In October 2023, CodePath hosted the inaugural Emerging Engineers Summit. Over three days of breakout sessions, networking and keynotes, we connected thousands of computer science students and junior software engineers with a diverse range of industry leaders and pioneers.
We asked our speakers, “What is your advice to the next generation of emerging engineers?”
Tia White, General Manager of AI and Machine Learning, Amazon Web Services
“First, be your authentic self, whether it's the interview or day one. It has to be professionally acceptable, but you have to be you.
“Don't let imposter syndrome seep in and make you feel like you have to be something you're not. People see through the fakeness, and it loses trust with people. So be you.
“Second, don't be afraid to ask for what you want. Don't be scared to tell someone: “Hey, I'm amazed by this. I have an interest in this. I'd like to connect with you on this. You said this, I need this, and I want to follow up with you on this. ”Do not be afraid to ask for what you need, you want, or you desire.”
Sheena Allen, Founder and CEO of Capway
“Work on proving yourself right, versus proving someone else wrong."
“This journey is tough. Male, female, black, white, if you are a minority or especially if you are a black female. Find your why, know your why. Find someone to lean on.
“Mental health is so important. Focus on proving yourself right and it will take a lot of stress off versus trying to prove someone wrong.”
Kathy Chou, SVP of SaaS Engineering at Nutanix
“It's not failure that's the issue. It's how fast you get up and how well you get up. Your life is uniquely yours; your journey will be full and it will be balanced between life and career.
“You have a golden opportunity as part of CodePath to network. Meet someone new and do more than a superficial meet, really try to get to know someone, because this network is so important to you. This is something I really didn't do as much as I should have when I was younger. I wish I had done.
“Be proud of yourself, have courage, have confidence, meet someone new, and go change the world.”
Salvador Chavez, Co-Founder and COO of Prosperos, Former VP of Engineering at Bill
“I would always focus on purpose. Purpose is very important. You need to know where you come from to know where you're going.
"If you know what your purpose is in life, it will set your whole career on the right path.”
Edrizio de la Cruz, CEO and Co-Founder of Arcus, “The Underdog Founder”
“Where you are is not where you're going to be. Where you are is a step in the direction you're going to be. Who you choose to surround yourself with, what you choose to learn, and what you choose to do will make all the difference.”
You can find recordings from all EES 2023 sessions, with insights from Microsoft, Meta, Boeing, Amazon, and many more, on the 2023 Emerging Engineers Summit YouTube playlist.