Artwork

Content provided by Jellyfish. All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are uploaded and provided directly by Jellyfish or their podcast platform partner. If you believe someone is using your copyrighted work without your permission, you can follow the process outlined here https://ppacc.player.fm/legal.
Player FM - Podcast App
Go offline with the Player FM app!

No senior, no safety net

25:17
 
Share
 

Manage episode 489465131 series 3573950
Content provided by Jellyfish. All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are uploaded and provided directly by Jellyfish or their podcast platform partner. If you believe someone is using your copyrighted work without your permission, you can follow the process outlined here https://ppacc.player.fm/legal.

David, a junior engineer at a fintech company, is instantly zapped into a project that quickly becomes a memorable early dev experience (both technically and interpersonally). He’s tasked with building a feature alone after his senior engineer gets sidetracked, and unfortunately for him, his junior experience does not meet the high expectations, to put it lightly.

What starts as an exciting opportunity turns into a rough ride. David is under pressure to deliver a critical feature with little guidance, and as his timeline gets tighter, the stakes grow higher. When the feature crashes during testing, it sparks a public reprimand that no one saw coming. The worst part? No one steps in to defend him, and the senior engineer stays silent.

Want to ask us something or share your own work drama? Hit us up at jellyfish.co/offthevpn. And don’t worry—we’ll keep it Off the VPN

Highlights:

  • The Pressure Cooker: How being thrown into the deep end feels
  • Silent Treatment: The consequences of no backup when things go wrong
  • Career Lessons: How public failure can shape your future

Jump into the conversation:
(00:00) Pushing a junior engineer into the deep end

(06:44) Junior engineers and unrealistic timelines

(09:28) Optimism vs. reality in engineering

(11:42) Performance issues emerge in staging

(13:10) David’s public criticism in the meeting

(16:02) No intervention when David is called out

(21:43) David’s recovery and new opportunities

  continue reading

22 episodes

Artwork
iconShare
 
Manage episode 489465131 series 3573950
Content provided by Jellyfish. All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are uploaded and provided directly by Jellyfish or their podcast platform partner. If you believe someone is using your copyrighted work without your permission, you can follow the process outlined here https://ppacc.player.fm/legal.

David, a junior engineer at a fintech company, is instantly zapped into a project that quickly becomes a memorable early dev experience (both technically and interpersonally). He’s tasked with building a feature alone after his senior engineer gets sidetracked, and unfortunately for him, his junior experience does not meet the high expectations, to put it lightly.

What starts as an exciting opportunity turns into a rough ride. David is under pressure to deliver a critical feature with little guidance, and as his timeline gets tighter, the stakes grow higher. When the feature crashes during testing, it sparks a public reprimand that no one saw coming. The worst part? No one steps in to defend him, and the senior engineer stays silent.

Want to ask us something or share your own work drama? Hit us up at jellyfish.co/offthevpn. And don’t worry—we’ll keep it Off the VPN

Highlights:

  • The Pressure Cooker: How being thrown into the deep end feels
  • Silent Treatment: The consequences of no backup when things go wrong
  • Career Lessons: How public failure can shape your future

Jump into the conversation:
(00:00) Pushing a junior engineer into the deep end

(06:44) Junior engineers and unrealistic timelines

(09:28) Optimism vs. reality in engineering

(11:42) Performance issues emerge in staging

(13:10) David’s public criticism in the meeting

(16:02) No intervention when David is called out

(21:43) David’s recovery and new opportunities

  continue reading

22 episodes

All episodes

×
 
Loading …

Welcome to Player FM!

Player FM is scanning the web for high-quality podcasts for you to enjoy right now. It's the best podcast app and works on Android, iPhone, and the web. Signup to sync subscriptions across devices.

 

Quick Reference Guide

Copyright 2025 | Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | | Copyright
Listen to this show while you explore
Play