7 Things I Wish I Did Earlier in my Software Engineering Career | DevOps Onramp 2023

it welcome everyone to this session to this session of the devops around 23 event. I mean, thank you to everyone. Thank you for making time out to join this session.

I just hope I strongly believe this session point I believe it's what you think so much. so I am Andrew. I'm a software engineer your full stops of the park for blockchain developer.

I'm a technical writer. CEO founder of Jojo I'm going to be working on jojo. That's my first startup.

The function to this line. I really want to say thank you to Are some people that make this session on the possibility? or members of the texture team and talking about my pizza churn for Impe Some bikinson and finally fish value was amazing.

The value was just wonderful with regards to the build of this event. Right. So seven things.

I wish I need earlier in my software engineering career. That's what this session of the events is all about. That's what I'm does what I'm talking about.

So this session is many primary care towards helping you beat the best of their software engineering area helping them make the best of their Pursuit. All right, so devel things I wish I did earlier in my software engineering career. This session was good about that sharing Within.

Still content then push there on my blog. I posted content along these lines earlier. It was five things.

I wish I didn't. myself to engineering career The article that I posted my blog was five things but this is seven. I came up with two amazing stress, right?

So Sharon got to see the content I posted and she loved it. So she reached out you can do a speaking on innate at this event and for me to the huge pleasure, so I offered to take the opportunity and here I am for everyone of you. So I just hope this session gives the best that it's meant to keep right so about talk.

The article like I said, like I said earlier iot not school in this lines something very similar. The article was born out of a passion. Okay.

It was one of the personal experiences surreal and then it was one of the passion for mentorship a passion to help others not to make same mistakes that I made while you know, wow. Imagine in mind. Yeah.

All right. So this story like I said is graduates, but it's truly for everybody seniors intermediates Juniors even Executives, right? Everyone is gonna benefit the session especially the last two points of talking about as I proceed with the session.

All right. So 5% 7 Things. I wish I leave earlier myself to each day in Korea.

This is live and will make mistakes. Right we'll make mistakes and we get to Point very great and mistake. So these it's this is me.

Bringing up my regrets trying to help with us learn from my mistakes. So the only sticks right. So I want this to bring a little interactivity into the session.

So is anyone here? Who's Tech Journey so far? Okay, like without any regret you had sweet smooth and amazing Tech Journey without any regrets.

Is anybody here like that? I mean in the audience in the charts, I don't think there's anyone here like that, right? So let's make there actually like I said, If there's anything anything toward you wait about how you software engineering career has gone too far, but into that comment section, let's make it an interactive and want to session.

All right, so I would love to see those things you guys about. Okay, so let's go to the main talk seven things. I wish I did earlier.

In my software engineering area now the best thing I wish I did earlier. I wish I did better. Was amazing mentorship.

Alright, I wish I fully embraced mentorship earlier on. Actually, I was opportunity to have mentors wonderful mentors. Young people young minds experience mentors.

I was opportunity to have met those but I had challenges with being mental. All right, so I was uninter about I'm cheaper. Forgive the hotel, but actually I don't mean that's negative.

I'm a typical introverts and then as a result of that I could I wasn't able to meet with as much as I should as I should when it when it comes to Tech right so my introversion really affected maybe mingle to be to go about everything else or that's to hang out with people right there. They were movements that I missed out when the other means went to probably happen. Yeah, one reason why I missed out.

I kind of it's It's it happens. I mean, it doesn't always have to be because I was an introvert at all points. But at one point of view that I missed out because I was an introverts right?

So that was one reason why I couldn't really maximize mentorship the second reason why didn't really much nice meant to ship was my confidence and my Brilliance my abilities to need to my own right for a long time right many years ago before I even became established in Tech. I've had this found this part of centrality. So even back then I was building things.

I was hoping to do something and then the world gets music and it's going to be my pain. I actually didn't stand up. It's it required some more time for me to get to that point.

You also installs that people use so I had this confidence in my billions and my abilities. I thought I could do it all my own. All right.

Probably that was what I was thinking about. At the moment. I can't say more abilities into I couldn't makes management.

Right. So I fail to maximally explore the opportunities that came with having mental. Right.

So Tech is another Journey you can make all. No, don't make that mistake. If you're an introverts Tech is not a pleasure intervention will try.

