These lessons were often learned the hard way as an individual contributor and as an engineering manager. I’ve often wondered what I would say to myself if I could go backwards in time and help past versions of myself become compatible with what I know now. This talk is that conversation. Attendees will learn how to better guide their own careers in software development today from the things I wish I knew in the past. 

Key takeaways:

• Your career isn't something that just happens to you. You can drive it in the direction you want to go.
• There are key things to learn in the first year as a software developer that will become axioms for the later years.
• Once you become an engineering leader, one of the most important words to learn is "no". This talk will provide a model for using the power of "no".
• One of the greatest legacies you can leave in software development has nothing to do with code. It's the kindness you show to people.