The Scrimba Podcast

End of Season One, and a Message from Alex Booker Jan 16, 2025

So this is goodbye. But do not unsubscribe!

It's the end of what will now be known as Season One of the Scrimba podcast! And Alex Booker is stepping down as its host.

Over the past 160+ episodes, we have helped you learn to code and land your first job in tech. If you've missed any episodes, now is the time to go and listen to them. If you're new to the show, just start listening from the very beginning! The archive isn't going anywhere, and we aimed to create an evergreen podcast where you can find useful takeaways and inspiring stories for years to come.

Stay tuned for Season Two! And in the meantime, browse through our past shows, or:

🔗 Connect with Alex

👋 Say hi to Jan The Producer

See you :)

Why Open Source Can Be the Perfect Place for New Developers – and How to Get Started, with Deb Goodkin from the FreeBSD Foundation Sep 19, 2024

Meet Deb Goodkin! Deb is the Executive Director of the FreeBSD Foundation. The Foundation supports the FreeBSD project and community. FreeBSD is a powerful open-source operating system known for its reliability and security and used by companies like Netflix to power their servers and networks.

With a strong background in engineering, Deb is passionate about open-source technology, and after this episode, you might become passionate about it, too! In this episode of the Scrimba podcast, you'll learn how a complex project like FreeBSD works from an organizational standpoint, why open-source is a great place for even newer developers, what are the key differences between community-driven projects and working for a corporation, and where should you start if you're looking to get into open-source.

🔗 Connect with Deb

👩‍💼 LinkedIn

⏰ Timestamps

What is FreeBSD? (01:19)
What is the FreeBSD Foundation? (02:49)
Open-source projects vs. commercial projects (04:04)
Open source is a nourishing place (07:04)
Some original BSD developers are still working on the project decades later! (07:46)
Open source is a community (09:35)
How can contributing to open source help a newer developer advance their career? (11:25)
Community break! (14:08)
What skills do you need to join an open-source project? (16:23)
Start with documentation! (18:42)
How do you interact with others working on an open-source project? (21:20)
Are people more likely to help others who help themselves? (24:05)
Quick-fire questions! (27:26)
How does an open-source project like FreeBSD run?
If you're listening and want to get into open source, do this! (38:13)

🧰 Resources mentioned

⭐️ Leave a Review

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You can also Tweet Alex from Scrimba at @bookercodes and tell them what lessons you learned from the episode so they can thank you personally for tuning in 🙏

Tangible Benefits: Why AI Is Here to Stay and How New Developers Can Find the Right Balance, with Sam Julien from Writer Sep 05, 2024

Meet Sam Julien 🇺🇸! Sam is a director of Developer Relations at Writer, a teacher, and the author of Getting Started in Developer Relations. He loves helping people level up their developer advocacy or web development jobs. Recently, he became interested in AI engineering. And in this episode, you'll find out why you should, too!

Sam will teach you how to differentiate passing fads from the tech that's here to stay, how to stay future-proof, and why it's still important to learn the basics. AI as a tool has changed the scale at which we can make stuff - and that's the biggest reason to get acquainted with it. Sam and Alex discuss the current state of the job market in the realm of AI engineering, whether AI will make developers obsolete, as well as the novel use cases and key applications of large language models. Sam also shares how he broke into the field! You'll also learn more about Writer - their LLMs are available on Hugging Face!

🔗 Connect with Sam

⏰ Timestamps

How Sam Julien got into AI engineering (01:34)
What convinced Sam that AI was here to stay? (03:56)
Sam was strategic about pursuing AI engineering (05:55)
The spectrum of career opportunities in AI engineering (07:23)
Machine learning is not the only thing you can work on! (09:19)
The current state of the job market: there's a significant discrepancy between how people perceive AI engineering and how things are actually going
Break (14:02)
What is Writer (15:01)
Writer's own AI models - also available on Hugging Face (17:03)
Are there opportunities for front-end developers in this space? (18:28)
How to learn AI engineering? (23:19)
Using models to teach you how to use models (25:18)
Did Sam use AI to get a job in AI engineering? (27:48)
Quick-fire questions: favorite podcasts, music, and people to follow (28:49)
Do you need an ML certificate? (31:06)
Novel uses and core applications of AI and LLMs (31:58)
Should a new developer focus on AI? (35:33)
How to stay future-proof (40:44)
It just takes one breakthrough to catch you by surprise (41:43)
How to use Writer (41:53)

🧰 Resources Mentioned

Course: Level Up From Software Engineer to AI Engineer (Shawn "Swyx" Wang and Noah Hein)
Latent Space Podcast
The Rise of the AI Engineer
Scrimba's AI path
Kadasha Kerr

⭐️ Leave a Review

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You can also Tweet Alex from Scrimba at @bookercodes and tell them what lessons you learned from the episode so they can thank you personally for tuning in 🙏

Learn to Advocate for Yourself with Developer Advocate Rizel Scarlett Jul 17, 2024

Meet Rizel Scarlett 🇺🇸! Rizel is a Staff Developer Advocate at TBD. She's also a career changer, software engineer, and community builder!

Rizel dropped out of psychology studies after running out of money. Then she went into IT support, then into coding, and then realized that, after working in an organization that teaches women and non-binary people of color to code, developer advocacy could be a great career for her!

In this episode, you will hear how Rizel learned to code, paved her own path, and knew when to pivot. You'll learn why internships are cool and what to be on the lookout for if you're looking for your first opportunity. Rizel will also teach you why you need personal branding and how to do it even if you're an introvert - complete with step-by-step instructions on writing a blog post, practicing public speaking, or networking.

This is a rebroadcast of one of our favorite interviews!

🔗 Connect with Rizel

⏰ Timestamps

Why Rizel switched from psychology to IT and, later, to coding (01:43)
Rizel tried many different jobs. Here’s why that’s not a bad thing! (03:48)
How Rizel approached learning to code (05:55)
Community and camaraderie are important parts of learning to code (06:50)
How Rizel decided to enroll in a bootcamp (07:58)
On learning to code with your significant other (08:31)
Thinking like a programmer comes with practice (09:46)
Why Rizel pursued internships (10:50)
Why connections are important (12:20)
What was Rizel’s internship experience like (13:21)
What should you look for in an internship or your first job? (13:58)
Break (15:54)
What juniors bring to the table (17:00)
How Rizel discovered developer advocacy and got hired as a developer advocate at GitHub (18:15)
What does a supportive manager do (20:18)
How Rizel approaches personal branding (22:08)
You can’t expect people to find you. The best person to advocate for you is you (22:25)
How to work on your public speaking (24:25)
How to work on your writing and how Rizel approaches writing blog posts (27:08)
How to get involved with the community (30:48)
Closing advice: it’s okay to switch your focus, take your time, and maintain a list of your wins! (34:43)

🧰 Resources Mentioned

⭐️ Leave a Review

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star review hereand tell us who you want to see on the next podcast.

You can also Tweet Alex from Scrimba at @bookercodes and tell them what lessons you learned from the episode so they can thank you personally for tuning in 🙏

Career Progression Decoded: Angie Jones' Expert Tips for Entering the Tech Industry and Forging Your Unique Path Jul 10, 2024

Meet Angie Jones 🇺🇸! Angie is a veteran software developer currently working as a global Developer Relations executive at TBD. Before that, she worked as an automation engineer at Twitter and as a software engineer and master inventor at IBM (where she worked for nine years)! Angie is also a teacher and an international keynote speaker who has authored 27 patents.

In this episode, Angie takes us through her career path, from falling in love with coding through automation engineering to eventually discovering her passion for teaching and DevRel. You'll learn the differences between large enterprises, medium-sized companies, and startups and find out what to look for if you're just breaking into the industry. Angie also talks about teaching, patenting your ideas, and finding specialization. Plus: decentralized technologies, changing jobs with the same company, and why it's important to keep learning new stuff.
This is a rebroadcast of one of our favorite interviews!

🔗 Connect with Angie

⏰ Timestamps

Angie's father thought she should familiarize herself with computers, so she took a C++ course. The rest is history! (01:21)
What Angie loved about programming (02:54)
Are developers missing out if they don't study computer science at university? (03:42)
What makes a good teacher? (05:31)
Break (09:40)
Angie got his first role in tech through an internship (10:33)
How Angie spent nine years at IBM (12:04)
What are the advantages of changing jobs within the same company? (12:41)
How does working at a huge corporation compare to working at smaller companies and startups, and why should you try a bit of both (14:22)
What does career progression look like? (16:27)
As a beginner, should you prioritize learning opportunities? What size companies should you go after? (17:05)
Pay attention to the ratio of juniors vs. seniors (18:28)
Software development is about much more than coding (18:49)
How Angie discovered automation engineering and, subsequently, DevRel (19:32)
There are gaps in the market for specializations (23:06)
How to find a slight specialization within frontend (27:16)
Quick-fire questions: Java, decentralized technologies, Sarah Drasner and Kelsey Hightower (29:03)
Angie Jones has 27 patents! Here's how that happened. (33:10)
What does a patent look like? (34:34)
What's it like to invent patents within a big corporation like IBM? (37:04)
Closing advice: Aside from technical competency, what else should new developers focus on? (38:41)

🧰 Resources Mentioned

Sarah Drasner
Kelsey Hightower
Scrimba Podcast with Chad Stewart: Tech Is Hiring, and Here's What You Need to Do!

