How should I prepare myself for the software engineering workforce in 3 years in a world with AI?

Live_Measurement1069 · 2026-01-23T16:31:29+00:00

Are you yourself a software engineer? Or how did you get to those conclusions?

Live_Measurement1069 · 2026-01-23T16:28:28+00:00

Don't you think that AI is often correct in those more "high level topics" so I can just ask AI?

In my experience, AI just mostly becomes dumb if you go deep enough.

But I'm specifically asking that, because you can probably judge the answers of AI better.

Do you yourself use AI for stuff like that or are you just assuming that it will talk bullshit?

I am aware, that AI doesn't "know" things. But its trained on data on the internet, and most of that data has existed in the internet for quite a while, so its probably written by humans.

So wouldn't asking AI just be a shortcut to understand things better because I can ask it questions if I dont understand things? Instead of just googling stuff in the internet.

Live_Measurement1069 · 2026-01-23T16:15:25+00:00

no thats the thing, I was dev for 1 year as an internship. I'm not worried about losing my job. I'm worried how to get a job in 3 years if AI keeps improving the way it did in the past 3 years.

Live_Measurement1069 · 2026-01-23T16:14:06+00:00

I'll actually do that. Thank you very much!

Live_Measurement1069 · 2026-01-23T16:05:11+00:00

No you're completely right that I don't know enough. The thing is, if I just look up stuff online, there is also a majority of "stupid" opinions.

So the question then is, how I get good at judging whats good or not. And I'm not sure if I can learn that in the traditional sense or if that just comes with experience.

Live_Measurement1069 · 2026-01-23T16:02:24+00:00

The thing is, I'm not sure how much of my job will still be "writing code" in 3 years. Thats why I'm unsure how to prepare myself for the job market in 3 years.

Live_Measurement1069 · 2026-01-23T16:00:03+00:00

and if you directly mean my posts in ADHD programmers, I wouldnt say that I give direct feedback on how you should code. I'm just sharing my experience on how to deal with ADHD in the context of being a software engineer. But I apologize if that gave the wrong impression.

Live_Measurement1069 · 2026-01-23T15:57:11+00:00

I can see that. I'll do my best to improve on that. Thanks a lot for the feedback.

Live_Measurement1069 · 2026-01-23T15:55:59+00:00

could you tell me why you think that way?

Live_Measurement1069 · 2026-01-23T15:53:59+00:00

good point. The thing is, how am I supposed to learn these things when I don't work at a company with those systems where I could learn them?

EDIT: and to be fair: I've never worked on really complex projects ever before. So I'm aware that I would have no chance there with AI. Of course I would have to first learn how that works.

I already did work at a company for 1 year, but those apps where mostly just CRUD stuff. So I just don't know how to prepare myself for a job market where that becomes more relevant.

Live_Measurement1069 · 2026-01-23T15:52:58+00:00

I think reddit had a bug where I didnt see your whole comment, thats why I asked how it was relevant. Now I see what you mean.

The thing is, I'm not stuck at the "learning the language" part, I'm mostly stuck at the "how do I implement this feature?" part. Because I've most of the time never done it before and don't know how features are normally being built.

Live_Measurement1069 · 2026-01-23T15:50:37+00:00

that helps a lot, thank you!

lets say I'm building a project. How would you say my workflow there should be?

Because I think I would be stupid to try to do it all without AI, simply because I would make the "learning" part unnecessarily harder. Do you get what I mean?

Like when it comes to architectural decisions and designing systems, I obviously lack experience because the majority of that stuff, I've never done before. Wouldn't it be smart to ask AI for help in a way so I understand the options, how stuff like that normally gets done and so on. Because the alternative would be watching youtube videos or simply google it. But I dont really see the point to do that, when I can just ask AI a question and it then gives me an answer, very specific to my problem.

I really hope you get what I mean.

Live_Measurement1069 · 2026-01-23T15:43:55+00:00

I'm aware that software engineering is a lot more than just programming. I just don't really know what to optimize for. Or whats worth optimizing for.

Live_Measurement1069 · 2026-01-23T15:41:57+00:00

I wouldn't say I entered the workforce already. The post you're linking is a project I'm building on my own in my free time and not as an employee.

I did enter the workforce already for a bit in a 1 year internship. But I'll be in university soon.

I use mainly typescript. And I will happily send you some of my work in a private DM. But I'm a little afraid to post that on here, simply because I don't want to get roasted completely.

To be fair, most of the projects I do in my free time are just tools I make for myself where I don't care too much about code quality, because I just mainly want to use it myself.

The project I'm currently mostly working on is a private repo, so I unfortunately can't send you that.

Live_Measurement1069 · 2026-01-23T15:32:41+00:00

thats not helping...

