Why You Should Not Be A Software Engineer

Hello! In this video, I chat about the major cons of being a Software Engineer and why you should not be a software engineer. This is coming from my experience, I've worked as a SWE for 2.5 years and I'm learning everyday haha
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📒 Timestamps 📒
0:00 - Intro
1:26 - Very Stressful
3:24 - Competitive Industry
5:03 - You Have To Learn Constantly
6:57 - Not Diverse
8:42 - Not Social

[@Eiramzify]

'Not very social' that's a pro

[@nonameavailableatm]

Are you a software engineer 👀

[@siddhartharoy5263]

@@nonameavailableatm yes

[@SoBriEtt]

Right

[@nonameavailableatm]

sid roy I’m wondering if we can get a software engineer job without degree from North America 🤔

[@legendairycow8001]

ジェロじゃねーよ you don’t need a degree

[@jhunchesterlalongisip327]

"This is not a social job"- I don't see that as a problem

[@AT-xm3jc]

Sucks for extroverts though

[@mithunmadhav8716]

Exactly why it sucks for others

[@salhjasa]

That's why I like this career hahaha

[@13TrafalgarLaw]

wrong , it is a social job, she does not have the exp to see it yet...

[@floatingchimney]

It's not a social job on lower levels. It can get VERY social once you get up the ladder to senior levels. You'll be in meetings every day discussing, giving presentations and shuffling papers for a few hours.

[@alexinflux]

Stress levels can be kept to a minimum if you maintain your boundaries. Please don't do crazy overnight hackathons every time your manager gets jumpy because of a deadline. Every time you sacrifice your sleep, fitness and health in general the deadlines will come for more. This beast is always hungry, stay safe

[@MrKeith-hc2fv]

"The beat is always hungry" -- No joke!

[@Playitaaa]

@Alexey Pyzhianov Could you give me advices for tolerating¿, the stress led me to suffer from fibromyalgia and I stopped working. I've come back part time but I'm still scared. I've even thought about studying something else, I'm a systems engineer(woman 😕)

[@alexinflux]

@@Playitaaa You should probably talk to a qualified therapist about this, it's kinda serious and goes beyond a casual internet advice :) Get well!

[@Playitaaa]

@@alexinflux Thank you, my psychologist told me that a career change is probably better, because I can't stop and say no. But my body currently says no and I have to stop it is very sad because I like to program (back), but I think it is health first. I will like be other person that living day on day 😕

[@donaldsawyer2618]

I worked at Child Welfare in NYC after college and have been at a commuter railroad. People hit the workers, vomit on themselves, crap on the floor and jump in front of and onto moving trains. I also wake up at 3am. I suppose coding has a "different" stress.

[@andre-barrett]

Wow, I've noticed lately the huge number of Black engineers posting on KZbin about being a software engineer. I've been a software engineer for over 20+ years now and for a while, there didn't seem to be many of us. Great to see you representing. Keep up the good work educating people the same way I do

[@ordiepage5962]

Noticing the same thing too. It's great to see.

[@JordanAF808]

Ya thought it was just me hope to see more! ✊✊🏽✊🏾✊🏿

[@jehbuhdieyaspringfield7290]

You should all get together and try creating a company.

[@dravguitao7265]

I black as well, and i have a natural nack for tech, and i want to enter the tech industry. What should i look for, and what certifications should i persue?

[@spartan99871]

This is such a breath of fresh air to see people who look like you doing what you aspire to do.

[@jendeath9051]

I've been avoiding these types of videos from other youtubers. What i tell myself is that whatever we decide to do is going to take hard work. That's life and if we let it scare us we'll never get to accomplish anything.

[@rheechashaipu1927]

It helps to prepare though. I would say her commentary on diversity is a little overblown though, not to say she didn't come across ridiculous stuff. I've worked in mostly white firms and they honestly were fine with good coworkers. I've also worked in largely Asian firms and again, mostly fine. Everyone just wants work to be done and for everyone to at least try.

[@ms.x1669]

Agreed. Everything has cons. Even sitting at home and doing nothing for the rest of your life has cons. Even being an IG model has cons.

[@TheKayleeanna]

I've been am SE for 15 yrs now and she is right. Hard work is there in many jobs. However hard MENTAL work is not there in a lot of jobs. Her warning is a fair and valid one.

[@TheKayleeanna]

@@rheechashaipu1927 So I respectfully disagree with you on this one. I have worked at several of the Fortune 100 and at startups and diversity is definitely still an issue in Tech. Companies like to claim they are diverse by hiring the diversity into supporting/ admin roles. However, when you look at who is writing the code you see there is a LARGE lack of diversity.

[@nanden4641]

100% agree. We'll find the same sort of issues in whatever field, so we mustn't allow ourselves to be discouraged. There won't be anywhere left to go if we do!

[@marysolcranston2032]

Girl grey is 100% your color

[@Bukola1]

thank you!!

[@Bukola1]

​@P. G. here it is! www.abercrombie.com/shop/us/p/short-sleeve-smocked-tie-front-top-40075320

[@q-q9255]

Wow! My teeth are grey

[@RoddyTullenz]

I thought it was gold.😉

[@DMp-xp6mj]

Right? She looks lovely!

[@Smoothini]

I love the slow jazz while hearing something that can burst someone's bubble. lol

[@subzerozayx1524]

Cause you a capital G

[@daniellerichardson6806]

😂

[@paxtonhunter6308]

Sorry to be so offtopic but does anyone know a trick to log back into an Instagram account..? I stupidly forgot the account password. I love any assistance you can offer me.

