Fatima is a Senior Software Engineer at Yelp with a deep passion for mentoring early-career tech professionals. She has successfully guided many individuals through their first steps in the tech industry, helping them overcome challenges and achieve their career goals. In addition to her mentorship, Fatima is a prominent voice in the tech community, with a substantial following on LinkedIn, where she shares actionable insights on career development and growth. An experienced speaker, Fatima has presented at leading conferences including Developer Week 2024, the Southern California Linux Expo (Scale) 2023 and 2024, NDC Copenhagen Developer Festival 2023, Women of Silicon Roundabout 2022, cdCon+GitOpsCon 2023 (as a keynote speaker), Momentum 2024, and the Black is Tech Conference in 2022 and 2023. She has also spoken at over 80 hackathons across North America. Her sessions are renowned for their practical, hands-on advice, making her a sought-after speaker on topics related to career progression and professional growth in the tech industry. Fatima holds a master's degree in Data Science from HEC Montreal and a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics from the University of Waterloo, Canada.
Abstract: You’re starting your first tech job tomorrow, and you’re a bundle of nerves. You’ve been taught the technical basics in school, but how do you navigate your early career as a software engineer? After all, working in the industry isn’t as straightforward as in the classroom; it’s no longer about attending classes and writing exams. This territory feels unfamiliar to most of us because we’re not taught how to approach this best. This presentation addresses those early years as a recent graduate where one can feel lost and insignificant, with tips to start making meaningful contributions, creating a great first impression, and setting yourself up for long-term success! Detailed description: - Overview of the motivation behind this talk. - A quick overview of my educational and professional background. - Agenda of the session. The session will focus on the following areas: 1. Project specific skills - Reflecting on existing processes and documentation - Deep diving into your projects - Embracing ambiguity within your project work - Technical deep dive - Understanding the business needs - Acknowledging the complexities of project planning 2. Soft skills - Establishing expectations - Practicing clear, effective, and efficient communication - The art of asking questions 3. The frustrating parts - Context switching - Tackling technical debt 4. Your career in a post-pandemic world - Working in distributed teams - Maintaining a work-life balance Prerequisite knowledge: Just a healthy curiosity for how to set yourself up for success in your new tech role! Target audience: This talk is intended for interns, new grads and junior engineers (1-2 years of experience). Learning outcomes: 1. Structure your approach to best assimilate within your new work environment. 2. Exemplify the importance of non-technical skills required to be successful as a software engineer. 3. Learn what to expect in your day-to-day work and recommendations on how to best thrive and flourish in your role.