You just have to save your intro but somewhere else not to take right keep it somewhere else not take Tech is not a journey. I make well alone Tech drives on mutualism Tech drives on community. All right, so I'm gonna give something about mentorship right?

It's important. Here is me regretting that. I couldn't maximize mentorship now.

You don't make things late. It's important that you have a mentor. Okay, we live in a generation.

We live in a day and age where people can easily get self-taught if you have any amazing stories of self-developers. There's nothing wrong about being so good just that so being being self to come with a lot of things those people might not tell you right so I actually recommend that you get into it's a high condition you get a mental so that you can enjoy the benefits that come with mentorship. So get a mental that's number one.

Secondly. Like I said, yeah save you into version for someone else say give it somewhere else. Don't bring into your fashion.

Don't bring me an introvert into that. Right. So another point is that you need to avoid being shy or ashamed to reveal your beginner statues.

You're like, I'm beginner. I really know HTML and CSS and Don't be ashamed during your status right it's fine to be a beginner. Okay.

So once you get Mentos follow your Mentos instruction as much as possible follow the instructions, okay, always always a company you mentors Tech events that the attending around the mentors as much as possible watching them cool. What them do things they do. All right, you can learn something best practices just by watching you mental food.

All right, just by watching them to do things. They do you get to learn so with importance that you have mentors and if all of this guy which regards to be well made both right you project you Mentos, and then lastly we open and very friendly very common to interacting which all right. So that was number one.

I just truly wish I was I was I was open to pulling maximize mentorship. That's my best regrets. All right.

So now the second point I wish I began to intentionally connect an attend Tech events earlier. Alright, the keyword here is intentionally, right? I actually missed out.

Okay? One reason again why I missed out this point relates to the best actually missed out because of some points coming from that best regret. Maybe an introvert me feeling to fully Embrace and maximize mentorship.

All of those things affected me right there opportunities that our mentors were able to give to the other foods that I missed out because of whatever was happening to me probably in an inch of that virus Chinese. I miss some opportunities that those other guys quotes All right. So one of those opportunities I missed was the opportunity to go places.

accompanying them to event and I mean some good opportunity actually because I didn't manage management to ship so that in that that affected me with you guys to connect me. It's connection is important right? So it's important to connect to meet new people make new friends and get to make people know what to do.

So I wish I began to intentionally connected events. Earlier. All right, so I wasn't doing that.

I wasn't attending Tech events as much as I should have. Okay, so you might be beginner. Joining this session and you may be asking it doesn't matter whether you're into devil.

Who's that back in front and blockchain, whatever you do data analysis, whatever you do. It's important that you think depends. All right, I think events and the best time to begin attending events is now excuse me.

The best time to begin attending events each now. All right. You shouldn't wait until you are highly skilled before you attend event.

Okay, you shouldn't read so you are highly skilled for your attention is important that you begin attending events right now. All right, like I would say the best time to begin attending Tech events is right, or you can write your best line of code, but after within lines of good actually very professional so I think events meet new people make me friends. get to connect and Improve your human capital improve your contacts improve the list of people on your contacts just make new friends get to know new people, right?

So a map surrounding yourself without a textbooks make Tech events at every opportunity every event you go to make friends meet you people think their contacts. This is an adventure currently at to make the best of the events. This is this is our Networks tech drives and Community Tech drives and mutualism get to know them what they do.

They get to know you that's right. So be intentional about letting people know what to do. Fit yourself into the most nearby Tech ecosystem.

So you by all means right? There should be attacked cycle around you wherever you are, whichever country you are at. There should be a tech cycle around you, right so.

Try to get get to know um try to get to know about whichever Tech cycle and Surround you attack all the community and ecosystem that is being built. Try to know about closest to you and become very very active part of it right to be intentional. Engage communicates connect a lot helps.

All right, so take advantage of the many benefits of impact over Tech Community. Alright, so here are some things. I I am out here today regrets in the fact that I didn't make the best about any Tech events.

So I don't want you to say right so here are some people is for you always that then take events right. Once again, I'm besides in this save your introversion for someone else don't bring being an introverts into Tech in definitely would help you to avoid being shy avoid being ashamed about revealing your current status or skill level. Okay open tell people you should tell them where you are and you might find somebody who just about some help that make you know, that will help you skill up and become better, you know, we that you wouldn't have got you skill level so you open about you guys, right?

