Let's say I'm a new grad SWE starting work this fall. What are some of the best resources to read through in preparation for a full-time career in tech?
I've seen similar threads for experienced software engineers/engineering managers, so I'm wondering how the list should adapt for a new grad with minimal industry experience, but with basic academic computer science background.
Ideally, these resources should span a 0-100 onramp assuming minimal prerequisite knowledge, but I'd also appreciate some recommendations on the breadth axis. This includes technical, product, and softer career guidance related resources.
So far, some notable resources I've been going through include (mostly classics):
- Designing Data-Intensive Applications by Martin Kleppman
- The Missing Semester of Your CS Education (https://missing.csail.mit.edu/)
- The Mythical Man-Month by Fred Brooks
- Google's SRE Book
I haven't found a thoughtful comprehensive guide tailored toward new grads specifically (ie not too in the weeds, but not for CS beginners, and bridging the gap from academia to all the perils of building software in industry with microservices, distributed systems, collaboration tools, etc), so I think it would be great to compile a list here and start a discussion.
(As an aside, people here will suggest the other Corporate Confidential by Cynthia Shapiro but I do not recommend it. It does contain some nuggets of valid and useful information but a lot of it is presented in an excessively cynical and lurid way designed to appeal to the conspiracy theorist, something there's no shortage of on HN, or aren't applicable to the software profession. For example, Secret 29 "Your Values Are On Your Desk" particularly made me roll my eyes; nobody gives a hoot what's on your desk unless it's growing mold and the "...many internal promotions fail within the first year and are either fired or demoted..." also elicited a snort. Unless you're unlucky enough to be starting your career in a particularly toxic work environment, people are not going to be out to get you to that degree.)
If you haven't read DeMarco and Lister's Peopleware, that would also be an excellent choice.