All the things I learnt as a junior developer (so you don't have to)

Being a junior developer is scary. But what should you do to make sure your junior developer journey is productive? My talk will give you some career advice that you can take, or pass to your juniors - through the lens of all the lessons and mistakes I've done.

Spoken at pyconAU 2023 in Adelaide

Transcript

1. All the things I learnt as
   a junior developer
   (...so you don’t have to)
   Terence Huynh
   Software Engineer at Atlassian
   terencehuynh.com
   

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2. But what if I’m not a junior?
   There’s something for everyone.
   

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3. L E S S O N O N E
   It is very easy to burn
   yourself out.
   

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4. “
   …a state of physical or emotional
   exhaustion that also involves a
   sense of reduced
   accomplishment and loss of
   personal identity.
   “Job burnout: How to spot it and take action”
   from the Mayo Clinic
   https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/in-depth/burnout/art-20046642
   

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5. ACWells / Pixabay (https://pixabay.com/photos/man-computer-tired-zoom-meeting-6982044/)
   

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6. What can you do?
   • If you need a break, take a break.
   • Take some time off - consider a mental
   health day.
   • Never feel guilty about taking some time
   off.
   

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8. What can you do?
   • If you need a break, take a break.
   • Take some time off - consider a mental
   health day.
   • Never feel guilty about taking some time
   off.
   

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9. L E S S O N T W O
   It goes both ways.
   

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10. Ask what your company
    can do for you.
    

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11. What junior developers should be looking for?
    • A plan in place to help you grow as a
    developer
    • A working environment that is nurturing
    and supportive
    • Access to a corporate buddy or mentor
    

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12. How can you help me achieve
    what I want to do?
    

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14. L E S S O N T H R E E
    Sometimes, you have to make
    your own experience.
    

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15. Other ways to demonstrate experience
    Contributing to open source or
    working on a project.
    Volunteer! Help a charity, or become an
    organiser of a community or meetup event
    

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16. This presentation is creating
    my own experience…
    

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17. “
    As video conferencing replaces
    phone calls, many workers find
    they have more face time with
    multiple colleagues not less.
    “Is public speaking fear limiting your career?”
    Tim Smedley, BBC Worklife
    https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20170321-is-public-speaking-fear-limiting-your-career
    

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18. Charles Deluvio/Unsplash (https://unsplash.com/photos/wn7dOzUh3Rs)
    

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20. L E S S O N F O U R
    Do something, not nothing.
    

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21. “
    I'd rather end up wishing I
    hadn’t, than end up
    wishing I had.
    “Anna Karenina”
    Leo Tolstoy
    

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22. … and here’s why.
    

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23. Josh Parnham for Terence Huynh (https://www.instagram.com/p/B17Ph1Djaa-//)
    

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24. Obligatory summary
    1. It is very easy to burn yourself out.
    (never feel guilty for taking a mental health break)
    2. It goes both ways.
    (ask what your company can do for you)
    3. Sometimes, you have to make your own opportunities.
    (seek alternative pathways)
    4. Do something, not nothing.
    (staying quiet never works)
    Yes, you can take a pic of this.
    

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25. terencehuynh.com
    buymeacoffee.com/terencehuynh
    TWITTER
    @terencehuynh
    MASTODON
    @terence@melb.social
    LINKEDIN
    linkedin.com/in/terencehuynh
    

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