Junior engineer: "I know everything, and I'm certain about what's going on here!"
Staff engineer: "I know absolutely nothing, and I have no idea how we even return a 200 OK successfully."
@nateberkopec Yep. And impostor syndrome on top of that.
@nateberkopec Before accidentally getting a tech job, I was a cable installation tech. The fragility in a typical coax system is so incredible, the fact anything works at all is just so implausible… Let alone the complexities of tcp/ip conversations. Little scratch in the stinger while trimming your ends? No HBO for you. Squirrel peed funny on the tap? No lolcats. Fun fact: having exposed copper creates an antenna for noise, shielding be damned!
@nateberkopec I find it very valuable to have juniors (or new people) trying to fix unfixable things which I have long given up on.
"go and change the world, while you still know everything", kind of thing.
Manager: would our customers like it if we make the database mauve?