⭐️ Leave a Review

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You can also Tweet Alex from Scrimba at @bookercodes and tell them what lessons you learned from the episode so they can thank you personally for tuning in 🙏 Or tell Jan the Producer he has butchered your name here.

Scrimba v2 is Here! Create Your Own Scrims, Use the Advanced Code Editor, and Learn Coding the Right Way, with Per Borgen Jul 03, 2024

Scrimba v2 is here! And you probably already know this if you've visited our website recently. Scrimba cofounder and CEO Per Borgen 🇳🇴 is joining us to reveal what this update is all about.

You might have noticed the redesign - but the update is not just on the surface. Scrimba has been rewritten from the ground up to support further development, and you can already enjoy a lot of new features. The platform is no longer a closed platform, which means you can make your own scrims, create and follow profiles, and make use of numerous templates. You can also use Scrimba's code editor to create your own projects - even if you're not following a course. It even features an advanced version control! Per and Alex also talk about AI and how it will change the way we learn coding and which AI features are already being worked on at Scrimba.

🔗 Connect with Per

⏰ Timestamps

Scrimba v2 is a complete rewrite of the entire platform (01:00)
"We also rebuilt the tools to build Scrimba" (02:45)
What are Templates? (05:49)
You can now use Scrimba as an online code editor (07:34)
You can also add commits! (08:31)
Scrimba is now open to anyone to create content and scrims (09:15)
Scrimba profiles (10:59)
The future of pedagogy on Scrimba (13:02)
Backend courses are coming! (14:40)
Visual rebrand: is Scrimba still playful? (17:12)
The state of using AI to learn to code (24:44)

🧰 Resources Mentioned

Scrimba v2

⭐️ Leave a Review

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star review here and tell us who you want to see on the next podcast.
You can also Tweet Alex from Scrimba at @bookercodes and tell them what lessons you learned from the episode so that he can thank you personally for tuning in 🙏 Or tell Jan he's butchered your name here.

The Four Stages of Interviewing: How to Conquer the Hiring Process Step by Step, with Ryan Talbert Jun 13, 2024

Meet Ryan Talbert 🇺🇸! Ryan studied entrepreneurship and had an idea for an app. To build it, he hired a developer who scammed him and used his server for phishing! But that was also the best thing that could've happened: Today, Ryan is a developer, passionate about JavaScript, and helping other career switchers break into tech. Oh, and he wrote a book!

In this episode, Ryan shares his story and many things he's learned along the way. Ryan will teach you how to break the process of applying and interviewing for a job into smaller steps and improve them one by one - and some of his strategies are pretty novel, even after more than 160 episodes of our podcast! Ryan's approach divides the interview process into four stages. This way, you can pinpoint the exact part of it where you fail, and work on it without distractions.

You will also learn how to make learning to code more manageable and rewarding for yourself - because the more you win, the more you will win. Ryan also describes how he got his first coding job: he told the hiring manager the company wasn't right for him, but they wanted to hire him anyway, and he eventually agreed - because he had a good reason to do so.

🔗 Connect with Ryan

👨‍💼 Linkedin

⏰ Timestamps

You can come into tech from any career (01:36)
Ryan studied entrepreneurship and wanted to build an app (03:56)
How Ryan lost all his savings and got a cease and desist letter from the country of Germany (05:46)
Getting scammed was a good thing, in the end (08:57)
Community Break with Jan the Producer (10:13)
How Ryan learned to code (11:40)
Becoming a coder instead of entrepreneur (14:41)
Job hunt in 2017 vs job hunt in 2024 (20:33)
Linear progression of a job interview (22:22)
Write a good resume (or pay somebody to do that), and get it in front of humans (23:37)
What to do when they ask you to tell them abour yourself? (25:39)
Practice coding problems (26:49)
Climbing the interview hill (27:32)
We're bad at multitasking (28:56)
Anything is a skill! (30:42)
You need to keep winning and build momentum (35:15)
Set achievable goals (40:01)

🧰 Resources Mentioned

Ryan's book: 101 Tips: TypeScript, React, and JavaScript
The Companies Expert on YouTube
Edabit

⭐️ Leave a Review

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star review here and tell us who you want to see on the next podcast.
You can also Tweet Alex from Scrimba at @bookercodes and tell them what lessons you learned from the episode so that he can thank you personally for tuning in 🙏 Or tell Jan he's butchered your name here.

What's New in React 19 (and What That Means for You), with Dev Agrawal Jun 06, 2024

Meet Dev Agrawal 🇮🇳🇺🇸! Dev is a software developer, developer advocate, content creator, and A React expert deeply ingrained in the React community. The last time he was on the show, we tried to find an answer to the question of whether we should still be learning React in 2024 - the community was divided! Today, we’re talking about React 19.

React 19 is the latest version of React, introducing some amazing new features! Key features include the new React Compiler, which automates performance optimization; Server Components, which allow rendering components on the server for faster initial page loads and improved data handling; Actions; and some new hooks! In this episode, you’ll learn what these features are, how to use them, which ones are the most important, and why we are getting them in the first place. Understanding the context and history behind these new features, as well as the needs of developers who have been using React in their work, will help us use them more effectively.

React 19 is expected to be released by the end of 2024 and is set to enhance both performance and developer experience. In the meantime, you can try the release candidate!

🔗 Connect with Dev

⏰ Timestamps

Can we use React 19 already? (01:24)
Is React Canary the same as React 19 RC? (02:14)
When does React 19 come out? (03:04)
React Compiler is the biggest feature of React 19. What does it do? (04:18)
There is a performance cost associated with memoizing (08:23
How does the React compiler help with memoization? (11:13)
Could you manually accomplish what the Compiler does automatically? (12:59)
How do you use the React Compiler? (15:41)
You need to abide by the React rules for the Compiler to work properly (16:48)
Is React a library or a language? (17:04)
Transpilers vs compilers (19:44)
What are Actions? (23:41)
What are React Transitions? (24:37)
Server Actions vs Client Actions (31:39)
New hoks: useFormState, useFormStatus (33:29)
New features are a big departure from how we use React today (35:45)
Where to learn more about React 19 (37:29)

⏰ Resources Mentioned

⭐️ Leave a Review

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star review here and tell us who you want to see on the next podcast.
You can also Tweet Alex from Scrimba at @bookercodes and tell them what lessons you learned from the episode so that he can thank you personally for tuning in 🙏 Or tell Jan he's butchered your name here.

The Secret to a Meaningful Portfolio: Solve a Real-world Problem, with Scrimba Student Kevin May 29, 2024

Meet Kevin Tanzyl! Originally from New Zealand, Kevin moved to Japan to become an English teacher. But after a while, he felt like he hit a plateau. Kevin then tried coding, and after a sting in the infamous tutorial hell, he discovered Scrimba. While learning to code, he made a React app for English teachers, which is still used in Japanese schools! This game-changing portfolio project for Kevin caught the eye of employers and recruiters alike.

Within a couple of months, Kevin got his first developer job, but several months later, he realized that it wasn't a good fit after all. In this episode, you'll find out all about Kevin's career change, learning path, and hurdles along the way. You'll learn how to pick your portfolio projects and why you should focus on basic programming principles while maintaining a technology-agnostic approach. Kevin also shares his approach to dealing with stubborn bugs, why "no pain, no gain" applies to coding, and how learning to code compares to learning a new language. Plus, how's the work culture in Japan different from the Western one?

🔗 Connect with Kevin

⏰ Timestamps

"Software development involves a lot of math, so I avoided that" (01:13)
How Kevin started teaching English in Japan (02:51)
Why Kevin wanted a career change from teaching: the tech world doesn't stop! (03:51)
How did learning programming compare to learning languages? (04:56)
Why Kevin struggled to learn to code - and how he solved that (05:43)
Do you need to go to university to become a software developer? (07:25)
What are the differences between a software developer and a web developer? (08:06)
Community break with Jan the Producer (09:37)
Kevin learned on Udemy, freeCodeCamp, and, ultimately, Scrimba (12:17)
Tutorial hell (14:02)
The path of least resistance is not the right one for coding (14:57)
How to fix very stubborn bugs (15:53)
How Kevin made his number one portfolio app (16:44)
Picking a portfolio app: ask your friends and family and solve a real problem they have! (18:56)
Killing three birds with one stone (I mean, feeding three birds with one scone!) (21:05)
How Kevin landed his first dev job... and didn't like it (23:20)
How Kevin landed his second dev job (24:24)
"They just wanted to see the willingness to learn" (26:05)
Quick-fire questions! (26:43)
Did Kevin have a tech interview? (28:13)
Your portfolio helps an interviewer help you (28:50)
"What are the things you think are lacking?" (30:01)
The working culture in Japan (33:13)

🧰 Resources Mentioned

⭐️ Leave a Review

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star review here and tell us who you want to see on the next podcast.
You can also Tweet Alex from Scrimba at @bookercodes and tell them what lessons you learned from the episode so that he can thank you personally for tuning in 🙏 Or tell Jan he's butchered your name here.

"No" Is Always Guaranteed... So Strive for a "Yes", with the Coding Mermaid Monica Fidalgo May 22, 2024

Meet Monica Fidalgo 🇵🇹! Monica is a front-end product engineer at Cloudflare, an advocate for new developers and women in tech, as well as a teacher, mentor, and resume reviewer. Her path to tech wasn’t straightforward: she originally studied marine biology and was a licensed scuba diver!

