A presentation at RubyConf in in Denver, CO, USA by Ben Greenberg
On Being An Early Career Dev In Your 30s Ben Greenberg @rabbigreenberg
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I— I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference. - Robert Frost @rabbigreenberg
From rabbi … to developer @rabbigreenberg
The unconventional is increasingly becoming conventional @rabbigreenberg
Employees between 30 and 45 years old have had the greatest increase in resignation rates, with an average increase of more than 20% between 2020 and 2021. - Harvard Business Review, September 2021 @rabbigreenberg
66% of Americans are keen to switch jobs
U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics @rabbigreenberg
@rabbigreenberg
Unless someone like you care a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better, it’s not. - Dr. Seuss @rabbigreenberg
Potential Challenges and Opportunities: The I.C. @rabbigreenberg
“… switching careers is not without its challenges. For instance, you may take a pay cut or have to deal with the weirdness of not being one of the most experienced people in the room. In some cases, you might be deemed overqualified, yet for some pursuits, your lack of experience could work against you.” Monster.com, Second Career Survey Research @rabbigreenberg
@rabbigreenberg
Your Experience Counts @rabbigreenberg
Your CV Is Not A Liability @rabbigreenberg
What you did, more than what you were called @rabbigreenberg
What You Were Called What You Did ● High School English Teacher ● Created individualized measurable project sprints for 30 students every quarter ● Bartender ● Managed ongoing client relationships ● Managed a diverse team of paid staff and volunteer members ● Member of the clergy @rabbigreenberg
Learning to embrace humility … while, remembering… @rabbigreenberg
Humility is not a doormat @rabbigreenberg
“Keep two pieces of paper in your pocket at all times. On one: “I am a speck of dust,” and on the other : “The world was created for me.”” - Rabbi Simcha Bunim of Peshischa (19th c.) @rabbigreenberg
Don’t undersell yourself @rabbigreenberg
What do you learn? @rabbigreenberg
JavaScript? Python? Node.js? Rust? Elixir? TypeScript? Frontend? Backend? Full Stack? @rabbigreenberg
Applying concepts > A specific language @rabbigreenberg
If I stopped you on the street, and asked you to explain this in plain English… What would you say? @rabbigreenberg
To recap @rabbigreenberg
The Individual Contributor (I.C.) ● Your CV is not a liability ● What you did > What were you called ● Be humble ● Don’t be a doormat ● Applied concepts > A specific language @rabbigreenberg
Potential Challenges and Opportunities: The Manager @rabbigreenberg
It is better to lead from behind and to put others in front, especially when you celebrate victory when nice things occur… - Nelson Mandela @rabbigreenberg
Servant Leadership “If you want to lift yourself up, lift up someone else.” - Booker T. Washington @rabbigreenberg
And remember that they often have prior experiences… All these different experiences can give you different perspectives. This allows for a far bigger pool of ideas and knowledge… - Lisa Wagner, There’s No “I” in Product Manager @rabbigreenberg
What’s your pipeline look like? @rabbigreenberg
Did you start coding when you were 8 years old? Fast forward… Did you go to college? Did you graduate with a C.S. degree? Do you like living and sleeping in the office? Congrats! You got a job! 👏 Congrats! You got a job! 👏 @rabbigreenberg
The pipeline is broken @rabbigreenberg
You can help fix it @rabbigreenberg
What doors do you open? The doors I open for recruiting are… @rabbigreenberg
To recap @rabbigreenberg
The Manager ● Servant Leadership ● A diverse team is a better team ● Ego can be obstructing ● Broaden your hiring pipeline @rabbigreenberg
“He [Rabbi Tarfon] used to say: It is not your duty to finish the work, but neither are you at liberty to neglect it.” - Pirkei Avot 2:16 @rabbigreenberg
Thank you! @rabbigreenberg @bencgreenberg @rabbigreenberg
Being early in your career always presents unique challenges, while being early in your second career later in life has its own particular issues to grapple with. The typical pipeline for the software industry does not fit the paradigm of an older career changer, and their presence can often throw the system for a loop.
In this talk, we will cover practical steps for navigating specific challenges related to hiring and being hired as a second-career dev. If approached with intention and thoughtfulness, the benefits can be immense for all involved.
for free. You
can too.