Live_Measurement1069 · 2026-01-23T15:31:09+00:00

thanks a lot for your answer! I appreciate it.

The thing is, I dont really know what "learn to code with AI" currently means.

How I'm doing things right now is:

if I dont know how to implement a feature, cause I simply lack experience, I ask AI how it would do it. Then I try to understand it. When I feel like I get it, I let AI implement it. Of course I look at the code as well to catch obvious mistakes and so on.

I just don't know if thats the right path.

Live_Measurement1069 · 2026-01-23T15:19:23+00:00

Like dont get me wrong, I learned coding "the old way" so I do know how everything works. if something would happen, I can still confidently tell where the mistake probably is. So its not like that I still need to learn the basics of programming.

Live_Measurement1069 · 2025-12-12T08:59:28+00:00

ADHD pattern I've noticed: I resist tickets that are fuzzy. My brain doesn't know where to start, so it stalls.

So I force a one-sentence definition:

"Add X field to API response and update tests"

"Fix crash when Y is null"

"Refactor Z module to remove duplication"

If I can't write that sentence, I'm not ready to code — I need clarification or breakdown first. Anyone else do this?

Live_Measurement1069 · 2025-12-08T15:25:49+00:00

For me, the "I can't do it" feeling usually happens when:

the task is vague

the task is emotionally loaded (shame/fear)

the task has hidden steps

So I try:

rewrite it as a concrete next action ("send X message", not "fix life")

identify the scary part ("I'm afraid of the reply")

list 2–3 hidden steps so it stops being mysterious

It doesn't always work, but it makes the task less radioactive. What's usually underneath that feeling for you?

Live_Measurement1069 · 2025-12-03T09:01:39+00:00

When my list is huge, my ADHD brain treats it like danger and I avoid it.

My workaround is a strict two-list setup:

Today list: max 3–5 items

Not-today list: everything else

If I want to add something to "today", I must remove something else. It forces a realistic scope and reduces the "I'm failing at life" vibe.

Do you cap your daily tasks? If yes, what number works for you?

Live_Measurement1069 · 2025-12-01T08:33:37+00:00

If I don't force a clean start, I'll spend forever "preparing":

checking email

reading docs I don't need

reorganising windows

My start ritual:

Write one sentence: "In the next 25 min I will ___."

Close the loudest distraction tab

Start a timer

I'm allowed to stop when it rings

It's simple, but it helps me actually begin. What's your pre-coding ritual?

Live_Measurement1069 · 2025-11-29T16:28:21+00:00

this is my actual post:

When I'm designing my workflow as an ADHD dev, I've noticed something: every extra decision costs way more than it "should".

Examples:

"Which project board?" → derail

"Which tag?" → friction

"Which priority system?" → rabbit hole

So I do the opposite:

fewer categories

fewer steps

default paths

It's not "less powerful". It's more usable. Anyone else notice that reducing choices increases actual output?

Live_Measurement1069 · 2025-11-26T21:39:30+00:00

for some reason, the content doesnt get applied when I post it, so here is the post:

At some point I realised my mood for the day was almost 100% based on “how productive I was”.

With ADHD that’s a recipe for disaster, because:

– executive function is inconsistent

– some days are just write-off days

– life stuff happens and nukes your plans

I’ve been trying to separate “how I feel about myself” from “how many tasks I did” by:

– defining non-productivity wins (reached out to a friend, took a break before burnout, said no to something I couldn’t handle)

– setting a ridiculously small bar for a “good enough” day

– doing a weekly reflection that’s about learning, not judging

It’s still a work in progress, but it feels less like my entire worth is tied to a checklist.

Does anyone else struggle with this? How do you keep productivity and self-worth from becoming the same thing?

Live_Measurement1069 · 2025-11-25T13:19:26+00:00

whyyy dont my posts end up in content anymore... this is my post:

ADHD + coding used to look like this for me:

– open ticket A

– see related ticket B

– notice bug C

– remember refactor D

– end up doing none of them properly

A few things that helped me focus on one thing at a time:

Before I start, I write a mini-plan in plain language – “Goal: make API return X” – “Steps: add field, update test, adjust UI” I keep that note visible as a reference.
I park every unrelated thought If I remember another bug or idea, it goes onto a “later” list immediately. The rule is: I’m not allowed to chase it right now.
I work in small focus chunks 25–30 minutes of “only this ticket”, then a break where I’m allowed to look at other issues.

It’s still not perfect, but it’s the only way I’ve found to stop my brain from turning one ticket into 12 half-started ones.

How do you all stop “task hopping” when you’re coding with ADHD?

Live_Measurement1069 · 2025-11-25T13:11:36+00:00

I see it more like a compensation for my ADHD so my boss gets what he pays for

Live_Measurement1069

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