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Lyndsey Padget
Lyndsey Padget is the founder of Longplay Software and a full stack developer, having worked at both mega-corporations and start-ups. She enjoys sharing her knowledge on topics including git & release management, test-driven development, agile and Kanban, and many more. And she believes that the difference between a good software engineer and a great one often has little to do with code.
In this episode, Phil and Lyndsey Padget discuss effective ways to end negative cycles and habits so that you can finally grow your career. They discuss how not being afraid to ask the right questions, at the right stage, enables you to succeed. Lyndsey shares her take on where the biggest breakthroughs in AI are likely to come from. She also talks through the wisdom of being both a mentor and a mentee.
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Resources
LyndseyPadget.com – Check out Lindsey Padget’s website!
2 Top Career Tips
1) When growing your career you need to take act offensively rather than defensively. In the podcast, Lyndsey explains what she means by this using a real-life example and sharing numerous actionable tips with the audience. She explains how to stop wasting time and energy seeking out opportunities. Lyndsey shows you how to go from having to take whatever comes along to finding work that you actually enjoy. Roles that enable you to achieve your goals, instead of leaving you working to help others to achieve their goals.
2) Become a mentor and a mentee. The industry does a good job of teaching people to code. But, it is not so good at making sure that newcomers succeed in their new career. Going from being someone who can code to landing and succeeding in your first roles is something a lot of people need help with. The more mentors step forward the better it will be for the industry, as a whole. If you want to continually improve, finding your own mentor will prove very beneficial. Being mentored does not stop you from mentoring others.
Show Notes
Worst Career Moment
A few years ago, Lyndsey got hired to lead a backend development team. Yet, when she actually started she was told she was leading a frontend team. Two very different things and Lyndsey had not really worked on the frontend before. But, despite this, she was able to make a success of that situation. She explains how she did this and how you can do so too, if necessary, in the podcast.
Career Highlight
Speaking at the Norwegian Developers Conference (NDC) in Oslo was a highlight. It was the first time Lyndsey had spoken internationally. Lyndsey explains how to be successful as an international speaker by knowing your audience and adapting what you deliver to better fit in with their cultural experiences.
The Future
Lyndsey is fascinated by the possibilities of AI. For example, getting natural language processing right is already changing the way we communicate. She also shares why she believes that the sex industry could be the source of some of the biggest breakthroughs in AI and the way it is used.
The Reveal
What first attracted you to a career in I.T.?
When she was 13 she was invited to join a programme at a local software company. From that moment, she was hooked on IT.
What is the best career advice you’ve ever received?
A good manager absorbs heat and radiates sunshine. In other words, she needed to protect her team from negativity and be more positive.
What is the worst career advice you’ve ever received?
Take every speaking engagement you are offered. If you do that you just end up overcommitted and exhausted.
If you had to begin your career again in today’s world, what would you do?
Not be afraid to ask questions and seek help. When Lyndsey started out, she made the classic mistake of trying to figure everything out by herself.
What career objectives are you currently focusing on?
Lyndsey is keen to work on larger projects. So, she is currently figuring out how to make that happen.
What’s the number one non-technical skill that has helped you in your career so far?
Communication. It is the key to everything, listening makes you a better collaborator as well as ensuring you deliver what the client actually needs.
What do you do to keep your own career energized?
Lyndsey rarely spends more than a year doing the same thing. At which point, she likes to pick up the pace and change things up.
What do you do in your spare time away from technology?
Lyndsey is acutely aware of the fact that she needs to use her downtime to recharge. So, she blocks off time to be with her kids, cook, sew and do DIY.
Contact The Guest
Contact Lyndsey Padget through the following social media platforms:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/lyndseypadget
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