You belong here, too.

I am a self-taught developer who stumbled upon Drupal, almost by accident. The truth is I was called by a recruiter who asked if I had experience with Drupal; I had never heard of Drupal, but I essentially said "yes - but I am too busy to interview for the next 2 weeks". I learned a great deal in those 2 weeks and landed the job. Almost 7 years later, it is still difficult not to feel like my peers are more qualified than I am.

Additionally, I am fortunate enough to work with many Drupal developers towards the start of their careers through my part-time work as a Drupal trainer. An extremely common theme I have seen with new developers is the most qualified ones often feel that they are not ready and want to spend another few weeks practicing before interviewing.

Standing alongside a new Drupal developer switching from a different field, I would like to discuss different skill levels in the field, how new developers typically feel, and even how more seasoned developers are more relatable than you would think.

I would also like to discuss making the field more welcoming to developers of all levels. The truth is imposter syndrome is not always a 1-way street. Many employers fear making "a mistake" by hiring someone who does not check all of the boxes. We will discuss how to create a more welcoming environment for newcomers, and how to assess developers as part of the interview process; essentially, how to give everyone a fair chance at the field for a mutually beneficial outcome.