I cut my teeth in the software development industry just as the dot com bubble was beginning to burst. I’ve learned from some of my mistakes and also at times repeated them.
In a sense it feels like it was a different universe, and yet some things never really change.
One piece of advice I would have for the entry level me and also any developers making a start now is this: No matter how much of an introverted “individual contributor” you are and how much you use that AI agent, it’s still mostly all about the people.
Find people you love working with. Find people who are going where you want to go. Find people who you find mysteriously skillful. Find people to mentor you and who are passionate about helping you succeed. Find people you can mentor and pour yourself into. Find people who have the guts to tell you the unfiltered truth. Find people who you want to celebrate success with.
And when you lean into a technical problem or use that AI agent, remember: it’s still mostly all about people. And it always will be. Don’t let anything trick you into thinking otherwise.