This content originally appeared on DEV Community and was authored by Vincent Tommi
After bombing a back-end developer interview, I was feeling pretty low. That’s when my friend Sospeter Mongare, a Senior Backend Developer, shared some sharp advice that hit me hard but also made me laugh. Beneath the humor of his words was a powerful truth about the importance of skill-building and consistency. His advice, born from years of experience, inspired me to turn his message into a motivational article for anyone chasing mastery in their craft.
The Disconnect Between Pay and Proficiency
Sospeter’s piece painted a vivid picture of professionals who demand high pay but lack the skills to back it up. We’ve all seen it:
A graphic designer who doesn’t know CorelDRAW or Photoshop, swearing by Canva as the ultimate “professional” tool.
A UI/UX designer charging $100 per screen but struggling to turn simple requirements into functional designs.
A front-end engineer who can’t convert Figma designs to code, blaming the designer for errors while asking $1,000 per gig.
A backend engineer taking two weeks to build basic CRUD functionality, yet billing $100 an hour like a seasoned pro.
A DevOps engineer who fumbles with basic Linux server setups but insists $2,000 is their minimum.
A data analyst who can’t interpret or visualize data, yet complains about “low” pay.
A digital marketer with no strategy, proposing a ₦1M weekly ad budget like it’s pocket change.
A content creator who’s camera-shy but demands ₦500k per video.
It’s funny until you see the pattern: many price themselves based on what they want to earn, not what their experience justifies. As someone who struggled in that back-end interview, I felt the sting of this truth. I realized my skills didn’t yet match the roles I was aiming for.
The Hard Truth: Experience is the Ultimate Currency
Sospeter’s advice was clear—your skills determine your value. You can set any price or aim for any role, but if your work doesn’t measure up, clients won’t argue your fee, and employers won’t hire you back. The market rewards competence, consistency, and results, not just ambition.
He shared how, in his own career, clients don’t haggle over his rates because they see his value as a senior backend developer. That value came from years of grinding—building robust systems, optimizing databases, and solving complex problems. Experience isn’t just time spent; it’s deliberate effort to grow and refine your craft. My interview flop showed me I have more to learn to reach that level.
The Path Forward: Build Your Value
Sospeter’s advice wasn’t just a reality check—it was a roadmap. If you want to command respect (and better opportunities), here’s how to start:
1. Invest in Your Skills
Master the tools of your trade. For me, that means diving deeper into backend frameworks, database optimization, and API design. If you’re a designer, learn Photoshop or Figma. If you’re a developer, practice coding real-world projects. Don’t settle for “good enough”—aim for excellence.
2. Be Consistent
Growth comes from steady effort. Commit to learning daily, even if it’s just a small step like debugging a new error or reading documentation. Those steps add up, and I’m starting to see that after my interview wake-up call.
3. Seek Feedback and Learn from It
My failed interview gave me feedback I can’t ignore. Ask mentors, clients, or peers for honest critiques and use them to improve. Sospeter emphasized that feedback is your guide to getting better.
4. Seek Feedback and Learn from It
My failed interview gave me feedback I can’t ignore. Ask mentors, clients, or peers for honest critiques and use them to improve. Sospeter emphasized that feedback is your guide to getting better.
5. Know Your Worth, But Earn It
Confidence is key, but it must be backed by competence. Set goals that match your current skills, and as you grow, opportunities will follow. I’m learning to be patient with my progress.
The Reward of Hard Work
Sospeter’s advice showed me that experience is a currency that never loses value. The more you invest in yourself, the more others will invest in you. People notice dedication, attention to detail, and the ability to deliver. When that happens, you won’t need to justify your worth—it’ll be obvious.
To my friends and anyone reading this: let’s take Sospeter’s advice to heart. Stop chasing titles or paychecks and start chasing mastery. Work on your craft. Build your value. Be consistent. The laughter from those mismatched expectations will fade, but the respect you earn through hard-earned skills will last a lifetime.
Let’s get to work.
This content originally appeared on DEV Community and was authored by Vincent Tommi