Monica's life took a dramatic turn when she was involved in a serious car accident that temporarily left her unable to walk. After months of recovery, she was even able to run again! However, her recovery made finding a job in her already competitive field even more challenging. In 2018, she began exploring other interests and remembered her love for customizing her Blogger and Tumblr templates. So, she decided to learn web design!

In this episode, you’ll learn a thing or two about motivation. You'll also discover a fantastic technique you should be using when applying for jobs, and learn everything about Monica's inspiring career change. You'll also find out when to switch companies, how to evaluate coding schools before you sign up, and how Monica's car accident changed her outlook on life.

🔗 Connect with Monica

👩‍💼 LinkedIn

⏰ Timestamps

Monica studied marine biology and thought IT was just for men (01:31)
How Monica's car accident changed her outlook on life (04:29)
Feeling sorry for yourself won't take you anywhere (08:53)
Community break with Jan the Producer (09:27)
How Monica learned to code (11:02)
Monica coded during the day and worked at night - but also took up sports (13:57)
"It's difficult, but it won't last forever" (15:24)
Monica's family wasn't always supportive (16:36)
You can't count on luck (18:38)
Monica had a checklist of companies she wanted to work for (19:10)
How to apply to a company without open job ads (20:35)
Quick-fire questions (21:07)
How Monica found her first job in tech (23:09)
Getting ahead of the curve: why you should be sending your CV to HRs on LinkedIn (23:27)
Why - and how - Monica changes jobs (25:57)
How Monica got a job at Cloudflare (29:37)
Monica's first counter-proposal and why women should negotiate their salaries (32:51)
"You already have a NO. Try getting a YES"
Sometimes you feel bad - and that's okay (39:19)
Boxing! (40:45)

🧰 Resources Mentioned

⭐️ Leave a Review

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star review here and tell us who you want to see on the next podcast.
You can also Tweet Alex from Scrimba at @bookercodes and tell them what lessons you learned from the episode so that he can thank you personally for tuning in 🙏 Or tell Jan he's butchered your name here.

Senior Software Engineer at Netflix, Shaundai Person: Here's How to Sell Yourself (and Believe in the Product 😉) May 16, 2024

Meet Shaundai Person 🇺🇸! Shaundai is a senior software engineer at Netflix, but she hasn't always been a coder. She studied entrepreneurship and had a long, successful career in sales. After a decade in sales and running her own business, Shaundai discovered coding through customizing her business's Shopify website.

Shaundai realized she was ready for a career change to something she felt more passionate about. She also learned that you don't have to go back to school to become a software engineer and that much of engineering isn't NASA-level stuff. In fact, it's about listening to customers' needs and offering them solutions—just like in sales!

In this episode, you'll learn how Shaundai transitioned into the tech team of the company she was already working at. She leveraged her extensive sales experience and her passion for coding to create a personal brand within the company, building a reputation that preceded her. The key to a successful sale is believing in your product, and if you're learning to sell yourself, you are the product! Shaundai will teach you how to do just that while remembering that you're still human. Shaundai and Alex also discuss the often non-linear path to career change and why coding skills are nowadays a commodity (so you need to find a different way to stand out).

🔗 Connect with Shaundai

⏰ Timestamps

How Shaundai chose to study entrepreneurship (01:53)
"I had never been in a position where I loved the thing that I was doing" (04:41)
Selling software made Shaundai fascinated with software engineering (05:49)
How Shaundai eventually taught herself to code on Codecademy (10:17)
How Shaundai organized her studying... and went overtime (12:58)
"I could make money AND be happy with that I'm doing" (13:25)
"In this case, I'm selling myself!" (14:36)
There are always more decision-makers involved in hiring, and here's what to do about them (16:57)
Shaundai's strategy to win over her company's engineering team (18:31)
You're always in a more powerful position when people think that something was their idea (20:07)
Never start conversations with what YOU need (20:54)
Shaundai started submitting projects to the engineering team's personal development form... and getting challenges (23:50)
Put yourself in the shoes of the customer (26:02)
Managers can't go through every single line of code of everybody who's applied. Here's how to tackle that! (26:21)
Your coding skills are a commodity! Provide value instead. (27:31)
What's a commodity? (28:16)
If you're a career changer, you're a superset of a developer! (29:18)
How Shaundai eventually got to switch teams (30:19)
Shaundai started interviewing with Netflix less than a year into her new career, and it all started with a podcast (32:01)
"In order to stand out, I need to show that I'm a human" (36:27)
How to be human (38:10)
How to get outside of the goal (while still keeping the goal in sight) (38:55)
Sometimes we pick the more tangible thing, but ultimately you don't know what can help you in the long run (42:04)
How to cultivate self-belief? (45:07)

🧰 Resources mentioned

Front End Happy Hour

⭐️ Leave a Review

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star review here and tell us who you want to see on the next podcast.
You can also Tweet Alex from Scrimba at @bookercodes and tell them what lessons you learned from the episode so that he can thank you personally for tuning in 🙏 Or tell Jan he's butchered your name here.

Creator of #100DaysOfCode, Alex Kallaway: Here's How to Embrace Discomfort for Growth May 08, 2024

Meet Alex Kallaway 🇷🇺🇨🇦! Alex is a Lead Full-Stack Developer, but he hasn't always been a coder. First, he was a violinist; then, he was interested in having a business; he worked in product management and digital marketing. At one point, he was determined to become a developer and was looking for a way to accelerate his learning, and he thought of a coding challenge you might have heard of. Believe it or not, Alex created #100DaysOfCode just for himself - he never thought it would become something that other people would want to do. But then Quincy Larson of freeCodeCamp got an idea...

You can also find Alex at https://www.discomfortacademy.com/, or read his newsletter.

In this interview, you'll learn about the origin story of #100DaysOfCode and Alex's career path. You will also hear everything about the challenge's rules and best practices. What do you do if you can't code for an hour every day? What should you do if you skip a day? How do you set goals? Can you do #100DaysOfCode more than once? How should you measure success?

Alex and Alex also discuss habits, procrastination, and "manifestations of resistance," as well as ways and tactics for overcoming discomfort and reaching goals. Does something really become a habit after a set number of days? Why is mindfulness important, and how do you define consistency? All this, and more, in today's episode.

🔗 Connect with Alex

⏰ Timestamps

How Alex like coding but became a violin player (02:01)
Alex moved to Canada via Japan (05:18)
"Codecademy is like Duolingo" (06:59)
How a product role turned into a marketing role, and that marketing role lead Alex back into coding (07:59)
Breaking out of tutorial hell with freeCodeCamp (11:37)
Community break with Jan The Producer (13:25)
You have to be frustrated to motivate yourself (15:02)
How #100DaysOfCode was born (16:55)
The basic rules of #100DaysOfCode (19:50)
Alex Booker's GitHub activity streak (20:39)
Procrastination, rationalization, and manifestations of resistance (21:32)
We are a little bit too addicted to comfort (24:44)
There's no quick way to break your own resistance and discomfort (25:45)
How to maintain your momentum (27:05)
What happens if you break the streak of #100DaysOfCode? (29:22)
If in the course of 120 days you've coded for 100 days, it's better than if you gave up on day 30 (30:51)
Amateur vs professional mindset (31:50)
Top tips for making it to the end of #100DaysOfCode (35:28)
How to plan your coding challenge (36:21)
Following rules blindly is not the answer (37:29)
Create a positive feedback loop (39:24)
Tutorials should have to include mistakes (40:09)
Managing your willpower: there is no plan B (40:53)
What is Discomfort Academy? (45:49)
Next week on the show, Shaundai Person! (47:32)

⭐️ Leave a Review

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What to Do If Nobody's Hiring (and How to Slide Into Their DMs When They Do), with Rachel Nabors May 01, 2024

Meet Rachel Lee Nabors 🇺🇸🇬🇧! They are an award-winning cartoonist who transitioned to become a developer with a passion for teaching the world how to code. Rachel has worked at major tech companies such as Microsoft, AWS, and Meta. At Meta, they were a pivotal contributor to react.dev, the award-winning version of React documentation.

Rachel is also the author of the Tech Career Survival Guide, a series of Substack essays that may or may not become a book. In these essays, they teach readers about emotional resilience, managing change, and the practical aspects of working in tech. In this episode, Rachel will share their secret for landing high-profile tech jobs, as well as advice for owning your non-linear career path, especially if you're a career changer. You will also discover how to deal with a job market where opportunities may seem scarce and what you can do if nobody seems to be hiring. Plus: why you shouldn't email Dan Abramov, who to reach out to instead, and why collecting feedback from people directly is often better than staring at analytics.

🔗 Connect with Rachel

⏰ Timestamps

How Rachel became a developer while being a cartoonist (01:29)
How Rachel handled the career shift into professional development (03:08)
Code can make things come to life (05:48)
Very few people are given jobs just because they're popular (09:22)
Break (11:07)
How Rachel gets her FAANG roles (12:28)
What to do if nobody's hiring (14:48)
How can a new developer create value in the community? (16:28)
How Alex did the same (18:41)
Great Recession was tough, but it brought up some great engineering (21:17)
Increase your chance to get lucky later (25:43)
What to do if you don't have a linear career path (27:38)
When changing career paths, it can feel like starting from scratch (31:26)
Developing expertise is not a good thing! (32:14)
Are your skills out of date, and how Rachel transferred her old skills into new roles (33:33)
Barista engineering (36:52)
Don't be ashamed of your previous work experience, however unrelated (38:40)
How Rachel adjusts to change and challenges and helps others do the same through The Tech Career Survival Guide (40:56)

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This is How Companies Think About Hiring, with Dominik Piątek Apr 24, 2024

Meet Dominik Piątek 🇵🇱🇬🇧! Dominik moved to the UK from Poland in search of career opportunities. He worked odd jobs, acquired a varied set of skills, and became a partner in a digital agency at the age of 23. That's where he got interested in front-end development, and more than a decade later, Dom is still in London. He's a staff developer who has also led cross-functional teams, worked with complex JavaScript applications and multiple times served as a tech lead.

