> It's what I look for when new developers join any existing team I am on: what can they see that we can't.
Based on my experience, it would be unrealistic for a junior developer to expect this perspective at a new job. More realistic: here are the things that need to be done for this business to survive; please do them. Maybe some leeway in how you approach the problem. If they wanted unbiased eyes, the job listing would have said consultant, not junior developer.
Believe me, I hear what you're saying. I've tried it many times. For instance: "You don't check everything into source control? Oh my god, it's so basic, look how much better you guys could be doing your jobs!" Which, yeah, it would have been better. It also annoyed the people around me and destabilized the team, even as it improved the technology. Net loss for the company.
Having made this mistake over and over, I want to help others avoid it. Junior developers, know that if you find success in your job, your most important contributions to the company will not have been code. You will not bring some great insight to the table that makes everything faster/better/cheaper and wins you everyone's respect. You earn respect and admiration by working hard (not smart, hard!) and helping the people around you. Look up from your text editor, go talk to people, find out what they're doing, help them succeed.
That's where your focus should be as a junior. (Or as a senior, for that matter.) Helping others succeed. Questioning the status quo is a distraction and not as useful as you think, even if you're right and everyone else is wrong. Maybe especially if you're right.
Based on my experience, it would be unrealistic for a junior developer to expect this perspective at a new job. More realistic: here are the things that need to be done for this business to survive; please do them. Maybe some leeway in how you approach the problem. If they wanted unbiased eyes, the job listing would have said consultant, not junior developer.
Believe me, I hear what you're saying. I've tried it many times. For instance: "You don't check everything into source control? Oh my god, it's so basic, look how much better you guys could be doing your jobs!" Which, yeah, it would have been better. It also annoyed the people around me and destabilized the team, even as it improved the technology. Net loss for the company.
Having made this mistake over and over, I want to help others avoid it. Junior developers, know that if you find success in your job, your most important contributions to the company will not have been code. You will not bring some great insight to the table that makes everything faster/better/cheaper and wins you everyone's respect. You earn respect and admiration by working hard (not smart, hard!) and helping the people around you. Look up from your text editor, go talk to people, find out what they're doing, help them succeed.
That's where your focus should be as a junior. (Or as a senior, for that matter.) Helping others succeed. Questioning the status quo is a distraction and not as useful as you think, even if you're right and everyone else is wrong. Maybe especially if you're right.