[@davismatthias93]

@Paxton Hunter instablaster =)

[@paxtonhunter6308]

@Davis Matthias Thanks for your reply. I got to the site thru google and I'm waiting for the hacking stuff now. I see it takes quite some time so I will reply here later with my results.

[@markusmcgee]

You need to stick it through for at least 10+ yrs. Coding is like doing Martial Arts. You become good at one. You then learn another. Then mix them together. Then learn another. Then you are unstoppable. Then you learn another...:) Very very good talk.

[@gwldeniz]

Hi guys, I have a very important question. I will learn Python but I also got a free course for learning C language. Do you think learning C is useful now? I want to be a computational linguist.

[@Bargains20xx]

beg to differ, depends what field you took as a swe, full stack for example doesnot require 10 years, you can be a damn good engineer in about 3 yrs of time.

[@Lucasukx]

Unlike learning specific martial arts, learning particular dev skills may not be as useful in the long term. Many languages and operating systems go out of fashion or are superseded by newer tech. Once you know Aikido, you can always be effective in hand to hand combat - its not suddenly going be completely useless. Contrast with languages & environments in development - knowledge of old ones can be pretty much useless in getting a job. Your development education & training can lose value over time, unlike most real world skills.

[@juanas1989]

@@Lucasukx yep, but you still can get paid while you become a black belt. Plus anything worth while take that long anyway.

[@scratchpenny]

@@Lucasukx To some degree this is true, but just like with learning a martial art, some knowledge carries over into the newer systems/languages. Once you have a firm grasp on the concepts in software development, the learning of new languages and tools becomes easier I think. It's because the changes often build upon previous iterations, so the past knowledge is still valuable from an applied standpoint. It makes it easier to transition as you can relate new things to past skills and experiences. That's why people with 10 + years of continual/progressive experience don't have these problems as much and are in relative demand. However, formal education and training definitely loses value and there you have a point as it relates to resumes/CV and job hunting. But that is a very limited aspect of one's education and skills - it's perceived representation of what you know rather than what you actually know. Someone capable of developing amazing things does not need to worry about this as much because they are able to create and deliver, whether they work for Google or for themselves. In other words, results matter over resume qualifications in the long run.

[@lukeav6097]

I work for the government as a programmer. Less stress, less headache, and more time to myself

[@frankiecarrrierivg03]

Luke av really but how it’s it less stress you work for the government I’m guessing one wrong code can throw you in jail.

[@gwldeniz]

Hi guys, I have a very important question. I will learn Python but I also got a free course for learning C language. Do you think learning C is useful now? I want to be a computational linguist.

[@davidlaidbiggestfan212]

worldwide handsome learning c will teach you a lot about computer science. You might not use it but, it will teach you to make your own stuff instead of using libraries. You’re gonna be learning the low level

[@everObvious]

Francisco Leon The government is unavoidably bureaucratic. Its standards adapt to change at a dramatically slower pace than the commercial world. You wind up working with older tech over longer deadlines.

[@TechGalDiaries]

Very true - I would say to college students, if you want to know if it is something you want to do, do a software engineering internship before graduating so you get a taste of what it is like. Doing it on the job from 9-5 is definitely different than just doing programming assignments during school - and there are also multiple jobs in tech. Try and explore them, not all CS majors have to become SWEs! You can also do software engineering at non-tech / FANG companies in an industry that you are more passionate about - music, health, retail, entertainment, finance, etc.

[@Bukola1]

Thanks for you comment! This very true!

[@irule10338]

what other jobs in tech are there for people with CS majors?

[@mayerestinville3905]

irule10338 look into product management

[@barbara_993]

Agreed. I was always wondering how will I really do in a irl job enviroment, not the enviroment that we have at college. I had lucky adapted, but I have seen many who didn't. Mayor issue were deadlines and work hours. sometimes even micro agression from other co-workers and students. We were all fighting for a future job at our internships and co-workers not to lose the job if we turn out to be better, tbh. If you can't stand the pressure, and if you can't figure out how to solve a problem in a few hours, or to make certain part of app or something else in a few days... I'm sorry, you will not get really far. At college you may have a week, irl you have two days, e.g.

[@justagiraffe2868]

I also get the feeling that a 9-5 is a lot different than programming for FRC as well

[@LalithoTheRedBorderCollie]

I'm anti-social so I enjoy being a software engineer and yes the diversity is unfortunately limited

[@floatingchimney]

Anti-social is NOT the same as A-social. If I only had a dollar every time I mentioned this on the Internet.

[@JasonBrouwers]

This is kind of related to a few points you made, but coding for a living is not good health wise so you really need to make sure to get exercise in and eat well, especially if you already have mental or physical health issues to deal with. It may seem like a small deal but once you get a few years in it can really add up.

[@teancoffee208]

I've seen a lot of software programmers and devs on KZbin subtley mentioning ways to be healthier- showing regular exercise in their vlogs, healthy eating, standing desks, ergonomic chairs and comluter mice, changing your screen position so you're not straining any muscles, etc.

[@SoBriEtt]

That’s why a lot of places with software engineers have gyms

[@Kanal7Indonesia]

Yes it is a frustrating job 😭

[@aprayerandpositivethoughts9308]

She works out regularly I saw it on another video

[@garnhamr]

try fitting flooring for a job. neck ache, back ache, sore knees and severe lack of brain usage. I'm looking at software engineering to stop being a floor layer.

