How to be a Better Junior Developer (RailsConf)

Abstract:
Are you from a non-C.S. background? What about someone you mentor? Many junior devs’ top focus is building technical knowledge. However, they already have other skills that can help them in their roles immediately! Some of these include helping their team focus on the right tasks and working well with stakeholders like PM and support. This talk will discuss the non-technical contributions junior devs can make now and how their senior dev mentors can help them ramp up more quickly as a result.

Presented at RailsConf 2014 in Chicago, ~30 minutes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJW46x27W1w
Blog post: http://kwugirl.blogspot.com/2014/04/how-to-be-better-junior-developer_25.html

Transcript

1. How to be a Better Junior Developer Katherine Wu @kwugirl. ! ! Junior Software Engineer
2. where I’m coming from
3. @kwugirl where I’m coming from > Long…! way…! to go… https://flic.kr/p/e9UTz
4. @kwugirl constantly learning where I’m coming from >
5. @kwugirl where I’m coming from > Pac-Man Not Pac-Man Pac-Man's eye
6. @kwugirl can find a way to apply any skill where I’m coming from >
7. @kwugirl expand ways for junior devs to learn faster & feel valued where I’m coming from >
8. why it’s hard to be a junior dev
9. why it’s hard to be a junior dev > so.! much.! to learn. how to help?? https://flic.kr/p/8iXWEJ https://flic.kr/p/eaGPCC
10. @kwugirl How to help your team! 1. Ask good questions 
 2. Give good feedback 
 3. Make your team look good So much to learn! 1. Get people to want to help you 2. Make it easy for people to help you 3. Narrow the scope Where We Are next: so much to learn, step 1
11. 3-step plan for ! “so much to learn”
12. @kwugirl 1. get people to want ! to help you so much to learn >
13. @kwugirl “build relationships” so much to learn > get people to help you
14. @kwugirl so much to learn > get people to help you > build relationships friendship is magic!
15. @kwugirl so much to learn > get people to help you > build relationships
16. @kwugirl so much to learn > get people to help you > build relationships
17. @kwugirl so much to learn > get people to help you > build relationships mentor as guide https://flic.kr/p/6TJNK6
18. @kwugirl so much to learn > get people to help you > build relationships the support team https://flic.kr/p/57gjkS
19. @kwugirl show you did your homework so much to learn > get people to help you
20. @kwugirl “If you’re busy, who else could I talk to about this?” so much to learn > get people to help you > show your work
21. @kwugirl “Is there somewhere I could’ve found this answer on my own?” so much to learn > get people to help you > show your work
22. @kwugirl so much to learn > get people to help you > show your work push out and extend https://flic.kr/p/86nc96
23. @kwugirl show your appreciation so much to learn > get people to help you
24. @kwugirl tell their manager so much to learn > get people to help you > show your appreciation
25. @kwugirl How to help your team! 1. Ask good questions 
 2. Give good feedback 
 3. Make your team look good So much to learn! 1. Get people to want to help you 2. Make it easy for people to help you 3. Narrow the scope Where We Are next: so much to learn, step 2
26. @kwugirl 2. make it easy for ! people to help so much to learn >
27. @kwugirl so much to learn > make it easy
28. @kwugirl articulate why you’re confused so much to learn > make it easy
29. @kwugirl “You had me up until _____” so much to learn > make it easy > articulate why you’re confused
30. @kwugirl “I’m confused, because I thought you said a=b, and b=c, but here… a!=c ?” so much to learn > make it easy > articulate why you’re confused
31. @kwugirl “I’m trying to ___, so that I can ___. I’m running into ___. I’ve looked at ___ & tried ___.” so much to learn > make it easy > articulate why you’re confused
32. @kwugirl so much to learn > make it easy > articulate why you’re confused courage to say! “I don’t know”
33. @kwugirl “Wait, I don’t actually even know what that word means.” so much to learn > make it easy > articulate why you’re confused
34. @kwugirl “Sometimes things are confusing not because you’re new, but because they’re confusing.” so much to learn > make it easy > articulate why you’re confused
35. @kwugirl so much to learn > make it easy > articulate why you’re confused team effort to get out https://flic.kr/p/agQkvi
36. @kwugirl give specific, positive reinforcement so much to learn > make it easy
37. @kwugirl “It really helped me when you…” so much to learn > make it easy > positive reinforcement
38. @kwugirl how mentors can help learning so much to learn > make it easy
39. @kwugirl so much to learn > make it easy > how mentors help https://flic.kr/p/7N7nGa
40. @kwugirl so much to learn > make it easy > how mentors help safe environment https://flic.kr/p/bsR8Aj
41. @kwugirl don’t be afraid of making mistakes so much to learn > make it easy > how mentors help > safe environment
42. @kwugirl “It’s not a matter of if you break production, but when.” so much to learn > make it easy > how mentors help > safe environment
43. @kwugirl so much to learn > make it easy > how mentors help > safe environment Mike Monteiro, http://bit.ly/1i2P2yS
44. @kwugirl so much to learn > make it easy > how mentors help awesome mentoring! learning style teaching style
45. @kwugirl so much to learn > make it easy > how mentors help when it is ok ! to interrupt? https://flic.kr/p/37gGBL
