When I first started as a developer at Webtonic, I thought the path to success was straightforward which was just writing brilliant code, completing my tasks and most importantly not making anything go wrong in production. 

As months went by, I learnt that technical skills alone won’t make you grow. How you learn, how you collaborate and how you approach challenges matter too. 

Here are 5 lessons I’ve picked up which I would recommend to any new developer to help them thrive in this field: 

Ask when needing clarity, help and knowledge 

Always try to find out why a system was designed in a certain way or how that complex piece of code works and ask questions. Sometimes you might feel like your question is “basic” but rather ask it anyway.  There just might be some valuable insight you could gain from the explanation you receive. Developers who ask questions early often learn faster and avoid making or repeating mistakes. 

Don’t just rush to close tasks but understand them 

Don’t fall into the pressure of wanting to speed through tickets and close them. Take that little extra time to research why the solution works, how it blends in with the system and if there are not any better alternatives. This will help you improve your thought process and get a better understanding of how to deal with future tasks of the same nature. 

Learn how experienced developers think 

This one is my personal favourite. Being able to learn from people who have been in the same position you are currently in is amazing. The advice you will get is invaluable and learning from seniors/intermediates should not just be about the code, also focus on their approach to problem solving. Notice how they debug, plan for scalability and make decisions even under uncertainty. Even if they still make mistakes, whether past or current, those are still valuable lessons for you. All these will provide you with patterns and strategies that you can’t find in tutorials or online lectures. 

Be someone your team can rely on 

Being reliable is not only about delivering on time. It includes good communication, transparency and willingness to go the extra mile. Some other things that help you be seen as more reliable are things you might perceive as small, for example, documenting your work, reviewing your peers’ code thoughtfully or even sharing something you’ve learnt about, all those build trust. Trust that will lead to bigger responsibilities and opportunities, which will aid in your career. 

Be patient with your growth 

You might not know it now but a career in software development is a marathon, not a sprint (pun intended lol). It is tempting early on to compare yourself to others or even rush for a quick rise to the top but that is unrealistic. Remember that growth comes in phases. Phases that will be uncomfortable sometimes, other times enlightening other times frustrating but that all comes with the territory. 

The good news? You don’t have to figure it out alone. Always keep learning and improving. Your future self will thank you for it. 

In a world gripped by efficiency, automation and the next trending technology, it is appealing for companies to believe that technology alone will drive their competitive edge. But the truth is this: People are your competitive edge!  

Technology is only ever as powerful as the people who imagine, build and use it. Think about an office that has all the latest facilities, it is the people that make the work materialise! Employees are still the most important asset in a company and without them, no matter what level of automation you may use or invent, you will still need skilled employees.  

Our role as employers is to balance the technology advancements with ensuring job security and employment opportunities through skills development that align to modern technologies. That is why we need to invest in people first. 

In our business, we have seen that when you create a culture where employees feel valued, supported and trusted, there is a level of intrinsic motivation and innovation that comes to the fore. Here are the key areas that contribute to this point: 

Growth Career Paths 

Our company has committed to building clear, adaptable career paths that allow people to grow as fast as the world around them. The initial role that they are recruited for, is seen as the springboard for them to maximise their strengths and grow and diversify in their careers.  

They oversee their own careers and are encouraged to investigate other areas such as leadership, cross-functional skill sets, project ownership and innovation. For example, instead of forcing an employee to follow a path they do not enjoy, we can reskill them into an area they want to join and grow in and thus foster an intrinsic level of work satisfaction.  

When employees see a future within the organisation and feel valued and taken seriously, they will then contribute and engage. They will bring ideas, challenge assumptions and stretch the business forward.  

Psychological Safety 

Innovation does not happen in environments where people are afraid to ask questions, try something new, or admit to when something is not working.  

Psychological safety needs to be a strategic priority. When people feel safe enough to be creative and experiment, and even fail, the organisation gains access to deeper level of motivation and commitment to success. 

So, what does psychology safety look like in an organisation? It means leaders model vulnerability, teams collaborate without ego, diverse views are welcomed, not managed and feedback becomes fuel rather than an area of conflict. 

The result? A culture where teams can respond to change with confidence and not fear. 

Continuous Learning: Empowering People for What’s Next 

Our approach to continuous learning is simple: 

• To make learning accessible and flexible. 

• To make it relevant. 

• To make it part of everyday work. 

From technical upskilling to AI literacy, from leadership development to personal effectiveness, learning is becoming entrenched in our culture. We are creating space for experimentation, curiosity and growth. AI tools are being introduced not to replace people but to enhance them by removing the repeatable boring parts of a job so that the employee can focus on meaningful, high-value work. 

We do not ask, “How will AI change jobs?” 
We ask, “How will AI help our people do their best work?” 

Thus, when you invest in continuous learning, you do not just build skills, you build adaptability. And that is the most important competitive advantage in a rapidly changing world. 

In Conclusion 

When you invest in people, teams care about every interaction, clients experience authenticity and very importantly, top talent chooses to stay, not because they must but because they want to. 

The company brand becomes more relatable not through marketing campaigns but through lived values. And this attracts clients who share those values and organisations that believe in partnership, trust and long-term impact over transactional engagements. 

Thus, technology is essential. However, the assets most worth investing in first are the employees who turn strategy into momentum, challenges into solutions and tools into breakthroughs.  

Mentoring young developers has always been challenging. Finding that balance between teaching in a way that helps them grow, allowing them the space to figure things out and not just giving them the answers, is an ongoing balancing act.