[@PresidenteHollanda]

I think you touched the most important thing of being a SE, that is .. learning never stops. Be ahead of the rest, even if the company you work for isn't progressing towards new technology. Keep your eyes open for what is happening around you, be in the front seat of the fast moving train ... and not be in the empty wagon at the end of the line. Also you are right about writing code, that is maybe the most easy part .. debugging and optimizing your code is going to take a multiple factor of that time. From me, keep up the good information.

[@Bukola1]

exactly! glad you liked the video!

[@Kanal7Indonesia]

Ikr...we programmers always need to learn everything. It's annoying.

[@candylove49]

Yes! I think it’s ideal to make friends with other engineers.

[@jdwhite6449]

I think that’s why I love it though. You never stop learning. I love learning and coding so it makes it that much better

[@bgNinjaart]

Thanks for making this video, it's important for us to know both sides of the coin. Most KZbinrs only talk about how fantastic it is to be a software developer, which is unrealistic surely cons must exist. Thanks

[@RAGSdale83]

On the topic of constantly learning - that is one aspect of tech that I feel most people do not really grasp until later in their careers. One addition to that I would add would be this: while a person may not have the time to sit and put in an hour worth of coding, taking the time to read industry news and updates from people you respect and admire in the industry (much like your channel!) are perfectly fine ways to continue learning or even start learning about tech topics. These sources can provide even the smallest spark to light a fire in someone to learn something new. Great video!

[@discoveringmars756]

Thanks for making this video! I'm starting my tech journey now and I'm reluctant to keeping going because, like you said, you will always be learning something. I don't mind learning things, but I would like to be able to reach a point where I feel like I've mastered my job. I don't want to always be chasing something. THE CHASE IS EXHAUSTING.

[@KellePretty4TheCity]

Thats exactly what I was thinking but It might be every few years like she said and we would need to stay ahead of the game.

[@kaworunagisa4009]

Don't mind me, I'm just a random software developer passing by :) That said... Everyone has their unique perspective and experience in ... just about everything, including being a programmer. And I hope I don't overstep anything if I write how my experience is different from yours. 1. Debugging is stressful. Erm, not really? Or rather not unless I'm on a very tight schedule with a psychotic product manager breathing down my neck. It's a question of attitude more than anything tbh. Nothing is perfect, and no code works from the first try (or _almost_ no code). That's a given. So the choice is to either see debugging as a problem (I didn't do it right -> I'm not good enough), in which case, yeah, it can feel frustrating and stressful as heck. Or you can see debugging as a necessary step to your goal (make the code work), it which case it's just... part of the process. 2. Being on the call isn't as popular as it might seem. I don't doubt that it's the reality of your life but it's not like that for everyone. It's far more prevalent for system administrators, because if something breaks, they have to fix it right away. But software? The only cases I can think of when our kind has to go to work at some ungodly hours is either right before a deadline when someone seriously f-ed up the planning, or when someone deployed buggy code to prod. 3. Learning constantly. Is it really a problem when it's the same in literally every other field? Nothing stays the same. Literally nothing. I'm originally from language/pedagogics background, and even in that field 5 years away from new information would make you more or less unfit to do your job. The only difference is that an 'unfit' teacher would still do their job, if poorly, while a programmer with an outdated skillset would have trouble finding a new job, which doesn't necessarily mean they would lose their existing job if they have one, especially if they have 'reputation' in the company. 4. Lack of diversity. Oh, yes. Here I agree 100%, and I'm not even on the same continent. I'm a gay agender afab autistic person, and an ethnic minority where I live, and getting a job in this field is HELL, even being in the closet about my orientation, gender identity, and neurological status. 5. Not a social job. Erm... It's not part of my experience at all. I chose this field exactly because, being a naive and socially awkward Aspie, I believed that programming was a solitary job where I wouldn't have to deal with the social BS. Spoiler alert: didn't happen. Sure, you don't talk to people 24/7 like in, say, sales. But the social part is far, far lager than one might think. And far trickier than a socially structured field like, say, academic. You still have to greet your colleagues every day, and Powers forbid you forget to say hi to Becky from HR -- you'll find yourself target of a metric sh*tton of micro aggressions. You still have to play nice in a break room, attend team building and corporate parties, etc. And if you work in an open plan office.... Oh, my. There's no getting away from other people. Literally.

[@Apricot90]

Oh, shoot... I'm a 33 year old teacher from Germany (another ethnic background, hypersensitive and apparantly "too soft") and wanted to switch to IT because I'm just too introverted, intellectuell and free-spirited for this outdated, traditional, narrow-minded system full of primitive, sexist, racist, ignorant and arrogant fossils with a snitch-mentality. AAAargh, I hate it!

[@sarahmalik6134]

I’m going into software engineering at uni and I’ve been looking at pros and cons and I’m really thankful for this video. The video isn’t just saying don’t go into tech but it’s saying clear things that suck about the field and discussing whether or not your suited to put up with these challenges. I’m thankful for the nice way this was discussed. All I hear is people saying nice things about tech but we all know it isn’t entirely true

[@TheKayleeanna]

Sarah if tech is your passion then you should definitely go for it! Passion will get you through when the difficult and bad parts of the job arise. People think the money will but sadly it won't after a short while. If it's what you love then you will enjoy it and blossom wonderfully in it. 😀

[@Kanal7Indonesia]

100% of what she said is true. After being a programmer for a year (laravel, vue.js and sql) I can say it is a frustrating job (the debugging part). 😂

[@sarahmalik6134]

TheKayleeanna thank you for the nice response!!