Dominik interviewed Alex for a job in their previous company. Today, the tables have turned, and Alex interviews Dom. In this episode, you'll learn what Dom looks for in a candidate, what's the difference between a senior developer and a tech lead, and whether or not whiteboard interviews can actually be useful. Dominik also talks about company values and explains the notion of a culture fit once and for all. You'll find out if the hiring processes are getting better, what are the current interview trends, and how different companies optimize their interviews so that they select just the candidates that are right for them.

🔗 Connect with Dominik

⏰ Timestamps

In an interview, you only get one shot (01:34)
Sometimes you get nervous, but sometimes you're too relaxed (02:45)
How Dominik became a developer (04:19)
Why Dominik left Poland (05:21)
"This is not like C!" (06:56)
It's going to take five years to become comfortable with coding (11:26)
Don't be buzzwordy! (12:13)
Community break with Jan the Producer (15:50)
What do companies want to see in a beginner developer (19:39)
If your PR gets destroyed, don't be emotional (23:49)
What's a culture fit? (24:39)
Can you codify culture? (26:34)
A lot of time, values are aspirational (28:13)
Why do people tend to hire people like themselves? (29:12)
Should you vibe with your job interview? (30:38)
Is your ability to interview more important than your coding skills? (32:54)
Are whiteboard interviews a culture test? (34:15)
Who needs whiteboarding as a skill? (39:33)
Do you need computer science fundamentals? (43:54)
Closing advice: The job market always ebbs and flows, focus on your own growth! (45:31)
Next week on the show: Rachel Lee Nabors (46:45)

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The Safe Exit: How to Quit Your Job the Right Way, with Ian Douglas Apr 17, 2024

Meet Ian Douglas 🇺🇸🇨🇦! Developer, DevRel, Tech Educator, Career Coach, and author of The Tech Interview Guide, Ian Douglas, has been coding professionally since 1996. During that time, he worked at seventeen different companies! So, he probably knows a thing or two about how to transition companies in the most productive and secure way.

Whether you're a new or more experienced developer, sooner or later, the time will come to change companies. How can you be sure it's time to quit your job? How do you hand in your notice, and what do you even write in a resignation letter? Why is a manager who gets surprised by your leaving the company probably not a good manager? How do you hand off your projects, and when do you tell your coworkers you're moving on from the company? When should you publicize your new role on LinkedIn, why do some recruiters hit you up 90 days after you've changed jobs, and ultimately, how should you navigate all this in today's job market?

If you need help moving on from your role - or at least renegotiating it, listen to this episode!

🔗 Connect with Ian

⏰ Timestamps

Alex changed jobs recently! (01:58)
"The first thing you really need to understand is why you want to leave the company" (03:16)
Have a direction in mind (05:02)
It takes six to twelve months to hit your stride at a new job (07:13)
With all the info you have currently, could you see yourself being at the new company for at least two years? (09:29)
Sometimes the company changes, and that's okay (10:00)
Should you feel guilty when quitting your job? (10:49)
What you need to know about notice periods (12:46)
The risk of resigning (14:42)
Get all your paperwork signed first (16:34)
What if your current company wants to keep you? (17:31)
Even if they manage to keep you, they might not trust in your loyalty (18:59)
Always communicate with your manager (21:00)
If you leave a job, it shouldn't really surprise your manager (22:29)
What if your company can't make the accommodations you need (23:20)
You need to be able to trust your manager (25:45)
How to communicate your resignation (26:27)
How to write your notice letter: it's just a notification email! (28:53)
Should you tell the team you're quitting (30:21)
Be prepared to lose access to company stuff (31:31)
Can you work for a competitor? (32:06)
Should you tell your current employer about the new company (33:48)
When should you share the news about your new job on LinkedIn? (37:58)

🧰 Resources Mentioned

Our previous shows with Ian: An Expert Guide to Technical Interviews, and This Is How You Onboard: Actionable Tips for Developers On a New Job

⭐️ Leave a Review

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Early WhatsApp Engineer Jean Lee: Keep Trying New Things in Tech! Apr 10, 2024

Meet Jean Lee! She was the nineteenth engineer at WhatsApp (that was even before it got acquired by Facebook!) and then worked at Meta as an engineering manager for six years after the acquisition. She helped set up WhatsApp's London office and also worked on diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Her coding journey didn't start there - she discovered tech almost by chance after her family moved to California. She wanted to study art - but after taking art courses at her university, she realized that coding was her thing. She worked at a tiny startup competing with YouTube and a huge corporation, IBM, before she realized which company size suited her best. She became an engineering manager at Meta without ever planning to become one - but when an opportunity arose, she took it. Because how are you ever going to know what you like doing or not if you don't try things? Today, Jean is a cofounder of Exaltitude, providing resources and coaching to software engineers navigating the ever-changing tech landscape and cultivating a community where everyone can grow together.

In this episode, Jean shares her best career advice. You'll also find out what it was like to work at WhatsApp during the expansion, why company culture always changes when a company is scaling up, why inclusive hiring practices are important, and what is one thing that juniors never remember they need to do.

🔗 Connect with Jean

⏰ Timestamps

"I had never really met adults who were so into their work before" (01:08)
How Jean decided to learn to code (02:50)
Should you go to university to become a developer (03:52)
Jean's first role: internship at a Youtube competitor (05:14)
Jean's second role was at IBM! (05:41)
Are bigger companies better? Was WhatsApp a happy medium? (06:49)
Is there a difference in how startups and big companies hire? (08:21)
The startup scene then vs. now (09:40)
Should you follow trends and disruptors? (12:20)
Community Break with Jan the Producer (14:50)
The challenges of joining WhatsApp early on (16:57)
How Jean progressed into a management role (19:19)
Give it a go! (21:32)
Alex's personality type, and how personality types relate to work (22:21)
What was it like to set up the WhatsApp London office? (24:28)
"Whenever there's growth, you have to shift the culture" (27:57)
Why we need diversity, equity, and inclusion (28:52)
"Siri would not understand me, and I was offended" (31:04)
How can we support the professional growth of underrepresented people in tech? (32:23)
What is Exaltitude (34:05)
The number one thing developers struggle with (36:02)
Make a brag journal! (39:38)
Next week on the podcast: Ian Douglas! (41:44)

🧰 Resources Mentioned

⭐️ Leave a Review

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You can also Tweet Alex from Scrimba at @bookercodes and tell them what lessons you learned from the episode so that he can thank you personally for tuning in 🙏 Or tell Jan he's butchered your name here.

How Not to Be Afraid of Git, with O'Reilly Author Anna Skoulikari Apr 03, 2024

✨Use this link for a free month of O'Reilly Learning and read Anna's book and any other resource on the platform! ✨ Meet Anna Skoulikari! She's a UX designer turned front-end developer, senior technical writer, and the author of "Learning Git" - a book published by O'Reilly Media that teaches Git in a simple, visual, and tangible manner so that you can build a solid mental model of how it all works.

Anna started teaching Git because she had to understand it herself. It's powerful but not the most user-friendly of tools. Yet, Git is what we all have in common, whether we're working on back-end or front-end development, on Windows or a Mac. Even GitHub's lawyers use Git!

If you're learning to code, you probably have many questions. Should you use GitHub, GitLab, or Bitbucket? What's the difference between a merge request and a pull request? Does it make sense to use Git from your command line, or is a GUI good enough? Where are all those files? And how, for the last time, does any of that work? This episode will help you understand Git and provide you with plenty of practical insights to navigate its complexities effectively.

🔗 Connect with Anna

⏰ Timestamps

Anna’s journey into coding via UX design (01:44)
How Anna decided to conquer her fear of Git (02:25)
What is Git? (03:28)
What can you use Git for? (04:38)
What is GitHub, and what other platforms are out there? (05:35)
GitHub’s lawyers also use Git (07:58)
Should you use Git for your own projects, even if you’re not collaborating with anyone? (08:27)
What is branching? What is merging? (10:39)
How do companies typically use Git? (12:14)
Community Break with Jan the Producer (16:47)
When should a new deveoloper start learning Git? (18:36)
Git is a unifying technology (20:27)
Why is the terminology around Git so confusing? (21:38)
How Anna teaches Git: the colors of the rainbow (23:08)
Making the four areas of Git tangible (25:12)
How to use git: command line or GUI? (28:04)
What are merge conflicts and how to handle them? (33:24)
How to practice merge requests and conflicts? (35:47)
How Anna decided to write a book on Git, and how O’Reilly chooses animals for the book covers (37:57)

🧰 Resources Mentioned

Use this link for a free month of O'Reilly Learning!
Learning Git

⭐️ Leave a Review

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You can also Tweet Alex from Scrimba at @bookercodes and tell them what lessons you learned from the episode so that he can thank you personally for tuning in 🙏 Or tell Jan he's butchered your name here.