So as you attend events as you keep making progress in your area build yourself beautiful brand you ready to pitch. That's everything eventually attend. So build your brand build yourself, whatever your building be ready to make noise about it.

Tell the world what you do take it when it comes to Tech you have to be loud about what you'll jump it when it comes to take. All right. So when you go to events be very prepared, we always prepared to tell people you do.

Right, you start tell them about it. You built in the project building a software service platform. Tell just making it about whatever you're doing.

All right. So the final tpas the connection you viewed as you progressview, Ohio beneficial in bringing you job or any opportunities, right? So it's important like get to people get to know people and that person you get to know this event.

Maybe somebody will she gets that teaching job. Show me us from all right, so it's important like so that's the second thing. I actually create about myself to engineering career.

I wish I didn't even all right, so The thought in actually regret and actually wish I did earlier as in my sorry as a software developer in myself strange name is that I actually wish I began to aggressively seek reward experiences early as an ID. Right. So when I say review World experiences, I simply mean practical experiences putting the things I've learned into practice.

The best time to begin adding experiences to your CV or resume, whatever you call it the best time to begin adding experience history now. All right, so begin to seek Real world local opportunities, we in the form of internships full-time higher begin to seek opportunities to put those things you've learned to practice and the best time the best time to begin is now. All right, you shouldn't say I'm not so skilled yet.

Go out there put yourself out there and try even as as soon as you you get to understand the basic church that relates to your profession. Right, if your devops engineer as you not understand the basics you very content engineer as soon as you understand as much as HTML and CSS. You're good to go.

Okay. Don't say I'm not so skilled yet don't conclude put yourself out there signals opportunities take everyone that comes at you. All right, when I told time part time I am where is an internship put yourself out seeking work opportunities now.

Don't say I'm not scared I repeat. Take whatever, you know, no matter how little take it out there and put it to practice begin to build your years of experience right begin to add experiences to your city. It doesn't matter even if you spend a single week on the road.

The effect is going to have on your CV you might not imagine what you get to know. So take every opportunity to walk and build your skills. No matter how small is opportunities.

Come take them. All right. Keep the pool right?

Like they will see. Okay. Well that is opportunity doesn't matter whether it's opportunity or Times whether you are not paid you have to ensure that you put yourself out there and seek work experiences.

right This line is very important the area you get started the area your years of experience into account. I mean take good note of this the area you get started the area. Yes of experience begins cards in the simple hack.

Okay, so if you get started now your years of experience begins count now. If you wait for two years more until you're very skilled the very skilled devops engineer you wait for two years more your years of experience begin to count at the moment to their best professional engagement. Right?

So it really makes sense to put that to begin. To begin to make your use of experience. You don't know makes sense to making begins count immediately even with the little you know, and then as you progress your use of experience, keep going right the more years of experience, you have the more you will easily learn that you rule lateral.

Okay. It shouldn't be that at that point. Remember two years from now.

That's really looking for your best big job. And while you're looking for that first big bro, you have serious experience your CVS empty. No engagements.

Your job search is gonna talk about me doesn't matter you are right probably back. Then you might have walked up fine. But with the current job market with the current state of tech job market, you're gonna be for it, right?

Thank you. Currently we thought at the moment so you need those years of experience. You need all of those items on your CV to be able to track and learn that Journey rule of yours.

So it's important that you begin to put the little practice right away and it's important. Is that right? All right.

So the fourth thing I wish I did earlier was that I'm is that I wish I begun Technologies and technical writing. Yeah, you know, all right, like I mentioned earlier I'm a technical writer. I'm gonna take yoga.

I have lots of there. I have a Blog there have one Ash nude and I have one on medium too, right? So I wish I began Tech located.

Yeah. I wish I began to writing. Yeah.

tech building and Technical rights and they are very related Okay, so Why why would I wish why am I wishing I did this earlier? Okay. Tech blogging comes with defense many benefits.

Okay being a tech blog ability technical item myself. I cannot test it first time to the fact that these things help you to get prepared on your Tech Journey. login and technical writing company beneficial in the number of reason Can see on the screen one of them is that blogging and technical writing can help you and your first incoming Tech even before you build your best project?