46. @kwugirl so much to learn > make it easy > how mentors help keeping an ear out https://flic.kr/p/dZibct
47. @kwugirl so much to learn > make it easy > how mentors help “You will reach the top alive.” “Throw me the rope.”
48. @kwugirl so much to learn > make it easy > how mentors help push up ! responsibility for deadlines https://flic.kr/p/9oXPuL
49. @kwugirl How to help your team! 1. Ask good questions 
 2. Give good feedback 
 3. Make your team look good So much to learn! 1. Get people to want to help you 2. Make it easy for people to help you 3. Narrow the scope Where We Are next: so much to learn, step 3
50. stretch break!
51. @kwugirl How to help your team! 1. Ask good questions 
 2. Give good feedback 
 3. Make your team look good So much to learn! 1. Get people to want to help you 2. Make it easy for people to help you 3. Narrow the scope Where We Are next: so much to learn, step 3
52. @kwugirl 3. narrow the scope so much to learn >
53. @kwugirl prioritize so much to learn > narrow the scope
54. @kwugirl timing matters so much to learn > narrow the scope
55. @kwugirl so much to learn > narrow the scope death spiral of self-doubt :*( https://flic.kr/p/7e5kgk
56. @kwugirl so much to learn > narrow the scope learning happens! learning style tutorial style
57. @kwugirl so much to learn > narrow the scope Programming tutorials:
58. @kwugirl so much to learn > narrow the scope goal-oriented vs. just playing https://flic.kr/p/azW9VQ
59. @kwugirl team processes, product knowledge so much to learn > narrow the scope
60. @kwugirl so much to learn > narrow the scope keyboard ! shortcuts https://flic.kr/p/9mjR
61. @kwugirl So Much to Learn 1. Get people to want to help you 2. Make it easy for people to help you 3. Narrow the scope next: helping your team
62. 3-step plan for ! helping your team
63. @kwugirl helping your team >
64. @kwugirl your technical contributions matter helping your team >
65. @kwugirl don’t compare your beginner to someone else’s middle helping your team >
66. @kwugirl “No one comes out of their mama’s womb knowing how to code.” helping your team >
67. @kwugirl 1. ask good questions helping your team >
68. @kwugirl helping your team > ask good questions how to use questions for good?? https://flic.kr/p/e5PKTt
69. @kwugirl “Are we working on the right thing?” helping your team > ask good questions
70. @kwugirl “Is there a reason we’re doing it this way?” helping your team > ask good questions
71. @kwugirl helping your team > ask good questions don’t put people ! on the defensive https://flic.kr/p/6eFVyB
72. @kwugirl helping your team > ask good questions ask All The Questions https://flic.kr/p/chf4im
73. @kwugirl How to help your team! 1. Ask good questions 
 2. Give good feedback 
 3. Make your team look good So much to learn! 1. Get people to want to help you 2. Make it easy for people to help you 3. Narrow the scope Where We Are next: helping your team, step 2
74. @kwugirl 2. give good feedback helping your team >
75. @kwugirl helping your team > give good feedback step into their shoes https://flic.kr/p/hgrkXJ
76. @kwugirl helping your team > give good feedback speak up when you have good things to say https://flic.kr/p/4PdRQ8
77. @kwugirl “I don’t have an opinion on this topic.” helping your team > give good feedback
78. @kwugirl How to help your team! 1. Ask good questions 
 2. Give good feedback 
 3. Make your team look good So much to learn! 1. Get people to want to help you 2. Make it easy for people to help you 3. Narrow the scope Where We Are next: helping your team, step 3
79. @kwugirl 3. make your team look good helping your team >
80. @kwugirl give awesome demos helping your team > make your team look good
81. @kwugirl helping your team > make your team look good write a script https://flic.kr/p/fbQZmF
82. @kwugirl be responsive, thorough, & empathetic helping your team > make your team look good
83. @kwugirl Helping Your Team 1. Ask good questions 2. Give good feedback 3. Make your team look good next: pitfalls to avoid
84. pitfalls to avoid
85. @kwugirl pitfalls to avoid > “Girl Scout tax” https://flic.kr/p/7Eu25y
86. @kwugirl pitfalls to avoid > don’t be sidelined https://flic.kr/p/du2JYZ
87. @kwugirl pitfalls to avoid > stay focused ! on your goal https://flic.kr/p/cwrm2u
88. @kwugirl Recommended Resources Team Geek: A Software Developer's Guide to Working Well with Others 
 (http://amzn.to/1gyRzAH) The Up Side of Down: Why Failing Well Is the Key to Success (http://amzn.to/1kJC0vK) “How to Survive Your First Year as a Programmer” (http://bit.ly/1mSoyYI) “5 Undervalued Skills in Tech & Why You Should Master Them Anyway” 
 (http://bit.ly/1hu796E) “Self-promotion for Game Developers” (http://bit.ly/1kdVsmH) “Becoming an Influencer” (http://bit.ly/1htNrlt) next: recap
89. @kwugirl How to help your team! 1. Ask good questions 
 2. Give good feedback 
 3. Make your team look good So much to learn! 1. Get people to want to help you 2. Make it easy for people to help you 3. Narrow the scope Recap next: conclusion
90. conclusion
91. @kwugirl lean on your strengths conclusion >
92. @kwugirl have confidence in your ability to learn conclusion >
93. So much to learn! 1. Get people to want to help you 2. Make it easy for people to help you 3. Narrow the scope How to help your team! 1. Ask good questions 2. Give good feedback 3. Make your team look good http://bit.ly/1n6Wcdk Katherine Wu @kwugirl. ! ! Junior Software Engineer