What skills or habits helped you succeed early in your career as a developer at a company like Nokia?

Dear Diya,

Thank you very much for your excellent question! I'm happy to share my personal experience about what helped me succeed early in my career.

I believe the main trait that significantly contributed to my early career growth was my natural curiosity. This manifested in always trying to be a "fly on the wall" during technical discussions and meetings, absorbing knowledge from more experienced colleagues. It also meant I was always eager to embrace new challenges — whether it was trying out a new framework, joining a different project, or taking on unfamiliar tasks. Over time, people began to recognize this enthusiasm for learning and adaptability, which led to more diverse and interesting assignments. Each new opportunity added to my knowledge base, which I could then apply across different scenarios, creating a positive feedback loop of growth and development.

However, this is just my personal experience. I have wonderful colleagues who have excelled by taking a different approach — finding their passion early in their career and becoming deep domain experts in specific areas. From what I've seen at Nokia, in a company of this size there's need for both types of professionals: those who are passionate about becoming subject matter experts and those who thrive on exploring various domains and connecting different areas of expertise.

I hope you find a position where you can thrive while being your authentic self! Remember, the key is to recognize your natural inclinations and strengths and then find ways to leverage them in your professional journey.