http://www.perlmonks.org?node_id=654518


in reply to how to become senior programmer?

Basically, you need to stay alive. I know of only one case where an exceptionally talented and knowledgeable acquaintance with open source credentials started work as a senior programmer (in fact, CTO in this case) at a well funded, well backed startup. In larger companies, that would be much less likely. During your time as a (?:junior)? programmer, don't do anything particularly stupid.

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Re^2: how to become senior programmer?
by dragonchild (Archbishop) on Dec 03, 2007 at 14:05 UTC
    Having joined both small and large companies as a "senior programmer" (or "senior developer"), you now know of two.

    My criteria for good software:
    1. Does it work?
    2. Can someone else come in, make a change, and be reasonably certain no bugs were introduced?
      Sure, I wouldn't be surprised one bit. You are one of the five or ten monks here with that very special something. I may have misstated my thoughts, though. Once you get one position as a senior programmer at a respectable place, the second one should be easier. What I think is rare, as this guy has done, as well as you and probably several other monks here, is that he started as a lead after his second year in college, never having worked before. I would just guess that it is rare for an 18 year old who has never worked before to start as a senior programmer at IBM, say. Cheers.