Episode 88 – Burton Smith: How To Breakthrough In Tech

How do you sneak into a career in software development? Surely, you need a Computer Science degree and certifications to land a great job? Not quite – according to Burton Smith.

Burton stumbled into software development but was it a mere coincidence? Listen in as we discuss how he got his start and how new and aspiring developers can handle the myriad curve balls thrown at them.

So what has all that got to do with Albert Einstein? The answer to that riddle is found in Episode 88!

Burton Smith’s Bio:

Burton Smith is a senior software engineer at Bunzl North America where he works with internal business stakeholders and external customers to build digital solutions.

He is the creator of the Clarion style framework for design systems (projectclarion.com) as well as Kickstand UI which is a design system based on web components that can be used everywhere (kickstand-ui.com).

In his free time, he loves spending time with his wife and three daughters, practicing martial arts, jamming on his ukulele, and learning new things (usually about software engineering).

List of topics

We discuss: 

  • What got Burton into the tech industry?
  • A quote that inspired him to change his perspective. 
  • What drew him towards technology?
  • How to apply Einstein’s philosophy in your daily life.
  • What does it take to get better at anything?
  • Why it is important to surround yourself with things related to the tech industry
  • Imposter syndrome is still prevalent in the tech/software industry.
  • How imposter syndrome affects newcomers
  • Why GitHub is a great platform for newbies
  • Why work-life balance is important and how you should find it.
  • How you should communicate with your co-workers.
  • About the upcoming tutorial video.

Burton Smith’s Links:

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