How to Train an Entry-Level Developer in One Month or Less

Software development training takes patience. Like anything else, it is a process. You have to earn the developer’s trust, and then have them trust that it will all come together in the end.

Fill in the Gaps

There are so many things you have to teach an entry-level developer in a short amount of time. I look at the training as filling in the gaps of the knowledge they’ve already obtained. They have been taught concepts but are usually guessing how to actually implement them. They know the buzzwords but rarely know how to use them in a production environment. They are excited and have to learn to define what they are doing before implementing it.

Set a Steady Pace

There is a careful balance, teaching them what they need to know, and giving them time to absorb it. It is easy to determine what they need to know, but it’s much more difficult to pace the process. There are many concepts that rely on each other, so the order that you present it is very important. Making sure not to jump around too much can avoid confusion.

Teach More than Good Code

Teaching programming is just one phase; the second is how to work in a team environment. It is important for new developers to learn how to code so that multiple people can be productive at the same time. They also need to learn to communicate effectively amongst each other as well as the team in general. Learning to respect each person’s role, and helping provide him or her with what they need is extremely important. Make sure the developers understand the importance of adhering to the architecture, and that their code is easily readable by other developers. The introduction of unit testing, and how to test effectively is just as important as the code itself for Business Critical applications.

Another facet of entry-level developer training focuses on meetings. I teach them how to stick to the topic and how to ask questions that get good answers. Set the tone that meetings are about communication and it’s a gift when you get all players in the same room.

As you can see there is a lot of ground to cover in a short amount of time. I find it challenging, and especially rewarding when the client extends an offer to one of my developers in the Proven Development Program.