It’s crucial not to put such high expectations on yourself. When I started working as a developer, I wish I’d understood that making mistakes is okay. Honestly, you should make as many mistakes as you can as quickly as possible. You learn from your mistakes and realise that they’re not dangerous. Everyone’s afraid of making the same mistakes you’re scared of making. So don’t put the pressure on yourself that you don’t put on others.

In addition, there are no dumb questions. So don’t spend too much time trying to do everything by yourself. Learn when it’s time to ask for help or feedback. It makes everything that much easier.

Niklas Strömberg, HiQ Malmö

Backend Developer since 2016

When I started working as a UX designer, I was very unsure of myself and my skills. Maybe you feel the same way. But I’m sure you know a lot, even though it might take a while before you realise this. Remember that the “small amount” of knowledge you possess is still vastly more than someone in another profession. So hold your head up high; you know more than you think!

Therefore, you must surround yourself with colleagues and leaders who trust in what you do. They should be there to psych you up when you feel scared or don’t know what to do. If you’re your own worst critic, you need people who tell you, “damn, this is awesome!”

Lastly, I usually try to remind juniors in tech that the academic world is far from the real world. Projects and tasks aren’t always smooth and straightforward, and that’s ok! Because soon you’ll realise that when the tricky bit starts, the fun begins!

Julia Lundkvist, HiQ Malmö

UX Designer since 2016

In case there’s anything in particular that interests you, make sure you work at a place where you can make requests about what you want to work with. At HiQ, for example, our consulting managers always try to accommodate any wishes as far as possible. So dare to speak up about what you want to do.

But before that, to understand what experiences you want, you should keep an open mind and try new things. That’s how you find out what you enjoy doing the most because it’s limiting to only work in a specific area of expertise.

Stefan Milakovic, HiQ Karlskrona

Software Developer since 2016

Someday, you’ll probably work in massive systems, making knowing what you’re supposed to do challenging. Maybe the task or project concerns a particular industry or product you don’t know much about. Let’s say you’re working on an entertainment system for cars for the first time. Then you’d have to learn many new things from scratch. Therefore, you should focus on the thing you’re supposed to do because learning everything is simply impossible and will take too much time. That’s why it’s essential to ask your team:

“How do I know when I’m done, and how do I test the solution?

Since there can be many different ways to test a product or system, ensure that you know when your part of the system is finished. This relates to another vital piece of advice: Communicating clearly with your team members and coworkers. And last but not least: Be humble.

Sara Abelsson, HiQ Karlskrona

Software Developer since 2010

Our industry moves quickly, and it’s all built on old stuff. I came into development right after the dot-com bubble, and, back then, our servers were loud physical machines – a huge step from the cloud solutions and automation we see today. It’s essential to know the history of why we ended up where we are today, though. When you understand where these things come from, you also see why they are the way they are today.

But the most critical thing in tech is learning new stuff quickly. You'll be in trouble if you only master certain skills and your company suddenly changes its entire tech stack. So don’t be afraid of knowing a little bit about everything. At least enough to keep up with conversations and concepts to better understand what the people around you are doing.

You shouldn’t just do this for career advancements but also for your own well-being and development. If you don’t try a little bit of everything, how will you find that part of the tech spectra that’s extra fascinating, exciting, and makes you happy?

Daniel Löfquist, HiQ Malmö

System Developer since 2002

The most beautiful code or solution is the one that’s easy for an inexperienced developer to comprehend. The goal shouldn’t be to write as few lines as possible but to keep it well-structured and intuitive for human beings. Doing this while avoiding being too wordy and losing code efficiency is part of the everyday challenges. I’ve worked with systems where we optimise quite a lot, making readability crucial since you likely won’t be the one who needs to fix the code if it breaks in the future. That’s beautiful code to me.

Jonatan Hägglund, HiQ Örebro

Software Developer since 2015

If you want to kickstart your career, I suggest you start creating right now. It doesn’t matter if it’s good or not (it probably won’t be in the beginning), the crucial part is that you do it. Something I’ve heard mentioned is that you should build your first 100 things as soon as possible, and it doesn’t have to be big stuff either; even the smallest creations will do. I started creating stuff while studying, giving me a considerable head start when I got my first job. Just like with driving, you can’t just do the theoretical test and think you’d be able to drive a car. It takes practice.

I was into music and DJing and had many different soundbites and films. So I collected and sorted everything, stored it in a database connected to a back-end, and created a nice-looking front. I also made a page for my resumé. And it’s so lovely to look at your creation and say: “I built this!” So, do you have any hobbies? What content do you already possess? Start building around that because it’s much easier to create something when you have an actual use for it.

Kalle Bornemark, HiQ Malmö

Software Developer since 2015

No one who hires a new graduate expects them to know everything. For example, when we hire new developers, we don’t hire the already accomplished ones but rather those who potentially could be. I’m involved in many recruitment processes, and I’m not looking for those who scored the highest in a code test, got straight A’s, or can rabble various methods or solutions. I’m looking for nice, friendly team players willing to absorb information.

Don’t try to overperform and spend all night studying and risk becoming burned out. Be humble, and be kind to yourself. No education will make you a developer; that only happens when you start working.

Christofer Stäke, HiQ Gothenburg

Developer since 2009