I'm generally saying before you become that's still the person you want to become blogging and technical writing and help you and some good income. Just you writing right you can write the blogs you can write for companies and and descent income. So blogging and technical writing can help you stop any earlier than anything for your code even begins and even begins to make you earn another login, you know, just that any earlier.

So secondly blogging and technical writing helps to give you a voice as a thought leader. Alright as a totally that in the tech in the public Tech space being social media or in real public login and technical writing helps to give you a voice it helps you. Yeah, they helped pronounce you as a tech don't need that.

So it's important that you can take blogging that in technical writing. Responsible, right the third point is that login and technical writing opens you to many opportunities many opportunities, right? So as you begin connecting an impacting lives you get to see that blogging and technical writing opens you to many opportunities as you're right people get to read and you get to gain a lot.

The job impacting like alone is Mercy, right? So login and technical writing can serve as a social income while you Progressive engineering here, right? So there might be a point where you you might be a point in your software engineering career where you you are earning more true technical writing than you ever developed by it's possible so login and technical writing.

Yeah huge a huge to and citing come and make the best of your software engineering career, right? So it's important that you start building that you start taking, you know. All right.

So I advise you to start a technology take advantage of the different platforms of people that Ash node medium take advantage of everyone with them. Begin. You take notes.

There are others. Yeah. Yeah.

Oh, that's they have to do their others actually take advantage of them and begin your Tech blog today. All right. So you're wondering if I begin to watch what should I write?

Write about new technologies. You're learning right about those you just finished learning. Right about your progress celebrate your progress.

Right right about you. Can you block share those content social media write about about books you just All right, you encounter and issue and you successfully fixed it. They might be somebody in a few days who is going to encount that a symbol and true simple such the person gets to find you at school.

That's a massive respect. I mean doesn't mean right. It's brings your man's really comment.

You really thanks for the at school 98 certain things under really. So right about technology Landing those you just learning celebrate your progress right about books just fix the app which them right about them. Right?

Just keep writing be as professionals. Both of you. There's still what you can write.

All right important that you will a Blog and bring back so much about you in calm these ability a block helps to put you out there and then like have a mentioned. Yeah. He gives you a voice in the public space.

All right, so practically right in front of us without going without looking for the proof that this is a fact is right in front of us. All right. I wish I began.

Technical writing and blogging earlier than I did now. How did I learned the opportunity to speak at this conference? All right.

This is my best International speaking engagement. Right and how did I launch the opportunity? It came thanks to my dead blood child read my content and she fell in love with it and she offered me an opportunity to speak at this event.

All right, so you can see how I landed such a huge opportunities huge speaking at this event you guys I mean it's a massive thing for me. This is my first International speaking engagement and I'm really proud about this. I'm really glad thank you so much.

But the point here is it happened because I was actively looking because I was actively Engaging I was actually posting content as a developer technical writing technical blogging. So this is one opportunity. I gained as a result of my technology.

All right, my first major client also came to my tech look to death. co that was how I do my best main clients as a freelancer, right? So there are different opportunities that come as you begin technical writing and blocking.

Right now the 15. I wish I did earlier in my software engineer Kyle was that I wish I began strategic social media engagement there enough. So what do I mean by strategic social media engagement?

I mean stuff like building myself my brand my projects your building something new you land in your chairs. Talk about it. Share what your beauty you share the new technology to learn learning DACA Elena kubernetes.

Share you share you build in public, right? So actually wish I built myself my brand my projects. I wish I built everything in public, right?

So it's important. This is one way of engaging strategically media your building in public showing the world what you're doing showing the world your progression making I bet you I bet you the world is watching as you do this. All right, you're going to see that people are gonna start connecting and you might learn your first clients just to do things.

Yeah, so I wish I could I said, I wish I only answer from media and they currently Me what? I wish I actually started earlier. So another way that I wish I was active on social media was sharing my tech progress, right?

It's important share progress told over which Landing tell them how you're doing. Tell them what you've learned in just the speed of a single week, right? It's important share of the rest.

All right, you can also put space in online sessions like Twitter spaces and virtual meetings like this, right? So in importance that you should progress, okay, and then the last point the last screen you can engage strategically intentionally and strategically you should write you your social media or worship. It's very important.