The (Not so) Hidden Benefits of Talking about Code, with Scrimba Bootcamp Lead Micha Mar 28, 2024

✨Use this link for a 20% discount on the Scrimba bootcamp! ✨ Meet Michaella Rodriguez! If you're already in the Scrimba Discord community, you probably know her. If not, she's a career changer who discovered Scrimba while learning, like many; she was active in the Scrimba community when Guil recruited the first-ever code reviewers for our bootcamp. Now, she's a bootcamp lead at Scrimba. And no, she never thought she would be a coder - but a friend made her try it.

Yes, Micha and Alex do talk about the Scrimba bootcamp in this episode. But even if you're not interested in the bootcamp, this interview brings a wealth of information that can help you if you're learning to code. You have probably already heard that trying and teaching somebody else is the best way to solidify your learning. Well, in this episode, you'll find out how to do that as a junior, why you should be able to talk about and explain code, and whether you can bring anything to the table in a discussion or a code review if you're not an expert. Also in this episode: group projects, GIT, accountability, (not) letting yourself slide, and Alex's unorthodox StackOverflow strategy.

🔗 Connect with Micha

⏰ Timestamps

How Micha started to learn to code after a friend told her he thought she'd be good at it (01:57)
Micha used freeCodeCamp but turned to Scrimba for JavaScript (03:19)
Eventually, Micha started working at Scrimba! (04:42)
What is the Scrimba Bootcamp? (06:07)
What challenges do coding students typically face? (09:45)
How Scrimba bootcamp keeps students accountable (10:57)
Community Break with Jan the Producer (15:04)
Why code reviews are important (17:03)
Why you should look to give code reviews and not just get them (18:29)
Pay it forward, learn by teaching, and foster community (20:25)
How Alex used StackOverflow while learning to code (21:39)
Why you should be able to talk about code (22:42)
Can beginners actually help someone with their code? (23:28)
The best person to teach a subject is somebody who just learned it (26:01)
ELI5 (26:54)
Some teachers love sounding smart, and that's not always the best for students (28:03)
The common traits of successful self-taught developers (29:09)
Where to learn more about the Scrimba Bootcamp (30:53)
Do group projects as a learner! (33:38)
Next week on the show: O'Reilly author of Learning Git, Anna SKoulikari! (35:02)

🧰 Resources Mentioned

Use this link for a 20% discount on the Scrimba bootcamp!
Scrimba Bootcamp
From Lab Coat to Code: Vanessa's Path from Lab Scientist to Developing Lab Software
Anna Skoulikari

⭐️ Leave a Review

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star review here and tell us who you want to see on the next podcast.
You can also Tweet Alex from Scrimba at @bookercodes and tell them what lessons you learned from the episode so that he can thank you personally for tuning in 🙏 Or tell Jan he's butchered your name here.

Neurodiversity in Tech and Why We Should Care About It, with Parul Singh Mar 22, 2024

Meet Parul Singh 🇬🇧! Parul is a Tech Careers & Neurodiversity Consultant, ADHD advocate, board member at Manchester Tech Festival, Public Speaker, and a former recruitment marketing partner and tech recruiter. The last time she was on the show, she gave us advice on how to stand out and land a role in tech.

Today, we're talking about neurodiversity! What does it mean, why do we need it, why do tech companies seem to attract neurodivergent talent, and how can we create a more inclusive workplace? In this episode, you'll find out why neurodivergent conditions aren't superpowers (but sometimes feel like they are), why some people get diagnosed late, and whether self-diagnosis is valid. Parul is passionate about these topics because of her own lived experience with ADHD and autism, which intersects with her being a woman of color. But even if you're not neurodivergent yourself, chances are you've worked with or managed somebody who is... so tune in!

🔗 Connect with Parul

⏰ Timestamps

What are they: neurodivergent, neurotypical, neurodiversity (02:22)
The medical model of neurodivergent conditions is deficit-focused (04:13)
Stereotypes and internalized ableism (05:53)
What is masking? (08:16)
Are neurodivergent conditions classified as disabilities? (09:02)
Is being neurodivergent a superpower? (10:08)
What are the challenges for an employer in working with neurodiverse employees? (12:43)
How many people working in tech are neurodivergent? (14:01)
You have probably already worked with neurodivergent coworkers (15:43)
On setting expectations, handling challenging situations, and sharing personal stories (16:43)
Double empathy problem (20:20)
Modern corporate culture and delivery pressure (22:09)
How Parul got diagnosed with ADHD at 25 (24:56)
Misdiagnosis, and why autism and ADHD mask each other out (26:34)
You are diagnosed based on how much you inconvenience other people (28:13)
ADHD medication (30:26)
The importance of intersectionality (32:29)
Learned skills vs. habitual skills (34:10)
Is self-diagnosis valid (37:22)

🧰 Resources Mentioned

Annual Report: Diversity in Tech in the UK
Parul's Dopamine Diaries Newsletter
Parul's previous interview

⭐️ Leave a Review

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You can also Tweet Alex from Scrimba at @bookercodes and tell them what lessons you learned from the episode so that he can thank you personally for tuning in 🙏 Or tell Jan he's butchered your name here.

The Only Thing Worth Investing in Is Yourself, with Scrimba Student Özge Mar 13, 2024

Meet Özge Ahras 🇹🇷! Özge studied computer enigneering, but felt her coding skills weren't up to par. She yearned to transition into frontend development and explore cutting-edge technologies, but the company she had spent eight years in was relying on vanilla javascript. Eventually, she discovered Scrimba, back in the day before the Frontend Career Path even existed. Can you imagine?

Özge fell in love with Scrimba's pedagogy and enrolled in the Path. But the journey wasn't without its challenges. It took her two and a half years to complete the course, balancing her studies with a demanding full-time job. And in February 2023, a devastating earthquake struck her hometown in southern Turkey. Yet Özge persevered, realizing that the true investment lay in nurturing her own growth and peace of mind.

Today, Özge is a front-end developer living in sunny Malta! You'll hear how she picked where she wanted to move and how she went about hunting for jobs, as well as learn one trick that boosted her job application success rate. Özge also shares the details of her interview process (spoiler: there was a bit that was slightly unconventional).

This is a story about giving yourself grace and time, staying motivated, and remaining curious!

🔗 Connect with Özge

⏰ Resources Mentioned

Özge studied computer engineering and worked at the same company for eight years, but wanted to get better at frontend (01:03)
How it felt to relearn JavaScript and React (04:15)
Why JavaScript fixed 90% of Özge's work problems (06:43)
Community Break with Jan the Producer (07:48)
How Özge stayed motivated and learned to code alongside her full-time job (09:43)
Özge's mindset shifted after a devastating earthquake that hit her hometown (11:13)
Invest in yourself, that's the only thing you can't lose (12:50)
The aftermath of the earthquake (14:02)
Letting go of material goals (17:38)
Why Özge moved to Malta to continue her career (18:35)
Özge's job-hunting process: ChatGPT and reaching out directly (22:09)
Özge's job interview (22:41)
How Özge got a same-day coding assignment... And successfully completed it! (24:53)
HR questions and a technical interview (26:31)
And finally, the latest technologies! (27:41)

🧰 Resources Mentioned

⭐️ Leave a Review

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star review here and tell us who you want to see on the next podcast.
You can also Tweet Alex from Scrimba at @bookercodes and tell them what lessons you learned from the episode so that he can thank you personally for tuning in 🙏 Or tell Jan he's butchered your name here.

How to Figure Out What You Want to Do, with Scrimba Student Amy Mar 05, 2024

Meet Amy Posten 🇺🇸! Amy was a veterinary technician for fifteen years before she decided to switch careers. First, she discovered freeCodeCamp while on maternity leave. Later, she joined a premium bootcamp but didn't feel quite ready to apply for coding jobs afterward, so she turned to Scrimba to polish her skills. Nowadays, she's a front-end engineer and instructor.

In this episode, you'll learn how to figure out what kind of job you want and what was a small change in her job-hunting approach that brought Amy immediate results. You'll discover what are the gaps in knowledge one might have after a bootcamp, and how you can make learning to code less lonely. Finally, Amy and Alex discuss generative AI tools and how you can use them in your job hunt.

🔗 Connect with Amy

👩‍💼 Linkedin

⏰ Timestamps

How Amy became a Veterinary Technician (01:32)
Maternity leave on freeCodeCamp, and a career change brought up by the pandemic (04:38)
Why Amy likes JavaScript, HTML, and CSS (06:59)
Why Amy decided to join a bootcamp (08:56)
The importance of getting to connect with people (11:16)
Social media break with Jan the Producer (12:43)
How to make learning to code less lonely (14:12)
Joining a bootcamp is like drinking from a fire hose (16:27)
Amy discovered Scrimba through her bootcamp! (18:31)
After the bootcamp, Amy also joined the Scrimba bootcamp (19:37)
Why Amy decided to start from scratch on Scrimba (21:35)
How Amy found her north star and became a teacher (24:48)
Amy changed her approach to job applications and got immediate results! (28:26)
Amy's reach-out strategy and how she got a job interview at the company she currently works at (31:52)
How to figure out what kind of job you want (35:11)
Amy's job interview (36:04)
How to use AI tools in your job hunt (40:22)

🧰 Resources Mentioned

Scrimba podcast: The State of React (and Should You Still Learn It in 2024), with Dev Agrawal
Scrimba podcast: An expert guide to technical interviews with Ian Douglas
Scrimba podcast: This Is How You Onboard: Actionable Tips for Developers On a New Job from Ian Douglas
Learn React for free!
Scrimba Bootcamp
Scrimba's Discord community

⭐️ Leave a Review

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star review here and tell us who you want to see on the next podcast.
You can also Tweet Alex from Scrimba at @bookercodes and tell them what lessons you learned from the episode so that he can thank you personally for tuning in 🙏 Or tell Jan he's butchered your name here.

