Ramping up to enterprise-level back-end without training

Just my opinion here, but I believe the best programmers are the ones who also could do the job with paper and pencil if there was no such thing as computers.

An example, if programming a bookkeeping application also know how to do the same without a computer.

Also learn what you are getting ready to program, an example there is I programmed accounting software for a non-profit, my first stop was a certified public accountant to get some lessons on exactly what's needed for the Internal Revenue Service.

Bottom line there's more to programming than just coding, knowing the ends and outs of what you are programming is the most important.

The lead programmer should have gone over the code more slowly and carefully with you, if he understood it.

Some of the older custom code, it is hard to tell what's going on without taking quite some time, to go over it and study it.

That sounds weird... in my case, since im a designer (or "graphic designer", i prefer "Designer") (in the process of learning about web servers) it would be the exact same thing as if my supervisor or my "boss", wouldn't let me review the "branding guides" for the company, or like if I wasn't allowed to view the book where all the visual guides with all the "do's and don'ts" for the companies own visual identity are compiled. See https://assets.laracasts.com/

You should have access to that at anytime if you don't you might end up messing up the identity for the company/workplace. Can't imagine working at a place where you can't view their records or books that's their history... it's the same as if the Laravel guys wouldn't let us review the docs on the framework.

But that's weird what you mention, makes me think maybe they were going through some issues regarding CO-VID 19 and maybe they were desperate? Many people are doing cutbacks, shorting staff but who knows man.

@jlrdw: I think you might be addressing a different question than I'm asking. The issue I'm asking about isn't my ability to code (I'm sure I could do it with pencil and paper though it of course would take a million times longer), but about what you consider to be adequate or normal training or support for understanding the projects' products to ramp up in a reasonable amount of time to be able to code well in them.

"knowing the ends and outs of what you are programming is the most important"

The whole problem was learning the ins and outs... I was dissuaded from doing anything but reviewing code and DB, even though it took far longer than the training and documentation and interface review that I could get away with, which was not often. I found their restrictions highly unusual and creating unnecessary drag, considering how quickly I learned when I could get away with using those other resources.

So please, what has your experience been with learning a new enterprise product at a new job? Is my experience normal with you or not normal? Thank you, I won't be offended.

@warpig:

if I wasn't allowed to view the book where all the visual guides with all the "do's and don'ts" for the companies own visual identity are compiled

That sounds like my experience at this last job... it felt like necessary but available info was being restricted.

I think they thought that I could do the same as the developer who built their current products over 3 years while on top of a 3rd-party product he had to learn only through interface, DB, and talking to their developers... but I'm pretty sure he had more talk time with them. I had to understand their product and our products while being told to avoid the easiest and best ways for me to understand.

Learning code and DB is one thing... but understanding the products... that can be different than it looks. I often fell into irrelevant rabbit holes because things looked different to me than they were. Once I understand what they meant and how they were used... even a screenshot could reduce a day's research into an hour. It was amazing how quickly I understood code and DB once I understood the product; but the product was so complex, I think just code and DB was extremely cumbersome and often counter-productive.

Anyway, my situation may be unique with their tech, but I appreciate your input. I'm just hoping other companies using Laravel that I may work with will allow more visibility into understanding their products, since this was only my first Laravel job.

just sounds like a really bad employer and one where the lead developer did not deserve their title

@Snapey: So what's been your experience with a new enterprise-level job? Did you have one where you were told just to review the code and DB, and dissuaded from anything else?

What do you consider normal for a new big-corporate job?

What do you consider normal for a new big-corporate job?

Every company is going to be different, as well as each "senior developer" is going to be different.

I'd say there no real normal. But as stated already, they should allow you to get familiar with what you are supposed to do.