Brenda Romero
Brenda Romero - Stay! Surviving and Thriving in Tech
#1about 6 minutes
The paradox of burnout despite a lifelong passion
Despite a 43-year career driven by a deep passion for making games, severe burnout can manifest as a cognitive inability to work and a loss of joy.
#2about 5 minutes
Navigating layoffs, crunch, and industry harassment
The tech industry is facing unprecedented layoffs, crunch culture, and severe online harassment, particularly targeting marginalized groups for their work.
#3about 3 minutes
Understanding the high attrition rates in tech
The average tech career is short due to layoffs and burnout, with marginalized groups leaving at higher rates because of bias and pay disparities.
#4about 7 minutes
How tech provides a home for outsiders and nerds
Many people in tech felt like outsiders growing up, finding a sense of belonging and control in predictable systems like code and Dungeons & Dragons.
#5about 3 minutes
Adopting sustainable practices for long-term career growth
Avoid burnout by pacing your learning, seeking new growth opportunities, and taking necessary breaks to protect your mental health above all else.
#6about 2 minutes
Fostering a resilient and psychologically safe team
Protect your team by vetting hires for toxicity, modeling vulnerability, and establishing a culture of complaining up rather than down.
#7about 2 minutes
Setting boundaries and knowing when to leave a job
To thrive long-term, you must set firm boundaries, refuse to tolerate toxic environments, and have the wisdom to leave situations you cannot change.
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Matching moments
44:46 MIN
Personal strategies for thriving in the tech industry
Autism in Tech
26:15 MIN
Q&A on burnout warning signs and industry responsibility
How to Survive The Worst Launch of Your Career with Brenda Romero
02:38 MIN
A personal journey into the game industry
KEYNOTE: Hidden Histories
01:59 MIN
A personal journey into game development
How to Survive The Worst Launch of Your Career with Brenda Romero
46:43 MIN
Q&A on career growth, mentorship, and inclusion
Fingerboard to Keyboard: Transposing One Profession to Another
22:11 MIN
Creating space to discuss burnout and work-life balance
Coffee with Developers - Saron Yitbarek
1:01:01 MIN
Finding success with a non-traditional developer career path
WeAreDevelopers LIVE - Should We Respect LLMs? Is Rust Taking Over? Developers as Content Creators and more
23:32 MIN
Q&A on DevOps culture, government work, and career advice
Hosting a modern justice system
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