The tech world is shifting fast — AI, LLMs, layoffs, legacy systems, cloud everything — and if you’re trying to stay employable (or break in) as a developer in 2025, it can feel overwhelming. Whether you’re a junior dev figuring things out or a senior pro navigating team dynamics, outdated stacks, and AI hype, this talk covers both the technical must-haves and the softer career strategies that matter.
Topics include:
- The new expectations for software professionals
- Team skills and code etiquette that make you stand out
- Using LLMs without becoming obsolete
- Navigating greenfield vs. legacy work
- The developer “buy/hold/sell” tech stack model
- Dealing with change — at your company and in your head
Interested in how I make videos? Check out my gear list:
https://changenode.com/gear-list/
--- Job boards
https://weworkremotely.com
https://remotive.io
https://www.usajobs.gov
https://www.governmentjobs.com/ - lots of state & local gov jobs
--- Svelte FTW
https://svelte.dev
https://www.reddit.com/r/sveltejs
--- Postgres FTW
https://postgrest.org
https://supabase.com
https://gotrue.dev
https://github.com/PostgREST/postgrest
--- No/Low Code To Check Out
https://bubble.io
https://weweb.io
00:00 - Start
01:03 - Non-Technical Tips
02:23 - Technical Basics
03:45 - Back-end Role Basics
05:24 - AI/LLMs
06:36 - Greenfield or Legacy?
08:15 - Cloud vs Open Systems
10:12 - When Things Go Bad
11:33 - Junior vs Senior?
12:57 - LLMs taking over?
15:15 - Tech stacks: Buy, Hold, Sell?
19:59 - Low/no code?
22:07 - What does LLM integration mean?
23:47 - Beyond LinkedIn and Indeed...
25:40 - Closing Thoughts