Ask HN: As a junior to mid level engineer what advice do you have for seniors?
I left my last job in a senior position. In my current job I do something a bit different and I am technically a junior.<p>Since I was in both positions my advice or request to seniors would be to try to take your time to explain things to your junior colleagues. From personal experience this pays off in the long run and reduces dumb questions you receive later on. Some seniors just respond with &quot;rtfm&quot; or &quot;Yeah I got to figure that myself too, won&#x27;t hurt if you try that too...&quot; to every single question. The fact that someone is younger or less experienced in some area does not mean they have to be treated like piece a of s* *t.<p>You have to realize that new person is not asking only to get technical knowledge but to also crate connection and relationships. Sure, one can be busy not have time to babysit fresh members, but in that case you can just say it.<p>It&#x27;s also very common that different companies use the same technologies very differently so explaining how you use it is of big help to newbies. I thought that after 4 years I will quite well versed in some technologies, only to learn that the way they were used in my old job was quite obscure. So sometimes senior needs to help new colleagues to re-learn things in the right way. That can also be difficult.<p>Extra tip for juniors: Some people are good in explaining things some are not. Some very sharp technical minds might not be very good in interpersonal areas. So don&#x27;t feel bad if you look stupid or someone is a bit nasty. It does not have to be personal. And if you think it is, find someone else you trust you can talk to and ask for their opinion or help.