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.
Related jobs
Jobs that call for the skills explored in this talk.
ROSEN Technology and Research Center GmbH
Osnabrück, Germany
Senior
TypeScript
React
+3
Matching moments
03:34 MIN
The business case for sustainable high performance
Sustainable High Performance: Build It or Pay the Price
03:07 MIN
Final advice for developers adapting to AI
WeAreDevelopers LIVE – AI, Freelancing, Keeping Up with Tech and More
01:01 MIN
Shifting from a focus on talent attraction to retention
Retention Over Attraction: A New Employer Branding Mindset
01:15 MIN
Crypto crime, EU regulation, and working while you sleep
Fake or News: Self-Driving Cars on Subscription, Crypto Attacks Rising and Working While You Sleep - Théodore Lefèvre
04:22 MIN
Why HR struggles with technology implementation and adoption
What 2025 Taught Us: A Year-End Special with Hung Lee
05:17 MIN
Shifting from traditional CVs to skill-based talent management
From Data Keeper to Culture Shaper: The Evolution of HR Across Growth Stages
06:01 MIN
Navigating cultural shifts during rapid growth and investment
From Data Keeper to Culture Shaper: The Evolution of HR Across Growth Stages
02:44 MIN
Rapid-fire thoughts on the future of work
What 2025 Taught Us: A Year-End Special with Hung Lee
Featured Partners
Related Videos
30:53How to Survive The Worst Launch of Your Career with Brenda Romero
Brenda Romero
56:37The Story of Games
Brenda Romero
30:34KEYNOTE: Hidden Histories
Brenda Romero
19:50Finding Your Way in Tech
Francesco Ciulla
35:23How to Navigate Professional Relationships in the Tech Industry
Rachel Lee Nabors
52:36Is everything difficult, or is it just me?
Jo Franchetti
29:27The Future Past of Technology - A Game Developers POV
Johanna Pirker
28:28We are all part of the game
Johanna Pirker
Related Articles
View all articles
From learning to earning
Jobs that call for the skills explored in this talk.
Escape Velocity Entertainment
Remote
Unreal Engine
Escape Velocity Entertainment
Castril, Spain
Remote
Intermediate
C++
Unix
Azure
Docker
+3
Playrix
Municipality of Valencia, Spain
Intermediate
API
Redis
React
Django
Python
+4
Playrix
Barcelona, Spain
Remote
Intermediate
API
Redis
React
Django
+5
Escape Velocity Entertainment
Remote
Intermediate
C++
Unix
Azure
Docker
+3
Escape Velocity Entertainment Inc
Remote
£44K
Intermediate
C++
Unix
Azure
+4
Didit
Barcelona, Spain
Remote
Senior
API
Python
JavaScript
TypeScript