Junior Developers NEED to Hear This

Topics

Tough Times in Tech

• Tech pricing disparity may cause a loss in tech dominance (ie you can get some plumbing done for $300, but a simple app could cost $30k to make)
• Many layoffs from major tech giants including Microsoft, Meta, Google, Amazon, Salesforce, Dell, Cisco, and more
• AI may be coming for developer jobs faster than we thought possible (ie ChatGPT is a major advancement into "uncanny valley" that largely came out of nowhere)

Where to Start

• Keep learning and improving at your fundamentals
  - HTML, CSS, JS
  - React, TypeScript, etc.
• Build projects (and dabble into full-stack if you haven't already)
• Practice leet code
• Practice interviews (etiquette + Q&A)

How to Differentiate

• Build a small SaaS (whether it's actually functioning as a business, or just a practice one to show off your skills)
• Contribute to open source projects
• Find a community and get involved (you may be able to skip the entire job interview process if you meet someone and they need help)
• Don't overwork yourself to stand out (work within reason, some overtime is fine - but working until burnout is no good)