Career Progression in Tech: From Entry to Specialization - Tips and Insights

Explore a comprehensive 42-minute interview with Angie Jones, a veteran software developer and global Developer Relations executive at TBD. Gain valuable insights into entering the tech industry and forging a unique career path. Learn about Angie's journey from falling in love with coding to becoming an automation engineer and eventually discovering her passion for teaching and DevRel. Discover the differences between working in large enterprises, medium-sized companies, and startups, and understand what to look for when breaking into the industry. Delve into topics such as teaching, patenting ideas, finding specializations, decentralized technologies, changing jobs within the same company, and the importance of continuous learning. Benefit from Angie's advice on career progression, the advantages of internships, and the non-coding aspects of software development. Gain perspective on the value of computer science education, the qualities of a good teacher, and the process of inventing patents within large corporations.

Angie's father thought she should familiarize herself with computers, so she took a C++ course. The rest is history!
What Angie loved about programming
Are developers missing out if they don't study computer science at university?
What makes a good teacher?
Break
Angie got his first role in tech through an internship
How Angie spent nine years at IBM
What are the advantages of changing jobs within the same company?
How does working at a huge corporation compare to working at smaller companies and startups, and why should you try a bit of both
What does career progression look like?
As a beginner, should you prioritize learning opportunities? What size companies should you go after?
Pay attention to the ratio of juniors vs. seniors
Software development is about much more than coding
How Angie discovered automation engineering and, subsequently, DevRel
There are gaps in the market for specializations
How to find a slight specialization within frontend
Quick-fire questions: Java, decentralized technologies, Sarah Drasner and Kelsey Hightower
Angie Jones has 27 patents! Here's how that happened.
What does a patent look like?
What's it like to invent patents within a big corporation like IBM?
Closing advice: Aside from technical competency, what else should new developers focus on?