Surviving your first year in-house (Post 2)
- amyaixizhang
- Jul 21
- 1 min read
Updated: Aug 16
“But I don't have tech experience!”
Nope! You don’t need to know how to write code. Or an engineering degree. Or to review Python scripts.
What you do need is curiosity and common sense. That means the willingness to learn how things work, and the resourcefulness to figure it out as you go.
My past coding experience can be summarized as:
Philosophical debates and papers on the future of technology
A number of courses, including: "Coding for Lawyers"
Exhaustive fiddling with HTML for my college newspaper
Two years into my role as product counsel, and I'm asking whether Anthropic's model-context protocol sanitizes inputs derived from customer natural language instructions before Claude triggers an HTTPS POST request to the specified endpoint.
This could be you, 100%.
What practical skills helped me get here:
Diving into new projects, even if ambiguous and confusing.
Treating CGPT like an infinitely patient tutor.
Late nights + weekends reading Product + Engineering Team specs.
Genuine humility + charm to consistently beg Prod + Eng coworkers to ELI5.
I know I am not the most intelligent person in most rooms. But I am often the most curious + enthusiastic. Those are attitudes anyone can master.
This post is such a refreshing reminder that curiosity and resourcefulness often matter more than technical credentials. Your journey—from philosophical debates to HTML tinkering—shows how diverse experiences can shape a powerful product mindset. It’s the same with personal style: you don’t need a fashion degree to make intentional choices. At Grandiani, we explore how details like stud earring sizing and jewelry pairings can elevate everyday confidence. Whether in tech or design, thoughtful experimentation leads to meaningful impact.