It could be subjective (and prejudiced).

I would say no: Each person has a personality and a style, and we should not be afraid to expose it in public.

What we should always take care of is respect. 

Senior Software Engineer

Juan Correa

I would suggest:

- When working remotely and using communication tools like Slack or Teams: No hello! If you need something from someone, please go to the point directly. It's nice if you want to greet, but please don't greet and wait the answer, you could greet and include what you need at the same time. More about this: <https://nohello.net/>
- Use video calls wisely: If possible, use chat as first option when possible. Ask yourself if a video call is really necessary. We are busy, and it's easier to respond a message than stop what we are doing, and enter to a video call just to answer something that could be a message or an email.
- Take notes: if you ask for something, it's possible that it will be a recurrent question, so make sure that you take notes about the answer, so the next time you can check your notes. Bonus: If is a recurrent question across your team or organization, making a documentation could be a good way to address this. From a FAQ to onboarding or setup projects, depending the nature of the question.
- Before asking: Depending on the context, it would be a good idea to do an effort trying to solve OR trying to understand what is happening, so when you ask your question, you could include what have you done. This is something that I like to do when a junior asks me something. Depending on the context, I usually answer: What have you tried so far? or what do you think? so I can transmit the mental process when you are facing something unknown. But yeah, this is contextual.

More tips:

- On my personal experience, when I have an onboarding, I learn faster by doing a small ticket or change, something relatively easy so someone that is starting can solve.
- If possible, propose to do a pair programming. If is not possible because any reason, propose shadowing with another developer while is doing a task.
- Transparency and honesty is cool: Sharing how you are feeling it's desirable and opens the communication with your team. Like in a relationship, if there is not a good communication, the problems will come.

While this is something that have worked for me, I'm always open to feedback from the community :D

**Win**: Getting my last 2 jobs from personal recommendation aka referrals from ex colleges (they recommended me because they knew what I'm capable to do), which gave me external feedback and a sort kind of validation, which is not my primary concern but always grateful to receive.

**Loss**: Got confortable and be closed to more job opportunities.

Your only limit is your mind. 

Software engineering *is not memorization*, regardless that, sometimes in the interviews you are expected to remember syntax or stuff like that. 

Following the Alex's advice: Make a list of the companies that you really are excited to join and the ones that are like "meh". 

Get experience first with the "meh" companies. 

From my personal experience: Take the interviews **as a free skill evaluation** from a company **where you will learn more** about yourself and challenges that you are not used to in your daily life. The job offer is like the bonus price. 

The attitude is elemental, feeling frustrated is fine, is part of the process, we all need a vent sometimes, is nice that you have a support community :D 

Keep building your resilience and skills, if you persist and keep learning on each "battle", is a matter of time that you will win the "bonus" price uwu

Senior Software Engineer at Unemployed

One of the best intellectual (brain training) learning experiences I have had so far is studying:

- Aristotelian logic.
- Philosophy (Objectivism).

Reading Aristotelian logic is one of the best learning experiences:

- Principles of Aristotelian logic.
- Deduction process (syllogisms).
- Logic fallacies.

Also, you can relate that with modern logic theorists, like symbolic logic (related to discrete mathematics, I remember that there were some programming languages that uses this kind of logic). 

For philosophy, my suggestion is not be dogmatic with a philosopher or a philosophical theory (it happens).

For brain training purposes, the *Introduction to Objectivist Epistemology* book, from Ayn Rand. This is like the upgraded version of Aristoteles philosophy. Goes more beyond: how we humans actually know that we know, and even if what we know really is true and how could we know it (Metacognition).

My personal recommendation is: if you have not studying philosophy, start with Greeks, their influence on Western history is among the most important in the world.

Here are some links you may find interesting:

- [Introduction to objectivism video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hlJD0i_WwdQ&ab_channel=AynRandInstitute)
- [Aristotle Organon book (Amazon)](https://www.amazon.com/Organon-Aristotle/dp/3849692949)

I hope this helps! 

developero apps

I will share part of my own personal experience.

My main formation is as an autodidact, I got my first job as junior software engineer after months of self taught work, for example: I made my blog using PHP with an admin panel, even I didn't really needed to built it myself, I did it for:

1. Showing a "real world" project that actually runs and brings value to some people.
2. I could post tech topics, building my personal brand.

I skipped a lot of hobbies and family time. More than I actually wanted. And the costs were:

- Deterioration in my family relationships.
- I hurt specially my girlfriend relationship.

When I got the job offer, I was happy because of my effort, but my mental health and relationships were negatively affected. It was some kind of pyric victory.

If would repeat that process, I would take it easier and try to enjoy the process.

Yes, I love the ambitious mentality, but with the years, it's better to have a balance in your life:

- Your social relationships.
- Your family relationships.
- Your job.
- Your personal time.

Now, regarding your case, here are my tips:

1. Quality over quantity. Identify which time of the day you are more productive and can have a strong focus time working on something, and use it for studying or building. My case (and the majority of the people), the first hours of the day are the most productive time, so can do the most challenging tasks on those hours.
   1. In my case, I used most of my time building and studying, I wouldn't spent the same amount of time if I would need to repeat that experience.
2. Use the rest of the time for your hobbies and family, so you take care of you relationships at the same time you are rocking your career.
3. Exercise: There are mental health benefits of doing exercise, if you want to be more productive, you want to have a healthy brain.
4. Eat healthy food: Personally, I struggle with this 🐷 but this is important if you think in a long term.

Remember: Invest and take care of your mental health, because your mind (your brain) will help you to get everything else that you want: money, position, knowledge, etc.