Welcome to “DeCoding the Journey,” our exciting blog series focusing on the vibrant experiences of our tech grads at Delivery Hero. In this edition, Bahar shares her journey of the first 90 days as a junior backend engineer.
The First 30 Days: Learning and Adapting
✨ The Welcome
Hey everybody! I’m Bahar, 33 years old, with a finance background and a master’s degree in my pocket. For years, I worked with numbers as a financial analyst until I stumbled upon Python. That’s when everything changed. I fell in love with coding and decided it was time for a career shift.
My new chapter began at Delivery Hero, welcomed with open arms and bright smiles from the onboarding team. Despite the mix of excitement and nerves, one moment stood out: my manager introduced me to my new teammates, who were incredibly friendly.
This journey from finance to coding has been eye-opening. It’s shown me it’s never too late to chase after what you love. Through this blog, I’m excited to share where this path takes me and hopefully inspire others to explore new beginnings.
🛝 The Learning Curve
Starting a career in tech can feel overwhelming. Suddenly, you’re surrounded by new tools, terms, and conversations that seem completely foreign. It was like being lost in a maze.
To find my way, I did something straightforward: I made a spreadsheet. This wasn’t just any list. It became my treasure map. 🗺️ Every new term or abbreviation I encountered went into this document. After meetings, I became like a detective, looking things up online to figure them out. But sometimes, online searches didn’t help. That’s when I’d ask my mentor or colleagues for help.
I was nervous about asking questions at first, worried they might seem silly. But I quickly learned my team was incredibly supportive. They made it clear that no question is too small or silly. This encouragement was a game-changer for me. It made me realize that it’s okay not to know everything and that asking questions is a key part of learning and growing.
For anyone just starting in tech, remember: it’s normal to feel lost at first. But with a simple strategy like keeping a list, and the willingness to ask questions, you’ll find your way. The tech world might seem intimidating, but there’s always help around if you’re not afraid to ask.
Days 31-60: Contributing and Collaborating
First Projects: My first project at work was both exciting and challenging. It involved fixing a bug and writing a test for it, which meant I had to really understand our service’s code. I loved the process, especially learning from documents and working closely with my teammates. They were very supportive, cheering me on with every step I took.
The project ended with me giving a presentation about our team’s work to my colleagues and their managers. It was my first time doing something like this in English, and it went really well!
Looking back, this project wasn’t just about fixing a bug. It was a great way to learn new things, work with others, and improve my skills. It made me feel more confident and showed me how important it is to work together and support each other. This experience has really helped me grow in my job.
Collaboration and Feedback: Collaborating with amazing colleagues has been the best part of my journey. Learning from them and contributing to our team’s success makes me proud. Also, asking for feedback helps me know I’m on the right track and shows me ways to improve. After getting feedback from everyone, I feel even more confident that dreams do come true when you work together and support each other’s growth.
Days 61-90: Growing and Impacting
Making an Impact: My first 90 days have been a journey of learning and gradually taking on more responsibility within our squad. In the beginning, my focus was on understanding our team’s dynamics, the domain we’re in, and our services. As I became more comfortable, I started tackling small tasks and even played a role as a “shadow firefighter,” helping out with urgent issues under the guidance of my colleagues.
One of the highlights for me was seeing my name as a contributor on GitHub and my work in Datadog notebooks. It felt incredibly rewarding to see tangible proof of my contributions and to know that I was making a difference in our projects.
These initial achievements might seem modest, but they were significant milestones for me. They marked my transition from learning to actively contributing. Looking back, I’m proud of how much I’ve learned and grown, and I’m excited about what lies ahead.
Reflections and Future Goals: I’m truly grateful for the support from my colleagues, mentor, and manager in becoming a backend software developer, a dream come true for me. I want to help others achieve their dreams just like I achieved mine.
Conclusion
Starting my job as a backend developer at Delivery Hero was a dream come true. The first three months were a mix of fun and a bit of worry about keeping up and learning new things. But, after passing my probation period, I’ve learned more than I ever thought I would and my love for coding has only grown.
What makes Delivery Hero special isn’t just the work we do, but also the people and the environment. It’s diverse, caring, professional, and friendly. It’s a place where everyone helps each other out.
For anyone thinking about joining, I’d say go for it. It’s changed my life for the better in so many ways.
Interested in kickstarting your tech career with us? Check out our Tech Grad Program. For the 2024 September cohort, applications are due to open in May. We’d love to have you on board for an amazing experience ahead.
