Stage One: Unconscious incompetence

During university, I did some small projects with my teacher and thought I was really good. I even went to some company interviews for part-time jobs, but I never understood why I got no replies. At that time, I simply didn't know what I didn't know. I thought I knew a lot. Now thinking back, I find my past self laughable. Back then I wasn't even a programmer, at most just an amateur programming enthusiast.

Manifestations: false confidence, overpromising, always saying "I can do it, no problem," looking down on other programmers...

Stage Two: Conscious incompetence

After starting work, I found myself encountering difficulties in project work and not knowing how to solve them. Compared with the people around me, I realized my knowledge was lacking. At that time, I knew I was not as skilled as others and had many shortcomings that needed to be made up for. This is the stage commonly referred to as the junior programmer stage. At this stage, you must rely on others for guidance.

Manifestations: feeling a bit insecure, learning humbly, working hard secretly, admiring experts...

Stage Three: Conscious competence

After three or four years of work, your skills gradually improve and you become the technical expert in the project team. At this time, you are also confident, knowing that you can solve all the problems you encounter. This is the senior programmer stage.

Manifestations: confidence, relative objectivity, genuine commitment, a bit self-centered...

Stage Four: Unconscious competence

After many years of work, as the depth and breadth of your knowledge increase, the more you learn, the more you realize you don't know. Sometimes you feel that you really wasted too much time in the past. Although you still feel you have much to improve, there is basically no problem at work that you cannot solve. At this time, much of your knowledge has formed its own system, and solving problems has become subconscious. Sometimes you don't even know that you know. This is the architect level.

Manifestations: open-minded, proactive, eager to learn, modest...