> I've moreso improved on soft skills.
Which, among other things, are also vital.
Oversimplified: 1-2 years of not knowing what you don't know. Then 3-5 learning how to write code, then 3-5 learning how to really write software. Most of that last learning curve happens outside the editor. That's a little to linear and non-overlapping, but the essence is true I suspect.