[@girlanonymous]

"this is not a social job". Right up my alley. Definitely a pro for me.

[@crystal1329]

The 5 points are summarised at 9:41 :)

[@dannywill3310]

Thank you!

[@chan7191]

Thank you!

[@MelissaDMyatt]

Thanks!

[@ChanceBerryman]

Thanks

[@ErnestoCode]

Thank you for keeping it real with me in this video. It’s really important for anybody looking to dive into the tech industry to keep these things in mind. Keeps people grounded.

[@davidhagen724]

I've been in the tech industry for 30 years and the Information Security field for 16 of those 30. I've worked very closely with many SWE's and I can tell you that you are spot on! It has gotten WAY better in the last decade, but I agree, we still have a long way to go. As you've said though, nobody who is interested in this field should let the downsides discourage them. Every job has its troubles, and if you are an SWE at heart, go for it! You can do it!

[@Emily-lg9cq]

Thank you so much for making this video! Your knowledge about the industry is really invaluable to all of us looking to potentially get into it. Much love

[@cailynnsaulsberry1740]

Thank you for keeping it 100% real with us as usual! This is so valued

[@Wisdom1357]

Can you make a video about working with co workers in the tech field? How did you handle conflicts and problem solving when it came to the job?

[@Aripoma]

I’d love to see a day in quarantine as a software engineer!! Also if you could talk about how you manage your money once you get paid. I’m guessing you have everything in automatic mode but it would be helpful if you talk in detail where your money goes!

[@teancoffee208]

She touches on how she spends and manages her money in her "Millenial Money" video. www.cnbc.com/video/2020/03/12/210k-a-year-in-nyc-millennial-money-bukola-ayodele.html

[@ThePeanutbuttercup12]

She has a video on the CNBC Make It channel on how she spends and budgets her income

[@gwho]

it's like every other day. zero difference.

[@STEMedia]

Your transparency is admirable! Just found your channel and happy to see you sharing as you have been. Thank you!!

[@brylerivera402]

im a filipino and i just started cs50 three weeks ago. your channel inspires me to push through even tho there are moments where i feel like quitting. keep up the good work!

[@pinkymbatha2950]

Hi bryle. Do we register on the site. I went on the site and it does not say anything about registering

[@coopergates9680]

I am working in software even though my degree is in Chemistry. You can make it, too. If you think you might quit, find something in your day in, day out life, or another problem you have wanted to solve, that would be best accomplished by an algorithm and code it up. The most fun programming projects can be the ones done in free time. Number theory and gaming stuff have been the main ones for me.

[@plaasboer1568]

Just keep on learning there is times you get stuck by spending a long time on something and maybe feel like you should do someting else those days is not the majority but yea learn alot of stuff and think logical when coding.

[@gwldeniz]

Hi guys, I have a very important question. I will learn Python but I also got a free course for learning C language. Do you think learning C is useful now? I want to be a computational linguist.

[@evemarietou]

This is such an informative video. I'd love to see a video about your thoughts and findings on diversity in tech! 💖

[@ricardo.mazeto]

I agree with everything you said. I'd like to add just one thing. You talked exclusively about big companies, but there's definitely a less competitive, and a little less lucrative too, niche to be explored for individual developers, specially in the gaming development industry.

[@stoiccrane4259]

When I get there I'll determine whether or not it's for me. Until then I'm putting in the time and keeping my head up!

[@paulbrou6723]

Great! Thank you for bringing this up! Consistency is the best way to keep it up when you are SWE or SWD or WBD. I like your video, and your inspiring history. Thanks.

[@chigasaki06]

I can only imagine how competitive it can be if someone works at a company that ranks their employees. That doesn't exactly lead to a collaborative atmosphere.

[@michaelcurtis756]

I got a bachelors in CS and started at Microsoft, but after 6 years I haven't figured out how to enjoy this career yet. Thank you for giving my struggles a name. Hopefully now I can figure out how to push past them.

[@sophiagigliotti707]

Thank you so much for your honesty and wisdom! I didn't find the video discouraging, but actually encouraging because of the realness of what you mention and seeing someone who has persevered through the challenges.

[@r17ch2]

Thank you, I sooo value your opinion on these cons. And congrats on 100k, well deserved!

[@InTheGlow135]

This is a great video, I’m an older worker and looking to change careers. It’s daunting but I’m pretty determined. It’s good to hear all the issues. These definitely are not discouraging as I’m coming from another field, all the things you mentioned are everywhere. So it’s good to see some things are consistent (being sarcastic of course on that last note).

[@AndrewHitti]

Great advice!! Your honestly is inspiring and I know sharing your experience will really help others prepare for their careers in tech! Congrats on 100K btwwww 😍😍😍

[@lisaa7111]

I just discovered your channel from the millenial money video and I'm so glad I did! I've been playing with the thought of doing my master's in business analytics but I'm a bit scared because I only have a tiny bit of experience from two R classes in my current degree but you definitely encouraged me to give the idea a serious thought!