Slow Down to Speed Up: Teacher-Turned-Developer Chris on Successful Adult Learning and Landing his Dream Role Feb 23, 2024

Meet Chris Webster 🇬🇧! Chris is a full-stack developer based in Reading. In a past life, he taught Mandarin to both children and adults and obtained a master's degree in education. If you're guessing that this episode is about pedagogy, maintaining your mindset, and learning hacks, you're on the right track.

When Chris decided to switch careers, he enrolled in a premium London boot camp. Was it worth the money? Or the time? In this episode, Chris lays out the differences between a boot camp and learning to code by yourself online. He ended up on Scrimba afterward—sometimes even while at work at his first coding job—which helped him land his dream job. But that wasn't the only thing! It's the perseverance, strategies for successful adult learning, and knowing what to look for in the myriad of teaching methods available to us that paved Chris's path to success. In this podcast, you'll learn all about them!

🔗 Connect with Chris

👨‍💼 Linkedin

⏰ Timestamps

How Chris discovered computers (but became a teacher and only later took up coding) (01:09)
Was changing careers an easy decision? (03:57)
What do bootcamps promise, and do they deliver? (06:32)
How did Chris structure his learning? (06:46)
Was Chris happy with what he got out of the bootcamp? (08:36)
Did the marketing of the bootcamp match the actual offering? (10:41)
Midroll with Jan the Producer: Tweet about us! (12:31)
The appeal of a bootcamp: the path + the community (13:27)
How Chris discovered Scrimba (14:34)
The problem with many teachers nowadays (17:40)
Chris's Number One Learning Hack (19:20)
Don't keep hammering the problem (23:18)
The system for problem-solving (25:52)
The stigma of (not) working hard enough (27:18)
Pomodoro technique vs being in the zone: there's a right time for both (29:30)
How Chris found his first job (31:34)
What's it like working for a consultancy (32:38)
How Chris landed his dream job as his second job (34:33)
Chris's LinkedIn strategy (36:37)
Just be enthusiastic! (37:49)
Chris's message to a recruiter on LinkedIn (38:35)

🧰 Resources Mentioned

Learn React for Free!
Book: Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman
Book: How to Solve It by George Polya

⭐️ Leave a Review

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star review here and tell us who you want to see on the next podcast.
You can also Tweet Alex from Scrimba at @bookercodes and tell them what lessons you learned from the episode so that he can thank you personally for tuning in 🙏 Or tell Jan he's butchered your name here.

The State of React (and Should You Still Learn It in 2024), with Dev Agrawal Feb 08, 2024

Meet Dev Agrawal 🇮🇳🇺🇸! With a name like that, how could he not become a developer? He's a software developer, developer advocate, and content creator. Moreover, he's a React expert deeply ingrained in the React community. That's why we invited him onto the show to shed light on the current state of affairs!

You've probably noticed certain discontent surrounding React recently. A basic React app has become significantly more complex. It has been quite some time since there has been a significant update to React, with the recent ones relying heavily on meta-frameworks. And what about the React core team? What's happening there?

All of this might sound disheartening. However, we're delving into whether these concerns hold true in this episode. Let's find out together!

🔗 Connect with Dev

⏰ Timestamps

How Dev became a dev (01:34)
Teamwork is a skill you can learn! (07:06)
Should you go to college or learn to code by yourself? (09:10)
Studying coding can be a "choose your own adventure" game (11:04)
Community break with Jan the Producer (12:42)
How Dev landed his first role in tech (14:28)
Disappointment with React: what's that about? (15:42)
What are meta-frameworks, and why are they gaining traction? (18:55)
React was originally all about the front end... And now? (20:55)
GraphQL and React Server components (22:23)
Pete Hunt, Rethinking Best Practices, and separation of concerns (23:09)
History is repeating itself (24:24)
The most common problem with server components (25:34)
The battle of the frameworks (26:10)
Is Next.JS in an advantageous position? (28:08)
Most people nowadays are using Vue! (34:13)
Should you have FOMO about server components? (36:37)

🧰 Resources Mentioned

Niche Down to Blow Up: Scrimba Student Leo Reveals How to Land an Awesome First Dev Job

Everybody's Doing Their Best... Even Tech Recruiters (and This Is How to Get Their Attention), with Parul Singh Jan 31, 2024

Meet Parul Singh 🇬🇧! Parul is a Tech Careers & Neurodiversity Consultant, ADHD advocate, board member at Manchester Tech Festival, Public Speaker, and a former recruitment marketing partner and tech recruiter. If you're familiar with the topic of neurodiversity in tech, you've probably come across her name. In this episode, we're speaking with Parul because her advice on how to stand out and land a role in tech is anything but ordinary.

This episode contains refreshingly unique and honest insights and perspectives on hiring in tech, along with some new job platforms you can use to inspire or recharge your developer job search. Everybody's on LinkedIn, and that can be a blessing and a curse! In this episode, you'll learn about the best alternatives. Standing out as a junior developer can be challenging, but we'll discuss some ideas on how you can do it. What should your CV look like? Do you need a cover letter? To wrap things up, we'll learn from Parul why some recruiters don't advertise the salary range and what you can do when you see a job ad like that!

Plus: Why should tech recruiters know how to code, and is JavaScript more similar to a ham or a hamster?

🔗 Connect with Parul

⏰ Timestamps

How Parul became a tech recruiter (01:19)
Java vs. JavaScript (03:18)
How Parul learned to code (03:34)
Why it's important to find a coding instructor and method you vibe with (05:35)
Why tech recruiters should know how to code (06:36)
Community break with Jan the Producer (08:42)
How can a developer be recognized by a recruiter (10:08)
Job platforms other than LinkedIn (11:12)
Make sure your profile is up to scratch (12:08)
Who swipes right? (12:49)
How to stand out as an entry-level candidate: your CV (15:01)
Send your CV using normal methods, but THEN follow up directly (17:40)
Do recruiters really only spend a few seconds on each resume? (18:38)
Is sending a cover letter necessary? (20:21)
Should you apply on the weekends? (22:10)
What should you do if you're applying for a job that doesn't list the salary? (23:07)
Why we need to be good negotiators (26:23)
We need empathy (32:59)

🧰 Resources Mentioned

⭐️ Leave a Review

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The Making of an Industry: The Rise of AI Engineering, with Swyx Jan 24, 2024

Meet Shawn Wang (Swyx) 🇺🇸! Swyx is a developer, writer, and startup advisor. If you listen to our show regularly, you know him as the biggest advocate for learning in public! Today, he's the founder of smol.ai and a podcast host and teacher at Latent Space. Last summer, Swyx wrote a blog post titled The Rise of the AI Engineer, which quickly went viral.

In this episode, Swyx will revisit that blog post to see if anything changed. You will learn why AI engineers are a thing, the differences between AI and ML engineers, and why the demand for this specialization is larger than the supply. Swyx also reveals what defines an industry (and why it's not only about tools) and gives many good examples of successful products made using existing foundation models. Swyx and Alex also talk about the inner workings of AI and whether it's a good idea to run AI models on your own hardware.

🔗 Connect with Swyx

⏰ Timestamps

Swyx wrote a blog post about The Rise of the AI Engineer, and it went viral (02:32)
The three-stage progression of an AI engineer (04:33)
Can an AI agent become a CTO? (05:36)
We can become AI engineers now. What changed? (07:50)
We didn't invent AI foundation models; we discovered them (11:27)
Are we evolving new intelligence? (14:20)
AI researchers vs AI engineers (15:36)
Why is AI engineering a specialization? (17:04)
What's an inference API (20:50)
What are weights (21:09)
There's a lot of interest in small AI foundation models (24:27)
Should you use the cloud or run your AI models locally? (25:37)
Is there a demand for AI engineers? (27:26)
What AI products do companies want to build? (29:40)
Updated career advice for new developers (34:51)

🧰 Resources Mentioned

The Coding Career Handbook by Swyx (30% discount applied when you use this link)

Passions, Skills, Environment, and Compensation: Career Coach Adam Broda's Framework for Navigating Today's Job Market Jan 17, 2024

Meet Adam Broda 🇺🇸! Adam is a tech lead and career coach who helps career changers break into tech. He did the same - after a decade of working in aerospace engineering at Boeing, Adam now works at Amazon! Through his coaching business, Broda Coaching, Adam aids career transitioners in constructing personalized job search strategies.

In this episode, Adam unveils the four pillars of his framework: identifying your passions, skills, desired environment, and needed compensation. Alex and Adam also delve into the current state of the job market: have we moved beyond significant tech layoffs, are return-to-office policies contributing to attrition, and what implications do these factors have for software development jobs? Adam will also tech you about different phases of networking—short-term networking, advocacy networking, and engagement networking—detailing how to navigate each of them and which one is most effective.

