#161 - Oops, Did I Do That? Alex Lau and Brian Share Their Biggest Mistakes (and lessons) as Software Developers

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I used to hate admitting my mistakes when I was a more junior developer.

Over the years, I've made some embarrassing blunders. I've thought I was going to be fired a dozen times.

You can not avoid making mistakes as a software developer. It's part of the learning process.
There are a few common problems most developers will encounter that have nothing to do with coding. How you handle them will determine how fast your career grows and if it's heading in the right direction.

I sit down with author and software engineering leader, Alex Lau to discuss our biggest mistakes so far and what we've learned from them.

Don't judge us... too much.

Alex has written an amazing field guide for software developers to avoid the most common career mistakes. Check it out here.
Alex's book Keep Calm and Code On
Alex's LinkedIn.
This is the book I wish I had when I first started writing code professionally.

Shameless Plugs

🧠 ​Parsity​ - a coding program for career changers

​🚀 dev30​ - learn JS in 2024 and get a massive discount to Parsity

​🤵🏽‍♂️ Brian's LinkedIn​
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1. #161 - Oops, Did I Do That? Alex Lau and Brian Share Their Biggest Mistakes (and lessons) as Software Developers (00:00:00)

2. Special Offer: Last Week to Apply for Parsity Discount (00:01:15)

3. The Pain Tolerance Trap: Dev Setup Headaches (00:02:15)

4. Triple Nested Loops: A Performance Nightmare (00:06:40)

5. Code Reviews: The Unsung Hero of Quality Control (00:10:25)

6. Defaulting to Yes: When Saying No is a Superpower (00:13:10)

7. Silence Isn't Golden: The Dangers of Staying Quiet (00:17:00)

8. The Quiet Developer’s Dilemma: Speaking Up (00:20:15)

9. Diversity in Thought: Why Different Perspectives Matter (00:23:35)

10. Learning Never Stops: Embracing a Beginner’s Mindset (00:26:20)

11. Career Reflections: The Power of Continuous Learning (00:28:35)

12. Final Wisdom: Alex Lau’s Advice for Developers (00:29:40)