[@ahmirrobinson3096]

On point with everything I face daily! You do a great job detailing the soft skills needed to be a software engineer

[@H1TMANactual]

Congrats on 100k. Been here since 2k 😎

[@Ang.143]

I work in supply chain logistics and I’m going into tech ASAP. It’s funny how we deal with similar issues. These industries are definitely not for everyone but I feel like it’s a pretty good fit for me. Hopefully next year I will be working in tech 😃

[@leonardipayne6032]

Great video and insights! When I originally started by website and internet marketing company in 2000 basic coding was all that we needed, now that I'm personally updating my skills, the amount of new code and languages is crazy and constantly updating. You hit some very solid and real points that people really need to take into consideration going into the workforce vs working for themselves. I had a contract job on the sales side at G and I could see the behind the scenes stress and competition of the engineers. It's a great career, just be prepared. Good insights.

[@Eweyhen]

Really good video. I love how articulate you are and it's really obivious you're being as geniune as you can. Thank you!

[@ayukmbabrice5698]

thanks sis for revealing that reality to us am about to take a career in software engineering,this video has prepared me for the future,that means i need to work very had to make it

[@mahmoud2644]

Can you give me Some resources for being updated on tech like has tech news.. etc?

[@Bukola1]

Hey! So for tech news I usually browse reddit, teamblind, Hacker News/Y combinator and tech crunch!

[@mahmoud2644]

The Come Up thank you so much ❤️..and your channel is AMAZING keep going 🔥

[@fourthmonth1240]

Thank you so much for being honest and transparent. Definitely appreciate your perspective.

[@silva-gi7lk]

Hey love your videos. I had a question about laptop, would you recommend the macbook pro on your desk equipment list to a high school student? Would it last that student through college and maybe even job? Thank you.

[@LasanaMurray]

Valid points. I'll say from experience; you can avoid most of the issues above if you opt to start your own thing rather than attempt to be part of big tech. That has it's own set of challenges however.

[@laur-unstagenameactuallyca1587]

working for myself would be my dream

[@TrollinOn22s]

This explains why I'm still in helpdesk cause I need a life outside tech

[@nicoleyoungtech]

Thanks for sharing this! I try not to perpetuate the 'everything is fun and cute in tech' narrative that can sometimes make people take a leap they aren't prepared for. You did a great job breaking these down.

[@mluzu96]

the learning constantly and not a social job are a pro for me ~ tysm for this video.

[@SparklinXylvr]

So, I'm doing security+ atm. However I definitely want to venture in something else in the future. Could you please do a video on different tech roles?

[@Bukola1]

Hey! I. talked about some roles here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/jZyphH6rgbiEepY Planning to make more videos on other roles!

[@DiamondFlame45]

Thats why I am glad I am transitioning into analyst/technical support engineering because the position allows to keep my technical skills up to date but I also enjoy interacting with customers and helping them solve their problems. But you are right girl, some of these SWEs have very poor emotional and social intelligence.

[@stephaniesews6603]

All these factors are already at play at my school. I am going into this with eyes wide open - thanks to you, because you spelled out what was just a feeling I had!

[@carsten_]

Thanks for mentioning the family aspect! That was actually the hardest change in my life in this industry.

[@tnetroP]

I've been in the industry for 33 years. From my experience other issues to be concerned about are: * Outsourcing. Your job could disappear at any time because the company finds someone cheaper. * Ageism. There is a real issue with older programmers struggling to get work. Younger programmers are seen as more likely to be persuaded to work additional hours and more likely to be up to date on newer trends. So intend to getr out of the industry by your 40's. * "Positive" discrimitaion in larger companies is likely to result in a more favoured group being promoted over you. I still think it's a fantastic industry to work in. It has given me a great lifestyle and I have been able to survive the above so far. But they are increasingly problematic and for those reasons, along with the vast working hours and on-call mentioned in the video, I struggle to recommend it as a career to my own children.

[@zucchinigreen]

What do you mean by a more favoured group?

[@Mahalakshmi-Khan]

tnetroP Thank you for sharing your experience with the industry 🙏🏽! I've the same question as user zucchinigreen, whats positive discrimination?

[@tnetroP]

@@Mahalakshmi-Khan Positive discrimination means choosing one person over another person because of an unchangeable characteristic (such as race or gender). The word "positive" is used because it is intended to correct a previous under-representation of some groups of people. It is still discrimination but is meant to be "good" discrimination. Specifically in this industry (at least in the UK) it is not uncommon to aim to employ, or promote, a black or asian person over a white person. It's also quite common for women to be preferred over men for the same reason. This is because the number of each demographic in larger companies is now tracked and reported on. Where there is an under-representation from one group of people then companies are expected to correct that gap. I don't know whether it is the same in the US or other countries, but that does seem to be the case in the UK. I have witnessed it myself in emails and company meetings where this preference was stated. It is difficult for companies because in the UK it is *illegal* to discriminate against anyone based on age, gender, race or disability. But there is also a drive to correct under-representation of women and non-white people. So on one hand they are not allowed to consider those factors, but on the other hand they are expected to fix the gap. There is no perfect solution. So although they don't intend to discriminate against someone, that has been the outcome in some cases. After-all when you favour one person over another, based on gender or skin colour then that is exactly the definition of discrimination. My preferred approach is to not consider colour or gender at all (or disability for that matter). I would prefer to remove any information from a job application which could identify a persons race or gender. Let their application be looked at only on the basis of experience, skill and merit. Race and gender should not matter at all. However I don't have a solution to any bias when it comes to an interview. There are arguments for, and arguments against "positive" discrimination. I'm not saying it is right or wrong. Neither option is perfect. But it is certainly discrimination and I am simply highlighting the issue for those choosing to go into that career. Some people may be advantaged by it and some will be disadvantaged by it. Also the approach may change in the future and some other method may be used to address under-representation. It is not unique to this industry but I have witnessed it. However, the bigger issue is ageism. We all get older. An older person can find it harder to get a job in this industry. Again this is illegal in the UK. But it happens.

