Ask HN: Advice for those getting started in the Web Industry? | Hacker News Reader

Ask HN: Advice for those getting started in the Web Industry?

3 pointsdanw7 comments

If you were starting out in the web industry again, what advice would you give yourself?

Or if you're just getting started, what would you like to know?

I'd have given myself three tips:

  * Learn constantly. Read books, blog, tweets, attend events and network.
  * Build things. Apply what you've learnt and constantly build things. Either at work or as personal projects. Don't worry if the things you built are crap or pointless or un-monetizable.
  * Share. Constantly share what you've learnt and built. Help others. Join the community and participate. You could be the best developer ever but it won't matter if nobody knows about you and your work.

Stop being a perfectionist, build something and get it out there as soon as possible. Don't waste time making sure everything is perfect. Better to lose a few people who get annoyed, than lose the 2-3 months w/o any users

Although the first rule of a startup is build something people want (after PG) more and more that something should solve some "serious" problem (after O'Reilly).

Please - no more social networks!

Cheers

  * learn while/from doing
  * continuously learn 
  * avoid planning paralysis
  * don't be afraid to scrap chunks of code or whole projects.

Agreed. Keep learning new things. Don't ever stop, but don't feel rushed if you feel you're behind. Someone out there is always going to be better and smarter then you at what you are doing

Engage people that are smarter then you (It's why I read Hacker News)

Do -> Read -> Repeat

keep abreast of emerging tech and trends. stuff moves fast and it's very easy to fall behind.

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