How I spent my 1st month in a Software Industry
In my previous blog, I highlighted my preparations for getting into a good product based company. (Link: https://tinyurl.com/486jcb4z)
I joined Guidewire in Jan 2022 and soon after joining, I started my training on one of Guidewire’s software products i.e Policy Center. The training (including certification) was supposed to be a month long. It was a practical oriented training & was well designed. After successfully finishing up my training, I joined one of the undergoing projects at Guidewire.
The Project implementation at Guidewire follows an Agile approach. For those who are new to this(agile) terminology; Agile is an iterative approach to project management and software development that helps teams deliver value to their customers faster and with fewer headaches. It is the ability to create and respond to change.
I had some experience(gained from an Internship) working in an Agile team so I was kind of aware of the different concepts. If you would like to learn about Agile methodology (mostly used in the Industry), here are the links :
Youtube(Introduction): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NpCEjtKAa20
Youtube(Lengthy but Excellent video): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9tjYJXcdTs
Written content: https://www.agilealliance.org/agile101/
On the 1st day which was the Sprint(2 weeks) planning day, I was introduced to the team that I would be working with. The team was presented with a set of backlog(pending) tasks (that would be taken up in this sprint) by the team lead. Each team member is assigned a task(≥1) that they think could be completed in these 2 weeks. I was assigned one as well.
Post assigning of the tasks, there were standup meetings that happen daily wherein everyone gives a summary of what was done yesterday; if there is some blocker or not and what’s to be done next. The daily standup let the team connect every day and also helps the team lead to keep track of the progress being made. Also, there were sessions(optional) each week where the team spends time having a conversation on random topics or playing online games. These sessions are a great way to relax as well as create a healthy bond between the teammates.
If there is anyone who doesn’t have such fun sessions in their sprints, it might be the time you suggest your team lead about the same😉
The task that I was working on was new to me as I was recently introduced to the project. I spent extra time exploring the probable solutions and also asked several questions to the team lead & the team members. Everyone was so helpful and patient in answering every question that I had. I would strongly suggest everyone join as a fresher, to never be shy in asking questions if you have. If you never ask for it, you’d never know it. It is ok to not know everything but what’s not okay is to keep the doubt within yourself.
After scratching my head around the task for a week, I completed it. After that, I had to create a pull request to the master branch. The pull request had to be reviewed by the team members who would provide their comments if they see any scope for improvement. After addressing the comments my pull request was finally merged with the main branch🥳
Any college student reading this who wants to make a career in the Software industry, make sure you learn GIT. It is a must-have skill.
There was a Sprint Demo meeting at the end of the sprint where everyone including the Product managers, Software testers, and quality-assurance people, were present. In the Sprint demo, we had to provide a quick demo of the tasks that we had implemented during the Sprint. I got a chance to deliver the demo for the task that I did, which received appreciation from the entire team✨ The reason I was able to perform well during the demo was that I was confident in the ins and outs of the work that I did.
Key lessons that I feel might be beneficial for anyone starting their career:
1) GIT is a must-have skill (for the ones joining Software Industry, can’t say for others)
2) Never be shy in asking questions.
3) Don’t compare yourself with experienced folks.
4) There is not much problem in working more, especially when figuring things out. Make sure you understand what is more necessary for you currently and also make sure you don’t burn out yourself.
LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shashank-ojha-148531170/
Email: ojhashashank41@gmail.com