5 Years in the Trenches: Things I Wish I Knew as a Grad

University prepares you to write code, pass algorithms, and submit assignments. But it doesn’t teach you how to survive your first major production outage, manage corporate stakeholders, handle imposter syndrome, or navigate the subtle art of consulting. Having spent the last 5 years in the industry navigating the transition from a wide-eyed graduate to a software developer and tech consultant, I’ve bumped into plenty of walls so you don't have to. In this fast-paced, honest 20-minute talk, I'm sharing the raw, practical lessons I wish someone had handed me on day one. If you are a junior or student: You'll walk away with actionable mental frameworks for accelerating your learning, handling mistakes gracefully, and standing out in a team. If you are a senior or manager: You'll get a peek behind the curtain at what your juniors are actually thinking, what kind of support they actually need from you, and how to help them thrive without micromanaging. No slides full of dense text—just honest stories, real mistakes, and practical career advice.