I recently had a code review with a senior engineer who was critical of my code structure. After implementing his feedback, my boss summoned me to discuss the situation. It turns out the senior engineer had reported my coding to her, claiming that I, being relatively new, 'should know better.' I have 6 months of experience at this company and 2.5 years of overall coding experience. I'm curious about the expectations that might not be explicitly stated for software engineers and what best practices I should be following while designing, coding, testing, and engaging in other software development tasks.
5 Answers
If a senior feels the need to go straight to management, it might be a power play. Keep improving your skills and ask for regular feedback from others instead! You’re in a learning phase, and it's normal to need guidance. Sharing your code with peers before formal reviews can help too.
It's pretty standard for senior engineers to critique your code, but it sounds harsh for them to report it to your boss without first talking to you. This might indicate a toxic atmosphere. Best advice? Don't take it too personally. As for best practices, make sure you’re adhering to any existing coding standards at your company, and don’t hesitate to ask for guidance from your peers on what those are!
Remember, senior engineers are also supposed to mentor. You're new, and improving takes time! It might be useful to reach out to this senior and ask if they can share a style guide or specific examples of what they find acceptable. Setting up code standards together could work out well.
That’s a solid point! Collaboration can turn criticism into growth.
Honestly, if the senior just complained without giving actionable advice, that’s on them. They should be mentoring you, not just pointing out mistakes. If you want to improve, using linters or code formatters can help catch style issues before submission. Plus, see if there are any established coding conventions at your company to follow.
True! If they don't help you set those standards, it reflects poorly on them.
I’ve faced similar situations. No matter what, keep learning. Seek out senior developers who are supportive, and take feedback constructively. It's a tough industry, and it's common to feel overwhelmed, especially at the start. Just remember: even seasoned developers get their code critiqued!
Yeah, it's all part of the learning process! Thanks for the encouragement!
Agreed! A good senior should help, not just criticize. If there's no style guide, maybe suggest creating one.