I don't get the modern (?) obsession with having the latest tech in your resume.

Knowing how to solve problems for someone willing to pay you a lot for it seems to trump knowing how to solve problems in a specific way. I've improved my salary more by putting work towards fixing things for existing code bases than I have by building brand new things on brand new technology.

With that said... having been in the position of the hot-headed junior engineer full of ideas, I don't think that position's without merit either. The trick is to balance new ideas for the employer, personal knowledge growth, improved performance for the employer, and making the right kind of mistakes.

In that latter bit, I don't think _anyone_ has figured it out, yet. Not in a way that's easily repeatable, anyway.