First 100 days as a software developer to a new company

Plan

Here is a 7, 30, 60, and 100 day plan for a front-end software developer joining a startup company:

Day 1-7

• Get oriented with the company, team, and codebase
• Set up local development environment
• Review core front-end frameworks/libraries used
• Start going through documentation and getting familiar with architecture
• Have informal chats with team members to learn about culture, priorities, and - pain points
• Look for quick bugs/issues to fix as a way to ramp up

Day 8-30

• Take on 1-2 small feature tickets to get hands-on experience with codebase
• Do a deeper dive into part of the codebase and document learnings
• Shadow other developers and observe their development workflows
• Start contributing to design discussions
• Look for opportunities to refactor/improve front-end code quality
• Identify and propose ideas for improving developer experience

Day 31-60

• Take on larger front-end feature work and guide dev from design to launch
• Increase ownership over front-end code quality, testing, and documentation
• Contribute to architectural discussions and decisions
• Propose and implement front-end performance improvements
• Lead 1-2 small projects end-to-end
• Identify key front-end risks and create mitigation plans
• Level up others through code reviews, design feedback, and mentoring

Day 61-100

• Lead complex front-end feature development with minimal guidance
• Own key front-end initiatives and project workstreams
• Contribute significantly to roadmap planning and resourcing
• Drive consistent adoption of front-end best practices and standards
• Become technical domain expert on part of the front-end stack
• Represent front-end in cross-team discussions and planning
• Identify and create front-end tools/libraries to improve velocity
• Evangelize front-end efforts and impact across the broader organization

Evaluation

The ideal candidate will be a technical expert in front-end technologies and frameworks utilized by the company. They should have a proven track record of scoping, planning, and executing complex front-end features and projects with minimal guidance. They should care deeply about front-end performance, quality, and overall user experience.

Key Metrics

• Tech-Demonstrates expertise in core front-end languages/frameworks used by the company
• Lead-Can effectively mentor and up-level other developers
• Execute-Can scope and plan complex features and projects
• Communicate-Evangelizes and advocates for front-end priorities across the org
• Mind-Continuously looks for ways to improve processes and code
• Culture-Aligns with company values and style of working

Technical Skills

• Demonstrates expertise in core front-end languages/frameworks used by the company
• Writes clean, maintainable, well-tested code
• Has experience optimizing front-end for performance
• Knows how to monitor and improve front-end app health
• Stays up-to-date on emerging front-end technologies and trends

Leadership

• Can effectively mentor and up-level other developers
• Takes ownership of difficult problems and finds solutions
• Has vision for elevating front-end standards and practices
• Able to make technical decisions confidently and independently

Execution

• Can scope and plan complex features and projects
• Breaks down problems into iterates deliverables
• Launches production-ready code with minimal bugs
• Balances perfectionism with pragmatism

Communication

• Evangelizes and advocates for front-end priorities across the org
• Documents front-end systems and decisions for others
• Explains technical concepts clearly to non-technical teams
• Facilitates architecture and design discussions

Mindset

• Continuously looks for ways to improve processes and code
• Comfortable with the ambiguity and speed of startups
• Passionate about front-end technology and building quality UIs
• Has growth mindset and seeks feedback

Cultural Fit

• Aligns with company values and style of working
• Collaborative team player
• Gets energized by the company mission
• Brings creative ideas to problems