Starting a programming job can be daunting, even for those with a computer science degree or boot camp certification. The author highlights five technical skills that every beginning developer should possess: version control systems, HTML and CSS basics, developer toolkits (IDEs, editors, CLI tools), regular expressions, and SQL. Additionally, the author emphasizes the importance of soft skills such as clear and effective written communication, using libraries and existing code, defensive programming, debugging, and teamwork. The author also stresses the need for continuous learning and improvement, including seeking help when needed, understanding how to work on existing code, and contributing to open-source projects. Overall, the article aims to provide a comprehensive guide for new developers to get started with software development and improve their skills over time.