[@Mahalakshmi-Khan]

@@tnetroP Thank you for the detailed reply. Wow this is exactly the sort of thing that is going on in India. My brother experienced it first hand in MBA college, where some of the top companies that came for recruitment had a Quota. A certain no. of girls and a certain number of boys. My brother worked really hard to prepare for this dream company, similarly many among his friends did, but in the end in their words, they said even girls who had lower GPA or less stellar experience/CVs than them were chosen over them , because of the said above "Quota" system. This is really unfair, and like you rightly mentioned "discrimination ", where a candidate is being chosen for unchangeable characteristics of themselves over meritocracy.

[@brittanyvo2775]

Just curious, do you have others careers in mind that you are recommending to your children?

[@melanineyedoc]

Pros still outweigh the cons. By far. At least for me......

[@Bukola1]

Same for me!

[@ChanceMinus]

Empirical facts...

[@denwaxr]

Especially most software engineers have job still and can do their work remotely

[@MrBranh0913]

@@denwaxr Wrong, there have been plenty of layoffs of software engineers

[@YouAdii]

You gotta do what you gotta do. Learning never ends. If you love learning you will thrive. Oh and there are days when all you hear is keyboards clacking....

[@KGcodes]

Love that you are highlighting the difficult parts too. I think I will do a similar video based on my experiences. Thanks!

[@jannabell3378]

This way great! Thank you so much! Seeing your 210K p.a. Video was what made me look into tech ☺️ I honestly wasn’t expecting to be something I could see myself doing, but I’ve since taken 3 mini coding courses and felt so hungry to learn more, I almost signed up to a general assembly course that was like, over 3K but looked into my options, and found going to Uni in my birth country would actually be cheaper starting with a diploma and going up to a bachelor agree. If I end up earning even half of what you do, I’d be earning over 4x what I do now working full time.

[@SekaiiWorld2121]

TechLead's video on diversity REALLY bothered me, especially seeing how much support he had for it. It's incredible that people don't think diversity is important when we've had problems like Snapchat filters not recognizing black people's faces and even more recently Zoom glitching out when a curly-haired person tries to use a custom background. We shouldn't have those issues in 2020. Ridiculous.

[@Bukola1]

Same girl, I watched it and was extremely disappointed! What you said and so many other things bothered me! Like when he discussed "meritocracy" but no mention of how wealth, race ect. can influence your access to tech. When he said "original programmers were nerdy men", but not mentioning that in the 40s-60s most programmers were women and how they were pushed out I could go on for DAYS and DAYS lol

[@johnwig285]

Well.... It aint surprising coming from the guy who has been involved in multiple controversies 😂 something not so related to softwares, some hand dryers & soap dispensers in toilets cant even detect black skin lol

[@Leedah8]

@@hanklenham7627 The understanding and grace should've been given by you as well. You lent none, while asking others to do so. Discrimination in this form absolutely does exist, as well as in others ways when it comes to the tech industry. You saying what you don't think happens doesn't change what the reality is for others.

[@thinhau4491]

Diversity is important. However, I agree with TeachLead that we should solve this problem differently. It's simply wrong to attempt to increase diversity by easing requirements for underrepresented minorities or to have certain races as a requirement for a job posting. This can seriously do more harm than good. We have to tackle to roots of the problem instead, such as increasing CS exposure to students at title 1 schools, challenging toxic social expectations like females should not do CS, etc. This solution will not yield the results we want immediately, but it will solve the problem more effectively than what a lot of tech companies are doing in the long run.

[@BiancaGibson]

@@Bukola1 They were deliberately erased as well as pushed out. Has he not heard of Ada Lovelace?

[@bixby451]

The social part is exactly why I’m trying to switch from UX Design to front end development, I’m an introvert and I’ve been diagnosed with social anxiety in the past so it’s extremely hard for me to keep up with design work when everyone expects you to be outgoing, have amazing communication skills, conduct workshops and so on. I got to the point I hate my job because it’s all about talking to others, and I’m working hard to become a developer so I can have my alone time lol.

[@katec9893]

How much time do you have to spend interacting with people as a UX designer? I'm an introvert too currently considering retraining in IT. I have done training in another non IT related design field and I love designing. But I don't want too much social interaction. I'd prob like a balance where I have both quiet solo working time and maybe about 1-2 hours social interaction each day.

[@TRULYKITE]

Thank you! I feel enlightened everytime I watch your videos! 🙏🏽

[@gilbertsicard9299]

Thank you for this video and bringing this topic up. Much needed

[@xrystal89]

Thank you for the honest talk and the heads up concerning real issues. To all minorities who are interested in tech, please GO FOR IT! If you want changes in the industry and feel that the industry needs to see that minorities can be great at tech, don't allow lack of diversity stop you. Also, realize that things are not always what they seem-many schools with only minorities lack even proper basic supplies due to low funding (such as textboooks) so often, being able to give students unrestricted access to things like computers and instructional training involving coding is out of the question. As such, many minorities aren't exposed to many things, such as tech, in a manner that will interest them enough to start a career in it and that translate to lack of presence in the field. Lack of presence isn't because minorities aren't capable or smart enough. There's plenty of research proving that when minorities are given the same educational opportunities as the majority, they excel. Don't wait for everyone else to be the person who creates change. If our ancestors just waited for others to fight because they were too afraid due to the lack of diversity, many of us would still have little to no rights.

