1. Act like you belong there. If you internalize the idea that you're a bit behind everyone (esp for your age), that you don't really "get" the tech, etc, etc,

1. Act like you belong there. If you internalize the idea that you're a bit behind everyone (esp for your age), that you don't really "get" the tech, etc, etc, then your demeanor will reflect that and people will pick up on it; humans, even nerds, are social animals. If you're feeling especially insecure you should reflect on why the company hired you in the first place, and what particular skills or aptitude you bring to the team, and why that's valuable. If the answer to that is, "I don't know", then you're probably at the wrong job. 2. Not talking in meetings is generally something that other people notice to the extent that you should be talking but are not. Without knowing the details of your particular situation (eg, maybe within your company's culture it actually IS a big deal that you don't talk in meetings), I would say that if doing your job requires you to be active in meetings in which you are currently quiet, fix that. If this is a case of you feeling insecure because you feel like others are fitting in better / earning more brownie points / etc, I would posit that this is something that you notice a lot more than others do, and advise you to keep your focus on being good at your job rather than comparing yourself to others. 3. If you want management responsibility, I would suggest the following: a) ensure you are seen as a "set of safe hands" who knows how things work (tech and company processes) and can be entrusted to get stuff done and b) ensure that your manager and peers see you as a competent communicator. Once you are confident that a) and b) are both true, initiate a conversation with your manager about what type of leadership responsibilities you'd like to assume. If both a) and b) are not true, you shouldn't be angling for management roles. Good luck!