Starting my first blockchain dev internship next week - what gets junior devs fired during probation?

Hey there! Based on countless internship stories I've seen in my career, here are the biggest killers for blockchain dev interns:

**#1 Going Silenthen Stuck Don't disappear for days trying to "figure it out." Use the 30-minute rule: struggle for 30 mins max, then ask specific questions. Say "I'm stuck on implementing the token validation logic after trying X and Y approaches" instead of "I don't know how to do this."

#2 Code Review Drama Your code WILL need fixes - that's normal! The red flag is getting defensive or arguing with feedback. Just say "Got it, I'll fix that" and learn from it. Senior devs expect to teach you, not judge you.

#3 The Research Rabbit Hole Yeah, blockchain moves fast, but spending whole days "researching" without shipping code gets you fired. Companies want 70% learning, 30% delivering. Set timers on your research sessions.

#4 Oversized Pull Requests Nobody wants to review 500 lines of changes. Keep PRs small and focused. Better to have 5 small reviews than 1 massive Team Communication. Missing standups, not updating on progress, or being the "silent team member" kills trust fast. Blockchain teams move quickly - they need to know where you stand.

Pro tip: Your technical skills got you the internship. Now it's all about communication, taking feedback well, and showing consistent progress. The blockchain space values builders who can collaborate, not lone wolves.

Remember - internships are learning experiences. Nobody expects perfection, but they do expect professionalism and growth mindset.

Adding on to what was already said, one thing I’ve seen (and done myself 😅) is trying too hard to impress. You land your first blockchain gig and suddenly you feel like you must prove you’re a genius every day. That mindset can backfire.

Here are a few “real-world” red flags I’ve personally watched juniors get burned by:

• Not asking “why” behind a feature

• You mentioned explaining stuff to PMs — trust me, even seniors struggle here. But if you’re building without understanding the business need (security, gas savings, compliance, user experience), it leads to wrong assumptions → wasted time.

• Pushing code without proper testing Web3 is unforgiving. If your contract breaks, the company loses money, not just pixels on a screen. Always write tests first (or at least alongside code). Even basic ones make seniors feel confident about your work.

• Ignoring documentation Every blockchain team has some kind of internal doc/wiki. Juniors get fired for repeatedly asking basics already documented. First: check docs → if unclear, then ask.

• Trying to be a mini-Vitalik Don’t propose “new protocols” in week 2 😂 Deliver what’s asked, and only suggest improvements once you’ve earned trust.

• Pretending you understand something when you don’t This one kills careers. Saying “I’m not fully confident here, can you guide me?” is professional, not weak.

Since you’re already worried, you’re probably going to do great. People who crash hard are usually the ones who think they’re already rockstars.

Focus on: • Being reliable • Honest progress updates • Writing safe + reviewed code • Staying curious without disappearing into black holes

You're not expected to know everything. You are expected to learn, communicate, and not ship bugs to mainnet 😄

You got this — excited for you 💪🚀