[@lolad6083]

The issue is nepotism. In the tech industry to hire RIGHT is to hire WHITE. This is an issue in many industries but tech is overwhelmingly racist.

[@firstgenmoneymusings]

Loved this video, thank you for sharing your perspective. Why do so many tech companies emphasize collaboration skills if a lot of your work is solo/non-social? Otherwise, how are collaborative skills being applied?

[@Bukola1]

Hey Gianni, love your channel! In my experience, the collaboration occurs when you are creating and communicating your design decision, you'll need to effectively communicate with teammates and stakeholders to determine how your service will affect other services and how it will be used at the company. So being able to communicate is very important. But for me this happens max 10-20% of my day because when you are implementing these decisions you are usually working alone ... But TBH, I guess it depends on the company and your role. Team Leads are communicating and collaborating 50%+ most days. And I know some companies were the devs pair program full time so in their case, it would be a higher percentage too

[@FilzoTV]

Thank you, Bukola for sharing this. Oshey! I am venturing into Tech gradually.

[@HOPKINSMALIK]

If anything this inspires me to get into software engineering even more, thank you for your honest perspective!

[@TheKayleeanna]

Pleased that you brought up the diversity microaggressions. You MUST have SUPER thick skin working as a Software Engineer in tech. The #MeToo movement would be shocked by the things we girl Software Engineers hear DAILY at work.

[@novdea]

I am in bootcamp right now. I would like to know your experiences what is like in the industry. It would be great to hear from another female. Thanks.

[@HiilandKew]

You should tell about your experiences, make a video of it or something.

[@Bukola1]

🍵🍵🍵

[@elee9056]

seems like its worst in game industry. which i can see because the incel gamers are the worst lol. and now more and more companies are being bought by chinese companies, i can see policies being very one sided.

[@crystal1329]

Haha yeah this kind of vid could get lots of views/interest ;)

[@sixuanwu1621]

I would love to see another video focusing on diversity in tech!

[@nat.serrano]

you did an amazing job describing the roles! thanks for bringing diversity to the area!

[@mitchellguzman6765]

When we were schooled as programmers we learned the true basics of the science and one of these disciplines is structured programming. When we became developers then the science was removed(structured programming is lost). In other words anyone can code and be a developer but not many can be a programmer. I have over 35 years in the business and worked in most sectors and what makes this career rewarding are the wins of the hard work you and your team mates have accomplished. The feeling when your work is published is very rewarding and addictive. I started when there were no minorities usually one which was me. I had to work harder and smarter but it pays off. I knew we were in trouble while working at Microsoft Bill Gates said "All software must work on the web".

[@NomadicJulien]

All you said make sense. You're a great ambassador 👌. I'm not sure about the competitiveness in my case, I'm flooded with recruiters on LinkedIn. I guess it's more competitive if you want to work for a well-known business

[@Kanal7Indonesia]

Gurl I just got laid off my a year programming job because of covid19 pandemic and I'm starting to realize that I hate programming especially the frustrating DEBUGGING part... 😳

[@micahethanmiller4679]

Thank you for using your platform to educate us ✊🏾

[@davelarsen9990]

Awesome perspective. Thank you.

[@iPlatano07]

Bottom line: If you like it, you will be successful at it no matter how hard it is.

[@cy3889]

Everything you've said is true! you've nailed it! as a black female software engineer working in a top tier company... i'm telling you the pressure is real. having to prove you are as good as everyone else constantly, and still not getting proper recognition for your work lol. Too many people think being a developer is easy, and yet this is definitely the hardest job i've ever had!... You have to be a person that enjoys challenges and solving issues that may seem impossible. The stress is real, but the reward comes when you are actually making improvements and getting things done :)

[@jeeengsta]

Great video. Just started pursuing my CS degree and had some second thoughts but your video was motivating and thank you for being honest about your experiences.

[@MrKeith-hc2fv]

Thank you for helping diversify this industry. You are appreciated.

[@anakelly2109]

i'm actually studying software engineer in france as an apprentice i have 2 weeks of school and 2 weeks of work at my company which recruted me and pay for my tutions and gives me a salary and we are 2 two girls in our whole so yes it can be really anyoning

[@mindsetnuggets]

Wow. 100k already. Congratulations girl.

[@Bukola1]

Thank you! 🤗

[@JSmith-hy8oq]

This is a great topic. I've been in the industry for 20 years. I can cosign everything mentioned in this video. It's a rewarding career but it also challenging and stressful.

[@AnnieBeanie]

This is really insightful - thank you. I’m about to start my first job and I’m very scared, but this helps me think about why I do want to be one :) thank you! !!

[@thomasfrimpong6636]

life is stressfull. No easy road to success anywhere. I enjoy the challenges programming brings. The stress and frustration happens most often when beginning. But when you become more proficient it is reduced drastically.