🔗 Connect with Adam

⏰ Timestamps

How Adam transitioned into IT (and became a career coach) after a long career in the aerospace industry (01:30)
Adam's engineering background vs. his new roles (05:19)
The tech industry changes frequently (08:32)
How Broda Coaching came about (10:32)
Fail fast! (14:22)
The state of the tech job market (and should we be worried about layoffs (15:32)
Why is there fewer junior roles? (18:12)
Returning to the office forces attrition (19:41)
Does social media give you a good overview of what's happening in the job market? (20:59)
Before the pandemic, junior roles had a lower experience requirement (23:19)
Adam's job-hunting strategy (23:51)
Start with your why (25:14)
Passions, skills, environment, and compensation (27:13)
Is niching down limiting your opportunities? (28:02)
Adam's three-phase networking approach (32:17)
Demonstrate potential! (36:07)
Go where you're passionate (39:50)

🧰 Resources Mentioned

Broda Coaching

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Effective Living for Better Coding: From Retail to Software Engineering with Scrimba Student Cassie Jan 10, 2024

🎙 About the episode

Meet Cassie Lewis 🇺🇸! Cassie has a fine arts degree, which turned out to be too fancy for the real world. After working in different fields, from photography to retail, she got interested in coding - and it turned out to be just the right fit with how her mind works! Cassie is fueled by curiosity, creativity, and challenges. And learning to code alongside a day job was certainly a challenge.

Two years into her learning path, Cassie realized she had hit a wall. In an attempt to get unstuck, she joined the Scrimba bootcamp. She also challenged herself to read more non-fiction and embarked on a path toward effective living. In this episode, Cassie explains effective living and how it can make you a more effective coder, too! You'll hear how Cassie defeated burnout, how she approached learning, and how she - only nine months after joining the bootcamp - landed her first dev job. This is a story about setting goals, establishing systems, frictionless networking (even if you don't live in a tech hub), and keeping your plans realistic. But also: this is also a story of creativity and exploration!

🔗 Connect with Cassie

⏰ Timestamps

How Cassie went from a fine arts degree to retail to coding (01:24)
How Cassie chose her careers and roles and basically created her last retail position (03:35)
Cassie originally discovered coding through WordPress (05:11)
Is coding similar to making art? (05:47)
Learning to code was a gradual shift (06:53)
Why you should maintain some balance while learning to code (08:39)
How Cassie managed her self-confidence (10:03)
Community break with Jan the Producer (10:59)
Resources Cassie used to help with her mindset during her coding journey (13:39)
What is effective living (15:39)
What did Cassie do to put herself back on track when she slipped? (19:32)
Cassie's systems (21:13)
Identify the key pillars in your life (23:07)
How Cassie landed her first developer job (26:50)
You never know who can help you (28:07)
How's Cassie's new job going after three months? (34:15)
Getting paid to learn on the job (35:54)

🧰 Resources Mentioned

⭐️ Leave a Review

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You can also Tweet Alex from Scrimba at @bookercodes and tell them what lessons you learned from the episode so that he can thank you personally for tuning in 🙏 Or tell Jan he's butchered your name here.

Who's Afraid of AI Agents? The Future of Automation, with Bob Ziroll Jan 03, 2024

🎙 About the episode

Meet Bob Ziroll 🇺🇸! Bob is Scrimba's Head of Education and one of the Internet's favorite React teachers. His latest course is on AI, but don't worry, there's React... I mean, ReAct in AI as well!

In the previous three episodes, we defined an AI engineer and demystified their tools. We explored foundation models and discussed how to personalize them through retrieval augmented generation and fine-tuning. We also delved into various use cases for incorporating AI models into your projects and explored why ChatGPT has brought a fundamental shift in how we perceive AI.

Today, Bob will guide us through the realm of AI agents, representing the future of automation. An AI agent is capable of perceiving its environment. What does that mean, and how can one create an AI agent? Also, will they eventually take over the world?

Bob will also give us actionable advice on how to stay ahead of the curve in the fast-changing world of AI models, and discuss his vision for the future of AI.

Bob's AI agents and automation course is part of Scrimba's brand-new AI path. Let's dive in!

This is the final episode of our series on AI engineering, introducing Scrimba's AI Engineer Path. This path is your gateway to unlocking the full potential of AI for your projects.

🔗 Connect with Bob

⏰ Timestamps

Nowadays, Bob teaches both React and AI (01:34)
AI is moving even faster than the front end (02:16)
What's new in the world of AI and coding (02:46)
ChatGPT vs. the GPT foundation model (04:15)
What is an AI agent (05:45)
The Terminator! (09:33)
We didn't invent AI; we discovered it (10:29)
Midroll! (11:56)
Prominent examples of AI agents today (12:35)
Will AI agents replace people (15:25)
Why you shouldn't fear nor ignore AI (18:12)
Any predictions about AI are temporary and short-lived (21:36)
How can you build your own AI agent? (24:34)
React... and REact (31:26)
Advice on how to stay up-to-date without getting totally overwhelmed (35:58)

🧰 Resources Mentioned

⭐️ Leave a Review

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You can also Tweet Alex from Scrimba at @bookercodes and tell them what lessons you learned from the episode so that he can thank you personally for tuning in 🙏 Or tell Jan he's butchered your name here.

What Is Retrieval-Augmented Generation and How to Make AI Work for You, with Guil Hernandez Dec 20, 2023

🎙 About the episode

Meet Guil Hernandez 🇺🇸! He is a developer and educator with over 15 years of experience in tech. He's also a Scrimba teacher who is a part of the team bringing you the AI Engineer Path, and in this episode, he's helping us understand retrieval-augmented generation.

In the previous episode, Tom Chant helped us understand the world of AI models. Today, Guil will further teach us how these models work under the hood. AI models don't understand the world like we do. When we interact with them, they turn our inputs into mathematical representations known as embeddings. By creating our own embeddings, we can teach AI to do what we want it to.

Today, we're getting an introduction about making a model aware of your own data source so that that data can be considered for the AI output. For example, using the techniques you'll learn from Guil in this episode, you could connect a model to your customer support conversations so that the model knows what is necessary to answer unique questions about your (or your client's) business.

This is the third episode of our series on AI engineering, introducing Scrimba's AI Engineer Path. This path is your gateway to unlocking the full potential of AI for your projects.

🔗 Connect with Guil

⏰ Timestamps

Guil focuses on RAG and embeddings (01:42)
RAG makes a foundation model aware of your data (03:14)
Spotify has been using RAG since 2014 (05:56)
How embedding works: embedding model + vector database + generative model (09:00)
You're enhancing content retrieved from a database with a generative model (10:26)
A foundation model can't just understand text (10:34)
What's a vector database? (12:35)
Can we make an AI chatbot for the Scrimba podcast? (15:05)
You can chunk the files directly at OpenAI now! (16:49)
OpenAI's Assistants API (17:33)
AI is evolving quickly (19:07)
Assistants API does RAG (19:55)
What is fine-tuning? (20:39)
Differences between RAG and fine-tuning (21:14)
Community break with Jan the Producer (23:58)

🧰 Resources Mentioned

⭐️ Leave a Review

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You can also Tweet Alex from Scrimba at @bookercodes and tell them what lessons you learned from the episode so that he can thank you personally for tuning in 🙏 Or tell Jan he's butchered your name here.

Demystifying AI: What Are Foundation Models (and How to Use Them), with Tom Chant Dec 13, 2023

Meet Tom Chant 🇬🇧! Tom is a Scrimba instructor who is a part of our in-house team that brought you a brand new career path available on Scrimba.com - the AI engineer Path.

In this episode, we're diving into the world of AI foundation models: what are they, how do they work, and how can you use them to build front-end applications that you, until recently, couldn't even think of unless you were a big company with loads of resources.

AI is fundamentally changing the features and user experience of front-end applications. In this episode, you'll learn how to use different foundation models out there (so, not just OpenAI) for your own projects.

This is the second episode of our series on AI engineering, introducing Scrimba's AI Engineer Path. This path is your gateway to unlocking the full potential of AI for your projects.

🔗 Connect with Tom

⏰ Timestamps

One year is a long time in AI (02:14)
What are some of the recent applications of AI that have converted the skeptics? (04:06)
Revenue-boosting usage of the new AI models (07:50)
Is AI a revolutionary shift for developers? (13:03)
What are foundation models (15:41)
How do foundation models work? (18:12)
Multi-modality of foundation models (20:04)
What are the differences between different versions of GPT- 3.5, 4, 4 Turbo... (22:20)
What's OpenAI Whisper? (25:49)
HuggingFace and are alternatives to OpenAI (28:50)
What to do if OpenAI goes down? (32:20)
Why ChatGPT is slow... and running an AI model on your own hardware slower (35:35)
What is fine-tuning? (38:01)
What is RAG? (39:12)
Using RAG can save you money (41:03)
Scrimba's AI Engineer Path and Tom's course (43:46)
Social Media Break with Jan the Producer (46:39)

🧰 Resources Mentioned

The AI Engineer Path

⭐️ Leave a Review

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The Path to Becoming an AI Engineer with Scrimba CEO Per Borgen Nov 22, 2023

🎙 About the episode

Meet Per Borgen 🇳🇴! Scrimba's co-founder and CEO returns to the show after more than two years. In this episode, Per and Alex delve into the emergence of a new breed of developer—the AI engineer.

What defines an AI engineer? What key skills set them apart? Is machine learning knowledge a prerequisite? Why did ChatGPT bring a paradigm shift in our interaction with AI? Dive into these topics, discover how to utilize and personalize existing AI models, and explore alternative options beyond OpenAI.

Since the Scrimba podcast always brings you practical advice, this episode is a guide to the AI engineer stack. Prepare to take notes as Per unravels the terminology and technology crucial for navigating the AI landscape as a developer.

This episode begins a five-part series on AI engineering, introducing Scrimba's AI Engineer Path.

