Oftentimes throughout my learning and development journey have I asked myself this very question. In the beginning, I wasn't too sure how to answer it. I searched and searched but could never really find a foreseeable checkpoint that would let me know when I've finally learnt enough to land that first tech job. But now, I've come to realise that the definition of enough, is a pretty vague and never-ending umbrella term. Having spent the last 3+ years self-studying IT & CS daily, I've come to an understanding. You will never know enough, while at the same time, you will or already know enough.
Many people struggle with imposter syndrome, this in itself is a useful but also dangerous thing that keeps us from realising our own potential and skills. Because it is so common, we often think that we don't know enough and lack the experience and or confidence to tell us otherwise. My first take, " You will never know enough..." is reinforced by this very roadblock in our minds. With time, imposter syndrome does begin to fade but it never quite leaves, I dare say it is necessary to keep us humble and not fall into the realm of arrogance.
Another thing that adds to my first take, is that you realistically can't know everything. Many times we see job postings that are littered with requirements / pre-requisites that are so ridiculously filled with every language and technology out there. That we begin to wonder and compare ourselves to others who these postings might suit. I recently saw a job posting for an "Entry Level Junior Software Engineer", mouthful I know, that required the applicant to have over 5 years of work experience. Now, I don't know about you, but to me, the whole point of an "Entry Level" role, should be one that you know, IT IS YOUR FIRST ENTRY INTO THE WORKFORCE.
Ahem, anyway, as I was saying. We often see postings like this that make us question whether or not we are even fit to call ourselves engineers. But let me remind you, that the job requirement list, is often nothing more than a proverbial wishlist that the hiring manager has set. Hoping that they catch the best person that fits the checklist and most importantly the budget. So don't be afraid to click apply anyway, granted that you have at least 60% of what they are asking for. It's okay to exaggerate a bit, but never okay to lie.
Theodore Roosevelt once said, “Comparison is the thief of joy.” We often compare ourselves to those around us, on social media or those who are in positions we aspire to be in. While it is good to self-reflect and observe others to learn what makes them great. It is not good to overly compare and lose sight of yourself. Instead of comparing yourself to others as they are now, try to compare them to when they were at your stage in life. Or even better, compare yourself to the you of yesterday, and see whether or not you are better than you once were.
My second take, "...you will or already know enough." stems from the idea and my belief, that as long as you understand and internalise the core fundamental skills and ideas relating to what you want to learn, you already know more than 50% of what is needed. We often overlook how important the fundamentals are, and try to speedrun learning all the fancy advanced topics and abstractions. Sure this may get you into the job, but once you're there if your foundations are weak, you won't be able to handle the work.
Knowledge in itself is an evergrowing stack, we continually build off of things we already know to further our understanding of what we don't. If you forgo the time it takes to get a strong understanding, you will struggle and not be able to move further. But, if you already have a good foundation, which many of us should strive to have. Then it's only a matter of time until you make those connections to the more in-demand and advanced skills, because after all, at one point the basic fundamental skills were considered the most advanced things at the time.
In summary, there is a high likelihood that you both know and don't know enough. It is almost inevitable as our world of technology only keeps expanding each day and we have yet to see a true end in sight. So until that day comes, we are better off asking ourselves "What can I learn or review today?", while also thinking to ourselves "What job can I qualify for right now?". Be proactive, and ask yourself questions that lead to action and not more questions.
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