[@yas1467]

please make a video about the lack of diversity in tech!! i’d love that. im a latina going into tech and honestly sometimes i feel like maybe i shouldn’t go into tech because i get a bit intimidated lol

[@giuseppenativo2123]

You will forgive me if i comment your comment. I'm not an American born and raised but i know USA well and i often travel to your country. I follow everyday your internal politics too and something more. One of the most important woman in USA is a Latina from the Bronx in New York, a politician, Ocasio Cortez. She is an outsider in a Parlament full of white guys. She had to be strong to step in and create some space around her. Do you think your situation is very different? You are American not Latina. You are smart and a woman. To categorize the ethnicities inside the population, in an advanced country, is one example of great weakness for the country and the government/politics. Show how good you are. Good work.

[@HannahEstherRuth]

Giuseppe Nativo I like your mindset and I understand that you’re coming from a place of encouragement. However, as she stated, she is Latina. She can be American and Latina. Whether she acknowledges the fact that she’s Latina or doesn’t, it would not make any difference. The fact that she is a woman of color in tech, she at some point will likely face some adversity. & I agree with you, she should not allow the fear of underrepresentation deter her. And to the original commenter, you must realize you’re opening doors for the other little girls that look like you. 💜 I hope you both have a beautiful day!

[@plasmakool190]

Just have it at the back of your mind.... If everyone was scared no one will do it for some reason. There are always plenty reasons not to do something.✌️

[@aristidechie9619]

This comment section is the best. I am 30 year old black dude getting into tech myself. My mind is set in accomplishing my goals no matter what. So, to the initial comment. Believe in yourself and stay focused. We've got this. 🤗

[@samfarias]

@@plasmakool190 you're not really helping with what she's asking but appreciate the encouragement.

[@jadG]

Awesome post!!! Dig the honesty

[@SawdaOnaScreen]

Thank you for doing this! As much as we want people in tech we need the reality which is sometimes lost with the excitement/hype

[@lighttheoryllc4337]

Assalamualaikum sis Sawda

[@malyikaj]

Hey this is unrelated. But referring back to past videos. Did you start out with your 210k salary or is that after a few jobs. Do you think graduating from Columbia determined your salary? Even though it was an unrelated field of study. Can you make a video in the future of what to expect for salary ranges? And what you absolutely shouldn’t except as a beginner software engineer.

[@Bukola1]

Hey! for the salary part, please checkout this video where I go into more detail : kzbin.info/www/bejne/kImYYZqtqKiIfNk Yep going to Columbia, def helped me break into the industry... and I'll add that video idea to my list!

[@sarahibowles7934]

Great video! You mentioned great points but still very excited to join the tech industry as woman and as a minority. I am also 34, getting my degree in computer science coming from a 13 year career in the legal field. Let’s be the change we want to be in this industry! Best of luck with your career and wish you success always!

[@PhoebeNitaDadzie204]

Rooting for you! I’m getting my law degree but I want to venture into tech too!💃🏾💃🏾

[@almounasaddiyeh8685]

A million thanks for this clarifying video. I love your perspective and clarity about the industry. I’m an older woman, I’m 43 and I want to change careers. I’m a translator with no background in computer science. But I think I have to look elsewhere, I don’t want to bring more stress than what I have. Thank you 😊

[@treystar21]

Coming from a person in tech desk-side support diversity is everywhere also in my job and field. This is very useful and resourceful since I want to embark and go to the other sid of tech which is software engineer 👨‍💻

[@alexfrank5331]

If debugging your own code is stressful, you need to learn how to structure your code strategically. Sadly there isn't really good resource aside from gimmicky high-level philosophies that actually complicates architectures and make it worse. Best advice I'd give is to write your code thinking of other people trying to read/understand your code and reduce the risk of them making a mistake. When you do that, you actually prevent your own self from screwing up. Also, practice the KISS method and respect Murphy's law. That's done so well for me that I've been called "lucky" several times in the past decade that I almost never get major production issues.

[@drickzee]

lol all facts! Patience is a must! Debugging will drive you nuts but always feels great once you resolve the issue. Deadlines is the best part when everyone is on you. You better be good at working under pressure! Above you’ll be holding and rubbing your chin most of the time. 😂 Edit: I agree with the minority part. As much awesome my boss and team is, you’ll still feel it among others in the company. Much relatable.

[@justagiraffe2868]

Even successfully debugging VEX kit bots feels really good, and that’s in RobotC, about the most base typing language out there

[@cautarepvp2079]

is it payed like construction or better? Or is is programming decreasing in value?

[@gwldeniz]

Hi guys, I have a very important question. I will learn Python but I also got a free course for learning C language. Do you think learning C is useful now? I want to be a computational linguist.

[@ShwetaSharma-hr9wo]

Hi, I just came across your channel and I'm loving your content! 💕 also, could you make a pros version of getting into this stream? Thanks x

[@agentm83]

As an aspiring Software Developer/Engineer, this is a useful video, it also lines up with what my Dev friends have told me.

[@chevelynjozefzoon]

Your story is so inspiring 🔥 ! Saw it on the channel of Patricia

[@rajulghadiali4867]

Girl you look so beautiful in this outfit, like seriously i m telling from my heart 💓

[@navinrangar7925]

Bukola, you give me confidence in your every video. Love you xoxo

[@rudmilashehrin2502]

Hey love, I love your content so much❤️ Im sorry if you already talked about this before, but what exactly are you working on for your job as a software engineer?