Reflections on Two Years of Java Development: From a Large State-owned Enterprise to a Small Startup and Beyond

Since September 2021, the author has been working as a Java developer for two years, moving through three companies and documenting personal experiences to inspire others.

The first job was at a large state‑owned enterprise where the author, fresh from training, only knew basic backend CRUD, passed interviews by memorizing questions, and struggled with a DDD‑based project, JVM tuning, and design patterns.

Assigned tasks were unclear, leading the author to join another project that required both front‑end and back‑end work, prompting weekend overtime to complete responsibilities.

Because the tasks were simple and progress slow, the author failed the company’s regularization criteria and was offered a testing role, which was declined to stay on the development path.

The author observed that many companies now expect developers to handle both front‑end and back‑end, though not as deeply as specialists.

Interviews at other firms (ZanTong Technology, HanSi Software, Deloitte) also queried front‑end skills, with Deloitte requiring English proficiency.

Realizing the need to improve, the author self‑studied HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and Vue, eventually landing a position at a small 50‑person company in March 2022.

In the small company, technology stacks were simpler, focusing on front‑back CRUD tasks, with fewer meetings and looser coding standards; developers often handled development, testing, and client communication.

After a year of regularization, the work remained CRUD‑centric, with complexity arising only from business processes rather than technical challenges.

The author questions whether staying in such an environment for two to three years truly enhances competitiveness.

Seeking answers, the author consulted a mentor (referred to as 鱼皮) about the importance of understanding business to reject unreasonable client demands and reduce rework.

Peers suggested that deep business knowledge aids internal growth but may not help with job hopping; the mentor emphasized the value of proactive business insight.

After accumulating over a year of experience, the author progressed to more complex full‑stack CRUD development and, with a referral, moved to a larger company serving nationwide courts.

Current work still revolves around complex business CRUD, with the author jokingly calling themselves a "full‑stack CRUD boy" and learning Elasticsearch for upcoming projects.

The first large‑enterprise experience left a strong impression, especially the guidance from a senior mentor who, despite a playful demeanor, commanded respect and even attracted headhunters offering 15k salaries.

Stories about office relocations highlighted the mentor’s confidence and influence within the team.

The company follows agile practices with twice‑daily stand‑ups; the mentor’s reaction to potential team reshuffling demonstrated his leverage.

The mentor’s attitude reinforced the belief that solid technical skills provide confidence and bargaining power in the workplace.

In summary, large and small firms have different demands: small firms often require developers to know HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and Vue alongside backend work, while larger firms expect deeper technical expertise.

The author acknowledges personal gaps in reaching big‑company standards and stresses continuous learning beyond daily work.

Neglecting technical growth for business familiarity may extend tenure but reduces competitiveness, contributing to the "35‑year crisis" many programmers face; the author aspires to emulate mentors and continue advancing.