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I am joining a software company very soon as a fresher. But I am afraid that no one knows me and also every one there will be professional.

So I want to know, what precautions should be taken in communication, behavior and other things?

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NOTE: Normally I'd close something like this as off topic - as it could apply to anyone starting any job. However, if the answers are specific to software development and programming then it could be a useful question. – ChrisF♦ Apr 8 '12 at 10:56
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@ChrisF: Not much luck with this so far. Anyway, question would need to give far more information (large company? small startup? it dept of company whose main business isn't it like a bank...). And then it would most likely be too localized, since good answers would have to include local culture. I think it's quite different if you start a job in India, Europe or the US. Best thing I could come up with as general advice: Look forward to a new opportunity. Don't worry about problems before they actually happen. – thorsten müller Apr 8 '12 at 11:17
@thorstenmüller - that's what I was afraid of... – ChrisF♦ Apr 8 '12 at 11:19
Thi thing is that all jobs share business ethics and personal viewpoints....anyone with focus on these is bound to at least have a shot at success.... – e4rthdog Apr 8 '12 at 11:34
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@ACoder Don't worry about it. Nobody expects a fresher to know all that much about anything. When you get there, look to the one senior developer to your left. Now look at the one senior developer to your right. There is a good chance that both of them suck. I used to think the same way until I realized that most people who make you feel inadequate don't know nearly as much as they let on. – maple_shaft♦ Apr 8 '12 at 13:36
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We're looking for long answers that provide some explanation and context. Don't just give a one-line answer: please explain why you're recommending it as a solution. Answers that don't explain anything will be deleted. See Good Subjective, Bad Subjective for more information.

closed as off topic by thorsten müller, Walter, Marjan Venema, Tom Squires, Yannis Rizos♦ Apr 8 '12 at 16:31

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2 Answers

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When adapting to any new technical environment, I prefer focusing on deeply understanding problems instead of advocating solutions. Deeply understanding problems allows us to stay humble and understand when solutions are no longer appropriate. Becoming too strongly attached to a specific solution to a problem, or a solution that may have worked on a similar looking problem in the past, can make us blind to the subtle reasons it won't work.

So with that in mind:

DO

  • Act humble and ask a lot of questions
  • Read A LOT about the core problem the company is trying to solve
  • Develop good working and friendly relationships with your colleagues. Assume they know what they are doing until you have strong evidence otherwise.
  • Become a student of the company's technical problems instead of an advocate for any specific solution that may have worked for you in the past
  • Share cool/fun technical stuff that could be exciting to your colleagues in a friendly way, with humility, and with the expectation that the new stuff may have severe limitations.
  • Patiently allow your assertiveness to grow as your comfort in the company's technical problems grows; Even if it turns out in the end you're a genius and they're all dolts, assume going in that the opposite is true until you are very confident in your understanding of the companies problems
  • Write new code BUT expect your code might end up deleted. The true value is in your learning experience about why the code doesn't work.
  • Propose new ideas BUT expect your idea might not work out. The true value is in your learning experience about why the idea won't work.
  • Test ideas through consensus, by proposing ideas to colleagues instead of taking them to the lead/manager as "the solution"

DO NOT

  • Become too assertive too quickly, give it time
  • Assume just because at the surface two problems look similar, they are similar. Subtle differences may make one solution completely inappropriate.
  • Blindly/strongly advocate one solution that you are comfortable with
  • Become rigidly attached to a specific solution to a problem
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Excellent answer. – Vince Pergolizzi Apr 8 '12 at 23:10
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I have some other approach to this...

Be yourself..The truth always comes up eventually. If you are a selfish SOB ,sorry mate but they will get you :)

If not, then you can be humble and express your opinion. If you do it in this way people will take you seriously...

There will always be people that will like you and people who don't. But this is a place to work. Keep personal disputes out of your office.

Admit that your place is very very low in the food chain in there. And by doing that i dont mean to take crap..no...just be humble and offer yourself to anything to start learning. Its another thig to know perfect OOP and another to be able to sustain yourself in a business environment...

Remember every job is like a new cake..It always gets lesser not more..and the moment the cake dissapears , the problems start....

Try to help people and protect your company. Business and personal ethics must prevail in every action of yours.

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