After graduating I worked as CTO at a fintech startup. Here are a few things I took with me from the role.
Things move fast
There was always something going on: a new design to implement, a suggestion for the stack to look into, or a feature to plan. That pace kept the work interesting and taught me to prioritize quickly.
Communication matters
We had daily standups and good communication within the team. It’s one of the most valuable things I learned, and something I’ve brought with me since.
More responsibility than I expected
I was surprised by how many decisions were mine to make. I always researched options before suggesting a direction, which made those decisions easier to stand behind.
Write things down
If I did it again, I’d document more. I rarely wrote down my research and suggestions, and notes would have made it much easier to keep track of why things were decided.
If you get the chance
If you’re offered a role like this, take it. It’s a lot of fun, and there’s always something exciting to work on.