Stop asking what language to learn
The question that actually matters for breaking in.
I’ve Answered This Question Hundreds of Times. Here’s What I’ve Learned.
“What programming language should I learn first?”
It’s the most common DM I get. And every time, I want to say the same thing: you’re asking the wrong question.
Not because it doesn’t matter. But because the answer (Python or JavaScript, depending on your goals) takes seconds to Google. The question reveals confusion about what actually matters.
Something I’ve learned from reviewing resumes and talking to hiring managers: most people aren’t stuck on information. They’re stuck on direction. They ask surface-level questions because they haven’t figured out what they’re actually trying to do.
The right question isn’t “what language.” It’s “what do I want to build, and what’s the fastest path to building it?”
Languages are tools. You pick them based on the job, not the other way around.
Here are the questions I keep getting, why they’re misdirected, and the reframes that actually unlock progress.
“What language should I learn first?”
Ask instead: What do I want to build, and what do those jobs require?
Web development, data science, and mobile apps all have different stacks. Pick the goal first. The language follows.
Here’s something I learned early: doing a calculator in Java is a cool beginner project, but it’s not going to get you into big tech. A project that analyzes real data to solve a real problem? That stands out. The language matters less than the impact.
“How many LeetCode problems do I need to solve?”
Ask instead: What level of companies am I targeting, and what do their interviews actually test?
FAANG interviews are different from startup interviews. Many companies don’t do LeetCode at all. Research before grinding.
The best candidates I’ve seen don’t just grind problems randomly. They master paradigms: all the dynamic programming problems, then all the graph problems, then all the stack problems. You don’t know what the interview will contain, so you build depth in each area rather than surface-level exposure to everything.
“Do I need a CS degree?”
Ask instead: What evidence do I need to show that I can do this job?
The degree is one form of evidence. Projects, contributions, and experience are others. Focus on building proof.
A VP I talked to said something that stuck with me: “I’d rather hire someone with one impressive project than someone with a bunch of tutorial clones.” The degree signals baseline competence. The work you can point to signals everything else.
“Is the job market too bad to break in?”
Ask instead: What are people who are getting hired right now doing differently?
People are still getting hired. The market is harder, not closed. Study the successful cases.
Here’s the thing most people miss: smart people don’t get paid. Likeable people get paid. In tech, we get sucked into the technicals. What languages should I know? What projects should I do? We forget the basics: forming warm connections with people.
The engineers, founders, and executives I’ve interviewed all share two things. First, they’re talented and methodical in their craft. Second, they’re genuinely likable. They build rapport. They connect. Those skills are rare, and they matter more than most people realize.
“Should I learn AI/ML?”
Ask instead: How is AI changing the specific role I want, and what skills does that require?
“AI/ML” is broad. The relevant question is how AI tools integrate into your target job.
Every role is being reshaped. The question isn’t whether to learn AI. It’s understanding which AI skills matter for where you’re headed. A front-end developer using Copilot effectively is different from a data scientist building ML pipelines. Get specific about the intersection.
The Pattern
Most people ask questions that feel productive but keep them in research mode forever.
The reframe that matters: stop asking “what should I learn” and start asking “what should I build for who?”
Build something one real person needs. Not a hypothetical user. An actual human you can name. Get them to use it. Watch them use it. Fix what breaks. Document the impact.
That evidence is worth more than any certification or course completion.
The Strategic Thinking That Separates Those Who Break In
This conversation with Philip Su, former distinguished engineer at Meta who worked directly with Zuckerberg, gets into the mindset that separates people who break in from people who stay stuck.
His take on standing out: “If you cannot be trusted with small things, no one’s going to trust you with big things. Be the best bug fixer there is. You got to earn that before people give it to you.”
It’s about asking better questions and thinking like an owner, not a hired hand.
Start Building
If you’re still working on coding fundamentals, check out Coddy. Bite-sized projects with an AI bot that answers your questions while you build. Start with their Python module, then move to Java and JavaScript.
It’s free to use. If you want premium features, use code SAJ20 for 20% off.
Your Turn
What’s a question you’ve been stuck on?
Hit reply with it. I might feature the best reframes in a future issue.
— Sajjaad