make a mistake!

1. Value yourself

Just take a step back, and look where you're at. Would your 15-year-old version be able to do the things you do today?

I'm pretty sure the answer is no, unless you're 15, but then have a look at your five years younger self.

This is because you have grown, as a person, in your skills, and it shows.

2. You don't need to know everything

The most common belief is that we need to 100% know all the things when we get hired for a job.

And this is the biggest BS you can tell yourself.

We need to be able to grow in a job and learn things while doing our job. I've said this before, and I'll repeat it: Being a developer is a never-ending learning curve.

For example, I was being interviewed as a senior developer for a Laravel/Ionic position for my last job. At the time, I'd never touched Laravel at all. I was a bit skeptical, but I was brutally honest; I had zero experience in Laravel but did use Symphony for a long time.

The result: A two-week learning curve in Laravel and working on some projects. And now I'm confident enough to say I know Laravel.

3. Don't try to be someone else

It's ok not to be perfect at everything, but be honest about it. There is nothing wrong with saying to a company, what your strengths are, and being that person that tells their weaknesses.

It comes close to the above point, and you realize it shows when you are faking something.

I always try to imagine being the receiving end of the communication.

How would I feel after the interview? Did I say stuff that wasn't true? Did I upsell myself too much?

And again, nothing wrong with upselling yourself, but be careful with this approach.

Please don't say you're an expert [INSERT RANDOM FRAMEWORK] user while you never touched it. This will quickly reflect and make you look like a fraud.

4. It's ok to be nervous

Now, don't think you have to be a super(wo)man. You don't need to feel all confident and mighty.

It's ok to feel nervous; nervous for a job interview, for the first week/month/year working there.

And that's ok because it is stressful. We are all learning, and at times we might feel like there is something wrong with that. But let me assure you, there's not!

Being a bit nervous might even help us. Nervousness is something people pick up on, and it might help you feel more at ease. It also makes us more on edge and really on top of our game as nervous people.

5. The value you offer

Now, let's look at the last part of this. A company hired you. Just think about the value you are adding there!

  • Another sparring partner
  • Someone to question if processes are the right way
  • A enthusiastic soul that lifts people up
  • You help them out. It's work they couldn't get done before

And this is all because they hired you! Not because they made a mistake.

I hope you re-evaluate yourself and accept the simple but undeniable fact that you are valuable!

Thank you for reading, and let's connect!

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