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Thanks for your reply, smt88. On my own I've enjoyed the end-to-end nature of developing iOS and Android apps, but I also think it'd be really fun to be on a bi

Thanks for your reply, smt88. On my own I've enjoyed the end-to-end nature of developing iOS and Android apps, but I also think it'd be really fun to be on a bigger team working on a larger scale challenge. So, I guess I am excited to go either route. Perhaps I'll see if I can begin contributing to an open source project this year as a way to experience the larger scale development. In my reading I've come across some people suggesting that smaller companies are great because you'll get to wear many hats and can learn quickly this way, but I also understand that an all-hands-on-deck startup might not be a place where the senior developers would have the time to help me develop my craft. On the other hand, a bigger company might want me developing expertise on a smaller number of frameworks, but might also have deliberate structures in place to help driven new grads increase their skills to rise up the company's ranks. So, this is a main confusion I am trying to puzzle through at this point. Thanks for your comments. I will take them with me as I continue my research!

smt88 12y ago
I've led the development teams (ranging in size from 2 to 10) of 3 startups, and I'm still leading the third. A smart CTO or senior dev won't hire a junior dev unless there's time to mentor. In a small company, you have to spend time getting a new hire up-to-speed anyway. If you're moving fast, your code is going to have some weird/kludge-y parts to it, and it's going to take time to explain that to someone. In addition, most developers who've been at it for a while are very confident (you might even say dogmatic) about The Way Things Should Be Done. They'll want you to do things the same way. That sounds bad, but honestly it's a great way to learn the pros and cons of different ways of doing things. All that said, every company is different. Try something out, and if it doesn't work for you, you'll do something different in a year. Even jobs that are a bad fit are great experience.
- mikemajzoub 12y ago
  Thank you. Your perspective helps a great deal - this is all quite new to me. I appreciate you sharing your thoughts. In peace, Mike

smt88 12y ago

I've led the development teams (ranging in size from 2 to 10) of 3 startups, and I'm still leading the third. A smart CTO or senior dev won't hire a junior dev unless there's time to mentor. In a small company, you have to spend time getting a new hire up-to-speed anyway. If you're moving fast, your code is going to have some weird/kludge-y parts to it, and it's going to take time to explain that to someone. In addition, most developers who've been at it for a while are very confident (you might even say dogmatic) about The Way Things Should Be Done. They'll want you to do things the same way. That sounds bad, but honestly it's a great way to learn the pros and cons of different ways of doing things. All that said, every company is different. Try something out, and if it doesn't work for you, you'll do something different in a year. Even jobs that are a bad fit are great experience.

mikemajzoub 12y ago
Thank you. Your perspective helps a great deal - this is all quite new to me. I appreciate you sharing your thoughts. In peace, Mike