Okay, it's definitely going to peel as you ruin your career, right? So beautiful. Okay, so get started the beginning right?

Thanks technology. We all know text right? offline and online to take advantage of book communities the offline communities in the online communities engaged strategic value of social media and the best times is now All right.

So now like I mentioned earlier the article I posted which Sharon makes and reached out with apples because it depends if I points and I've talked about this Five Points already. Excuse me. I talked about those Five Points already.

Okay? Now the next two points are the crucial Express that I added. All right, they're very important, especially regarding the point current the current state of space.

All right. Yeah important state of the stick my kids the first one of them which which is 16. I wish I did earlier was I wish I was is actually kind of funny but it's real, okay.

I wish I wish I was prepared. It's not get a job when I was finally ready. That sounds funny, right?

It sounds funny. It sounds strange. I wish I was prepared to not get a job when I was finally ready to get you.

Okay? The current state of the job of tech job market is not funny at the moment right tech jobs Tech the tech Market is currently very challenging. I believe we all we all live stories.

So, I believe we will know how to live stories how companies are laying of workers Facebook Twitter. Tech in the past three years take us experienced amazing amount of Leo scarier of people jobs thousands of those jobs. So the current state of the tech Market is truly not at best.

Okay, so it becomes very painful when you feel. I'm ready to get my first job and then While you put yourself out there you start saying notification for months. It doesn't come true.

It's very very painful. So I actually wish I was told earlier that it was gonna be like that. Okay, you're gonna know why I wish that happened.

in the last Point around talking about so I actually wish I was ready to not get a job when I was ready to go. Okay, so the currents of job market is not funny just as you can see in the the in the picture on the current slide, which says It's Gonna Leave 400 workouts, right? I mean 400 workers of its employees if we go to the next slide, you're gonna see Amazon player and another 9,000 then you can see this news around on that 5,000 workouts in us, please stay companies.

Only in 2023 alone 125,000 have been laid of around I don't understand 5,000. Has been laid on all right, so the current state of the job market is not funny. So it's important for anybody who who is ready to get jobs?

It's important that you know that this is the currency to take markets and prepare yourself you prepare you so that you have plans right? It's important that you have I get back up plants in case things don't work out. Well you prepare yourself for the worst, right?

So I actually wish I was bad for the worst area. digressionally to if you ask my take about the currently I was understood of burns Tech job markets. Personally, I consider this to just be a passing me.

I believe things are going to we are just techies by last week. That is too busy by elastic right to say Tech is going to continue like this. I don't believe I believe Tech is good just and get back to normal things might not what might things might never become much good as the way before.

I believe the deck. It's been bounce right back. All right.

So if you're currently employed he prepared at every moment to lose your job. The tech Market is not funny the next layoff the next layoff with my church hits you so have back up parents. So what backup plan should you have a comment what I call take entrepreneurship that's a backup plan or recommend to anybody take entrepreneurship.

I'm going about that in my last point. So if currently have a job our plans and if you're looking for a job just in case your job can't continue to feel and feel how plants as well. No.

To the final points, which is the most important points in this session. I wish I will stick entrepreneurship in a more informed and intentionally earlier than I did. Right.

I wish I embrace Tech entrepreneurship in the more informed and inventional way area that I need like I mentioned earlier. I've always been passionate about startups right before in our sins when I was singing job. I was inspired by the startup exploits of teenagers like jail in blood.

So then no longer see me just to Jillian is not teenager the back then he was a teenager Inlet show and the Benjamin master. I was very very challenged by teenage exploits of this guys your teenagers and yet you started exploits and they're very impressive right two people that actually inspired my passion for taking that shape. They're really inspired my passion to be found to to go into startups as soon as possible.

Right? So even though those guys were very inspirational I still wish I was able to embrace taking entrepreneurship anymore informed and in the more intentional way area than I did right like as I share about what's taking definition means I believe you guys will get to meet what I'm saying. Right.

So what's taking the leadership right taking the leadership is a simple term it simply refresh the ability for skill that professionals the ability of skilled that professionals to provide jobs. Meaning probably you go. You got laid off that ability to create a job for yourself and even contribute to helping the market you better by creating jobs, or that's so that's really what I mean by Tech in the ocean.

