Skills checklist for junior FDE candidates
Updated
The minimum viable skill set for a junior FDE seat, how to self-score, and what to build for each gap.
Junior FDE seats exist but they are specific: bounded systems, supervised customer contact, clear escalation. This checklist is that bar, with a build for each line.
The checklist
| Skill | Bar | Build |
|---|---|---|
| One language | Ship tested code without supervision | CLI tool with tests and README |
| SQL | Join, aggregate, explain a slow query | Report over two joined tables |
| APIs | Retry, timeout, auth, idempotency | Client for a flaky fixture API |
| Data basics | Validate, dedup, report drops | Load plan for a dirty CSV |
| Discovery | Run a 20-minute interview, write the brief | Brief from two user conversations |
| Writing | Brief, runbook, status update | All three for one project |
| Production | Deploy, monitor, roll back | Staged deploy with rollback tested |
| AI literacy | Explain when models lose to rules | One comparison write-up |
Worked example: self-scoring
Score 0 (unseen), 1 (tutorial), 2 (shipped with help), 3 (shipped alone). A fictional candidate (fictional) totals 14 of 24: the gaps are discovery and production. The next eight weeks go there, not to a fourth language.
The two-month gap plan
Weeks 1-4: discovery. Two interviews a week, one brief each, reviewed by a senior. Weeks 5-8: production. Deploy the CLI behind a flag, break it on purpose, roll back, document. Re-score: 19 of 24 is interview-ready for junior seats.
Checklist: apply when
- Every row scores 2 or above.
- One project has a runbook someone else used.
- One brief has a success metric with a date.
- The readiness quiz passes Foundations M01-M05.
Related reading
Straight answers
Frequently asked questions
Can juniors get FDE roles?
Some seats are junior-shaped: internal tools, single-system integrations, supervised discovery. The checklist below is the bar.
What is the most common junior gap?
Error behavior: retries, idempotency, honest failure messages. Juniors demo happy paths; production needs the rest.
How do I prove communication early?
Write everything: briefs, READMEs, incident notes. Writing is the junior communication portfolio.