In the Depths of Software: Discovering Beyond the Titles

As a software developer, I'm currently in the fifth year of my career. Throughout this time, I've been involved in numerous projects, encountered various challenges, and successfully overcome them. However, at this point, I'm truly uncertain about how I should label myself. Junior, mid-level, senior? Determining which title best describes me is challenging.

For many, these designations might merely be words used during job applications, interview processes, or on CVs. Nevertheless, for a developer, these titles can indicate where they stand in their career, even sometimes shaping that very career.

Different companies and cultures use these labels in unique ways. For instance, while I'm considered a mid-level developer at my current company, I might be perceived as a junior in a tech giant like Google. This leads me to believe that such titles are inherently subjective. Every company, every team, and even every project has its own set of definitions and expectations.

Yet, there's another side I've recognized: these labels can serve as compasses, showing us our location in our learning journey. Yes, I've learned a lot over the past five years, but there's still so much more to explore. Each day, I come across new things, encounter fresh technologies, and expand my knowledge base.

Rather than confining myself to a "title," I aim to keep my passion for continuous learning alive. I aspire to delve deeper into areas like web application security, network security, mobile game development, or backend languages. If time permits and no other priorities arise, I plan to familiarize myself with technologies like React-Native and Node.js.

In conclusion, what guides me on my career path isn't a title, but my insatiable desire to learn. I believe we should focus on what we genuinely want to achieve, driven by our inner passion, rather than how others perceive us. And on this journey, it's entirely up to us to decide what inspires us the most.

Beyond being a junior, mid-level, or senior, I strive to become a better developer each day, and perhaps most importantly, never to say I've 'completed' this journey.