Right so many opportunities exist, but the professionals that are skilled, you know, it doesn't matter if you're employed or not. If you're hired by company with a full-time or freelance basis. Somebody shouldn't be paying you.

Right. Somebody shouldn't be paying you for you to stay employed take it that relationship is very beautiful. Alright, so actually wish I hope to was taking up nashik 1198.

Because you are the tech profession now, you shouldn't only been trained and skilled here you sorry you shouldn't only be training and Skilling up to work for okay hired by others, right? So while you're learning logistic Technologies, you becoming skilled. You shouldn't only be working towards getting higher by company and thank you.

Yes, thank you as the last month. It shouldn't or be about getting that by company and any true salary right technology exist. And if you can really exploiting in the future, you might end up success and fulfillment even much more than folks get employee into being companies and what have you right?

So especially we go into the Google take job market is important to look in words and begin Constitution yourself and contributions for us now we can even help your To you the league of will not be much of a pain because the the market to EXT. I'm sorry, the market keeps expanding more room keeps getting provided for us to come but Right. So personally, I'm currently building as a tech entrepreneur even more remaining open to company opportunities.

I'm going to build in my face that up and it's beautiful. That's what's Iron Man in my working on the platform to help manage current job the current Tech job crisis, right? It's we're building a startup job you and it's gonna help to manage the query Tech job market prices.

So you should consider that take entrepreneurship as an option as well. So what are the things you can try out if you want to paint jobs take entrepreneurship. Alright, so press the war you could start in monetize a YouTube channel where you can share your skills and You and you and income on the side, right?

That's number one. You can establish a mini tech for okay, Emily deck all band. You can teach your skills and get paid handsomely.

You can even begin building a Tech Community around you and as a result of doing this get to establish yourself the more I don't need that in the tech space. Right, so you can you can also build a software as a service application so that service platform and create the startup around it is all possible if you are secured but not all right, so you can also try out stops. The least is just so many they are different awesome things get tryout as taking them as a thing in that renew and make a lot of money.

Okay, and me decent income and probably will find more happiness than those sort of books. Okay? Right, you can just loves like Consulting can create and sell apis can do it and sell ebooks.

You can participate in high paying hackathons where you get to put viewed a new product. on it and same time and huge prices if you get instead of winners, right so after One that amazing week that's you can and as a take it up, you know, right so I'm really State a good number of them. These are amazing things you can do and you a career around and this ends in combine happiness working as your own boss these they are just many amazing things.

So it's important that especially with the state of the current job markets and take the important that we all looking words. Think about taking the leadership. Have a backup plan right have a backup plan.

Okay, so there's actually no reason to stay unemployed as a highly skilled Tech professional. There's absolutely no reason to stay unemployed. Okay, so wrapping up I really appreciate this opportunity.

It's a great one. This is my best International speaking engagements. I'm so proud.

I'm happy about the opportunity. Thanks to everyone that made this possible the amazing guys take strong group. Oh be really Sharon 13.

Michael Visa everyone that made this possible. I mean I see huge. Thank you to everybody text young group.

Thanks so much the whole devil born I'm swing between thanks so much to everyone that made this possible. Right? So I truly hope made so much impact.

Should this speak in such enough delivered? Right? So this points this seven points after about they are real life issues mistakes that I made and issues mistakes that left me wishing.

I did better, right? So I also have blessed you and left an impact that will help you that will make your own Tech Journey. You take like a sweet like right.

So thanks a lot for taking time experience because session after it's late about those things that I wish I did earlier. I wish I did earlier. I wish I did better if I did all these things they would have definitely contributed to making me better than I am currently right.

So I'm currently proud of my software engineering career that I mean, I'm currently very proud of it. But I believe I could have done better. Evenly I was able to explore all of this seven areas around which is one drop in right?

So thanks to everybody but taking back to join the session just ensure you take you notes down all of this points up on my slide should be available with the organizers. Yeah, probably they'll get to send the slide over to Old Spencer we start All right, so if you really want slide you can get back to the organizers, and I believe don't send it to you without any also. So thanks so much so much everybody for joining the session.

We wish to spinner with me. My numbers are just on the right on the right side of the screen doesn't mean there's also my website. So if you should connect in Connect Music any of this handles, thanks.

Thanks so much to everybody. Thanks so much actually guys. All right.

Bye.