However, if done right, it can be the most rewarding experience for everyone involved.

A new question I was recently faced with was, how do we adapt mentoring with the abundance of AI tool now available to us such as ChatGPT, CoPilot or Claude.

In my experience I don’t believe it is about fighting the tools but rather teaching people to think critically while embracing the change.

So how do we assist those entering the workforce with this natural dependence on AI?

Simple: we need to rethink mentoring for the AI age. And that starts with both sides understanding their role.

Mentoring is not a spectator sport; it is a relationship built on trust with both putting in the effort. Let’s have a look at how each party can make the most of the opportunity.

What can the mentee do to ensure success?

Show up prepared to sessions and ready to learn. Schedule the meetings to ensure both parties have set aside focus time to be present in the session and if possible, prepare specific questions on what you would like to ask. It is important for you to also take notes for reference at a later stage, if needed.

Honesty is crucial, no one is expecting you to understand everything when first starting out. Be sure to ask why. Hiding confusion can lead to issues later down the line and end up hindering growth.

It is important to communicate early when stuck on a problem. Learn the difference between what can be solved through trouble shooting, +- 30min and what is the start of a rabbit hole spiral that sets you back 3 days in silence.

Regarding AI usage, be transparent. There is nothing wrong with using AI, it is a useful tool. The problem comes when copying AI code, you don’t understand, into a project. If the solution has been crafted using AI and you don’t understand, consider starting the mentoring sessions with a statement like,

“Hey, I’ve used AI to come up with this solution. However, I don’t fully understand what it is doing? Can we go through it together?”

This approach allows for a learning opportunity and great collaboration.

How should the Mentor play their part?

Firstly, being a good developer does not automatically mean you will be a good mentor. Mentoring takes skill, patience and understanding of where your mentee is in their current journey.

With anything that is worth doing, this will take time. Ensure you show up consistently and block out real time to make a difference. Be present in the sessions.

When peer programming, verbally talk through what you are doing while solving the problem. It is a great way for your mentee to pick up your thought process and try emulating it.

Make your interactions a safe space. A mentee that feels safe to fail is more likely to try new things and take calculated risks. Your first code review will set the tone for this. You want to create an environment where questions and discussions are encouraged and not one where people are trying to hide their mistakes.

Always explain the ‘Why’, not just the ‘How’. Your job is to explain the why: “Why this chosen Architecture”, ‘Why this pattern”, “Why this business decision”. AI can tell them how to do something, but the why builds understanding and proper informed application.

Next is the modern dilemma, how to embrace AI, but still teach critical thinking. AI will be used whether you approve or not, that is the reality of the world we live in. So instead of fighting it, teach them to use it responsibly. Encourage them to look at the results critically and ask questions like:

“Is this actually a good suggestion?”
“Does this fit the code base?”
“Does it adhere to our best practices?”
“Is there possibly any security issue I’m not seeing?”

When starting a code review, lead with questions similar to:

“Walk me through what this does.”
“Why do you think the AI chose this approach?”
“Is there anything you would like to change?”

Lastly, avoid the curse of knowledge. Years of experience makes certain aspects of coding appear obvious, however, try to remember that you too were once fresh out of college, terrified, lost and React hooks made zero sense.

And here is something important: stay open to learning from your mentee too. They are coming in with fresh ideas, perspectives, exposure to new tooling and different ways of approaching problems. Some of my best learning moments have come from a graduate showing me new techniques I had never considered. Great mentoring is not just a one-way street – it is a conversation.

When in doubt: Be the Mentor you wish you had when starting out!

What should be avoided?

There are common mistakes, from both sides, that should be avoided to ensure the best outcome from this process.

From mentees:

Don’t treat your mentor like a search engine, they are not just a faster version of AI. Ask why and learn.

Copy-pasting without understanding will lead to a world of trouble. This applies to both traditional platforms, such as Stack Overflow, as well as AI.

Not asking for help early enough. There is not much anyone can do to assist when a deadline looms if they were not aware of the issue.

Asking the same question, repeatedly. Take notes and learn.

From mentors:

Don’t just give the answer, you are missing an opportunity to teach problem-solving.

Dismissing new tools, such as AI, without offering alternatives and guidance.

Not making yourself available and constantly cancelling meetings.

Avoiding difficult feedback.

The reality of AI

Let’s stop pretending that AI isn’t now commonplace in development. The question is not whether juniors will use it, they will. The question is whether we teach them to use it responsibly with understanding.

Your job as a mentor is to ensure they know the difference between good AI usage and bad.

Good being, using AI to explain why a hash map was used over an array in a certain instance. As opposed to bad being, copy-paste, ship and have no idea how it works when it breaks production.

Take the time to teach them that difference. Review the AI code together, show them what a good prompt looks like, help them identify when AI is confidently giving them the wrong answer.

 The bottom line

The goal of great mentoring is to build judgment, not just create another code pusher. It is about teaching someone to think through a problem and evaluate solutions critically. It is about growing a developer that will no longer need you looking over their shoulder.

It requires time, consistency and equal investment from both parties. The mentor needs to create the safe space for learning and genuinely want to see their mentee succeed. The mentee needs to be masters of their own destiny and own their own growth.

The best part, if you get it right, you are not only building better developers, but you are also building someone who will one day go on to mentor the next generation the same way you showed them.

Be the example they want to aspire to, not the cautionary tale they advise others to avoid.