Stop Labeling Yourself: The Hidden Cost of the “Junior Developer” Mindset

Ever caught yourself saying “I’m just a junior developer” when facing a challenging task? I’ve been there, and I’ve seen how this simple phrase can become a self-imposed ceiling that limits your growth. Let’s talk about why this mindset is more harmful than you might think and the right mindset you should have as an engineer.

The eye opening talk

when I started my career, I always thought to myself that I am a junior because I don’t have two or five years of experience like other engineers. I thought that I need five years of experience to be able to be a senior or even a good engineer. I thought experience is the key to grow, until I get this experience I am just a beginner. All of that changed when I meet a pilot in the Egyptian air lines 2 years ago.

When I meet this man he asked me how much will it take me to build an app for him from scratch and this is what happened:

Me: it will take me about 3 to 4 months because I am still a junior.

Pilot: what do you mean by this ?

Me: I mean I don’t have so much experience this is why I am junior and this why it could take me more time.

Pilot: Don’t ever label your self, you are just an iOS Engineer and that’s it.