Exponential Growth - How to Break Into Tech

Latest Episodes:

Business to Head of Engineering at Capgemini with Casey Dai Jul 04, 2023

Show notes

Growing up, Casey Dai was immersed in Entrepreneurship at an early age. This naturally led him to pursue a career in business. Soon, Casey found himself wanting for more data-driven decisions, leading him to pivot into the world of data. Today, he's the Head of Data Engineering at Capgemini.

In our conversation, Casey shares the framework that helped him reinvent himself multiple times, including negotiation strategies, his stance on interviewing and learning how to learn.

Links:

- Casey's LinkedIn

- Casey's Substack

Liberal Arts to Frontend Engineer with Jordan Manley Jun 27, 2023

Show notes

He knew his resume was horrible.

A lost decade. Impossible to convey his newfound programing skills.

He was competing against people that checked all the right boxes and held the fancy degrees.

But rather than admit defeat, Jordan Manley took a first-principles approach.

He played to his strengths, and would soon land a developer role in New York, the city of his dreams.

Jordan's story is a tale of exploration, perseverance and an inspirational ability to constantly put himself out there.

Episode Links:

- Jordan's LinkedIn Profile

- CodeTrack: www.CodeTrack.dev

- CodeTrack (Branded Version): www.pursuit.codetrack.dev

Oilfield to Software Quality Engineer with Mauricio Marques Jun 20, 2023

Show notes

Growing up in Brazil, Mauricio Marques started from humble beginnings, but he didn't let that stand in the way of his goals. At 17 he went to work, and soon found himself managing a team. Over the next several years Mauricio explored many different paths before he landed on a role in software quality engineering. His is a story about preparation, determination and a fiery passion for continuous growth.

Pt 2: English Major to Senior SWE at Amazon, Google and Block with Andy Wong Jun 13, 2023

Show notes

Andy returns to the show to continue where we left off last time. Rather than content creation and his initial learnings, this time Andy focuses more on what it took for him to pivot from his junior positions into roles with Amazon, Google and now Block.

English Major to Senior SWE at Amazon, Google and Block with Andy Wong May 30, 2023

Show notes

Andy Wong considered himself the weakest graduate of his bootcamp cohort. Studying English and Psychology in school, it would've been easy to give up and pursue something else. But not Andy. He doubled down and started reading some of his brothers Computer Science textbooks. Eventually, he got his shot. Today, Andy has worked at some of the biggest names in tech - Amazon, Google and now Block. But getting there was anything but straightforward.

Andy's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andykeewong/

Oil Rig to Software Engineering with Geraldo Gomes May 16, 2023

Show notes

“I was so excited with the idea of not having to wear coveralls again.” Just a few years ago, Geraldo Gomes was working on oil rigs. Today he writes software from his home office. In this conversation he shares his story of overcoming addiction and an unsustainable career path to move into one he previously only ever dreamed of.

Retail to LinkedIn Program Manager with Lyssa Jackson May 09, 2023

Show notes

Despite humble beginnings, Lyssa Jackson developed a strong sense of self worth and belief in herself at an early age. The seeds of entrepreneurship were planted during high school, when none other than LinkedIn Founder Reid Hoffman gave a speech at her school, along with a copy of a book that would completely change her life.

It wasn't a straight line, but Lyssa overcame adversity from all angles as she blazed her own path into tech. Today, she's a Program Manager at LinkedIn, a content creator and a mentor. Her story is a masterpiece of execution, determination and grit.

⭐️ Lyssa's Website: https://heylj.com

Truck Driver to Flutter Developer with Khalid Warsame May 02, 2023

Show notes

A few years ago, Khalid Warsame drove trucks for a living, spending more time away than he did at home. Today, he works from his home office as a flutter developer. He shares his journey, which included starting his own companies, finding inspiration from YouTube creators and explaining how he worked through rejection and bumps along the way.

- Khalid's Website: https://khalidwar.com/

- Khalid's other links: https://bio.khalidwar.com/

Mentioned Resources:

- Dorian Develops: https://www.youtube.com/@DorianDevelops

Biology Major to Product Support Engineer with John Bui Apr 25, 2023

Show notes

Growing up, John Bui never pictured himself in a corporate job.
A career in tech? Not in his wildest dreams.
John faced a lot of pressure to succeed from an early age.
This led him into a field he didn't enjoy.
Despite the setbacks, John followed his interests.
He refused to settle as he slowly blazed a trail into tech, working at several startups.
In this weeks conversation, John shares the strategies he used, the trials and tribulations, as well as the many lessons learned along the way.

Automotive Parts Sales to Software Developer with Andrew Clarkson Apr 18, 2023

Show notes

Andrew Clarkson used to change jobs every year. But he wasn't wandering aimlessly; he had a plan. Andrew learned something something from each, snowballing into a career that now finds him working from his home office.

He talks about his foray into programming, how he learned to code, and shares the networking techniques that helped land his first job in tech.

Additional Resources:

- Andrew's Links: https://linktr.ee/aclarkson

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