🔗 Connect with Per

⏰ Timestamps

Scrimba's launching its AI Engineer Path! 🎉 (03:11)
Why an AI path is so critical at the moment (04:01)
Why AI engineering is not just a fad (07:32)
Community Break with Jan the Producer (10:41)
Why ChatGPT brought a change in the way we perceive AI, and what's the difference between discriminative and generative AI (11:40)
What's the difference between GPT and ChatGPT (15:50)
What companies build AI tools for developers other than OpenAI? (21:50)
Human + AI is still better than just AI (23:11)
The context is the product (24:56)
Tuning a foundation model - data are the secret sauce (28:53)
What is an AI engineer (29:54)
How is AI engineering different from prompt engineering? (31:20)
How's an AI engineer different from a data scientist or a machine learning engineer (32:04)
OpenAI vs open-source alternatives (34:11)
Making sense of the AI engineering stack (36:26)
HuggingFace has machine-learning models that can run in a browser! (39:15)
What is RAG and how to perform it (39:59)
What is LangChain (41:55)
How's the AI path structured? (45:29)

🧰 Resources Mentioned

The AI Engineer Path

⭐️ Leave a Review

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What Is Productivity Anxiety and How to Beat It, with Matt and Eric from Self-Taught Devs Podcast Nov 14, 2023

🎙 About the episode

Meet Matt Ehrlich and Eric Winkelspecht 🇬🇧! They are the hosts of the Self-Taught Devs podcast. And, you guessed it, they are self-taught devs and career changers to boot. Matt was a park ranger, and Eric worked at an IT solutions company but didn't code. Today, they are a front-end developer and a full-stack developer, respectively, who met through LinkedIn and then decided to host a podcast!

In this episode, you will learn about their coding journeys, the resources they used, and why they decided to be self-taught. They talk about motivation and keeping yourself going, how to create structure, and what to do if you feel guilty when you take a break. If you're curious about what makes a successful self-taught dev, this episode is for you!

🔗 Connect with Matt and Eric

🔗 Timestamps

How Matt Ehrlich took up coding after being a park ranger for years (01:09)
A coding career gives you the opportunity for unlimited growth (02:44)
The Self-Taught Devs podcast tries to fill a gap in information (03:39)
Eric just landed his first full-time software development role! (06:19)
How Eric decided to learn to code (08:06)
How does it feel to change careers after more than a decade (08:43)
Eric's learning resources (10:10)
Community break with Jan the Producer (10:58)
Why Matt took the self-taught route (13:39)
Matt's learning resources (14:54)
Quitting your job to learn to code: pros and cons (16:11)
How long did Matt take to learn to code (17:45)
Can you learn discipline, and how can you stay motivated (19:12)
What can you do if you get stuck (27:26)
Should you be taking breaks from your job search? (29:55)
Listen to this if you get discouraged after getting a rejection letter (30:54)
What is productivity anxiety (33:03)
How did Matt and Eric meet and what makes them work as podcast co-hosts (36:15)

⭐️ Leave a Review

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How to Find Your People and the Work You Find Exciting, with Scrimba Student Anna Oct 24, 2023

🎙 About the episode

Meet Anna Ha 🇵🇱 🇰🇷! Anna was born in Poland, where she majored in English and minored in Chinese. She then moved to South Korea and set off to learn Korean and coding at the same time! Today, she works at a startup that creates tools for learning Korean. Perfect match!

In this episode, you'll discover if coding is a language. Anna also shares her learning strategy, how she discovered Scrimba, what amazing projects she worked on via Chingu, how she kept herself motivated, and how finding a community helped her stay on track. You'll also discover what's the key to both landing a job and looking forward to going to work every day!

🔗 Connect with Anna

🔗 Timestamps

How Anna discovered coding when she had a blog as a teenager but ended up studying languages (01:14)
Anna started learning to code after moving from Poland to South Korea! (03:00)
Anna always wanted to live somewhere else at least for a year (05:16)
How Anna learned to code (06:02)
What to do if you think that coding just isn't for you (08:39)
Community break (11:46)
Focus on one step at a time (14:41)
How Anna juggled different learning resources (15:28)
How Chingu helped Anna get relevant coding experience (18:02)
How Anna landed her first tech role (22:01)
Anna's interview process and what was most important (24:19)
Anna's current company: Learn Korean in Koren (25:19)
Your background is important, and so is your attitude (26:58)
Quick-fire questions! K-pop, Flutter, and Scrimba (30:41)
How Anna found out she was getting an offer (31:45)
The importance of community and support (34:53)
Advice to younger Anna (35:33)

⭐️ Leave a Review

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Mastering Corporate Culture for New Developers Oct 17, 2023

🎙 About the episode

Ready for your first dev job? Today on the podcast, you'll learn how companies work and how teams stay efficient. How does a typical team operate? Who do you report to? How do you know if you're the right culture fit? Why should you know what you need from your team? And why do job postings sometimes... not make sense?

We have compiled the best, most actionable advice to help you understand a corporate environment. You'll hear from engineering manager and career coach Tiffany Jachhja, founder of Technical Integrity Dave Mayer, opera singer turned developer and developer coach Ana McDougal, and engineering manager Jason C McDonald.

📻 Listen to the full interviews

🔗 Connect with everybody

Tiffany: 👩🏻‍💼 Linkedin, 📹 Twitch, 🐦 Twitter, 🌐 Website
Anna: 👨🏻‍💼 LinkedIn, 🌐 Website, 👩‍🚀 GitHub, 🐦 Twitter, 📹 YouTube
Dave: 🐦 Twitter, 🌐 Website, 👨🏻‍💼 LinkedIn
Jason: 👨🏻‍💼 LinkedIn, 🌐 Website, 👩‍🚀 GitHub, 🐦 Twitter, 📖 Dead Simple Python - Idiomatic Python for the Impatient Programmer

⏰ Timestamps

Understanding corporate structure (02:14)
Differences between smaller and bigger teams, and project management vs. people management (04:54)
What should a junior developer look for from their engineering manager? (07:57)
Nine Belbin Team Roles (09:49)
How to find a mentor online, and why you should know how to code in a team (11:08)
A job interview is just looking for compatibility (13:31)
Community break (16:20)
What does it mean to be a culture fit? What is a culture add? (19:12)
Company culture vs. company values (21:55)
How to understand your own values (23:16)
Why you shouldn't get discouraged if you don't meet all the requirements on a job ad (29:22)

🧰 Resources Mentioned

⭐️ Leave a Review

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You can also Tweet Alex from Scrimba at @bookercodes and tell them what lessons you learned from the episode so that he can thank you personally for tuning in 🙏 Or tell Jan he's butchered your name here.

Nadia Zhuk: Anybody Can Code, and Your Background Doesn't Define You Oct 10, 2023

🎙 About the episode

This is a rebroadcast of one of our most popular interviews. Meet Nadia Zhuk 🇧🇾! Nadia made a switch to coding from journalism at the age of 25. That decision has got her moving countries not once but twice! Nowadays, she lives in London, works at Intercom, and helps aspiring developers. She's also written a book, Crossing the Rubycon, filled with practical advice and insider tips on learning to code and building a programming career.

In this episode, Nadia shares her story and many things she's learned along the way! You'll get to know what's it like to learn to code without a technical background, how to manage your mindset and mental health during the process, and what's Nadia's take on choosing your first programming language. Nadia and Alex also discuss common stereotypes about programming, gatekeeping within the industry, and what are the critical but often overlooked factors in choosing what to learn.

🔗 Connect with Nadia

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How Johnny Learned Angular and Typescript in Three Days Oct 03, 2023

🎙 About the episode

Meet Johnny Proano 🇺🇸! Johnny had a long and happy career in sales, spanning almost two decades. But, something was missing, so he decided to explore coding. He thought he had to have a degree, but when it turned out he couldn't afford it, he enrolled into a bootcamp and signed up for Scrimba.

This is a fun and exciting story about career change and looking for your purpose. It is also a story of networking at your daughter's school events, as well as learning Angular and TypeScript (and creating a project using them) in only three days! You'll hear how Johnny approached learning and what kept him going, how to introduce software engineering to toddlers, and how can you turn your failed job interviews in learning experiences once and for all.

🔗 Connect with Johnny

⏰ Timestamps

How Johnny discovered coding because he needed a website (01:35)
Why Johnny wanted to switch from a successful and long-lasting career in sales (04:38)
How did Johnny learn to code, and why did he have to drop out of school (08:07)
Community break with Jan the Producer (13:36)
Johnny's bootcamp experience... and how he found Scrimba (16:02)
How Johnny started applying for jobs, and how he dealt with imposter syndrome (18:27)
Johnny's approach to job applications and LinkedIn (20:33)
Quick-fire questions: DJing, learning resources, and Vue (24:09)
How Johnny turned failed interviews into learning opportunities (26:23)
Johnny got a job via networking at his daughter's school event! (26:56)
How Johnny had only three days to learn a new technology and get ready for an interview (29:30)
"I need to do something that's going to make an impact" (31:52)
Interview tip: ask questions (36:11)
Johnny got a job offer within 24 hours! (36:37)
Do you need a degree to be a developer? (38:59)
Coding for toddlers (39:39)

🧰 Resources mentioned

Johnny's bootcamp
Scrimba's Frontend Career Path

⭐️ Leave a Review

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Changing Careers? This Is How to Defeat the Sunk Cost Fallacy, with Doctor-turned-developer Shona Sep 26, 2023

🎙 About the episode

Meet Shona Chan 🇸🇬🇬🇧! Shona was an anesthesiologist. Now, she's a developer. It all started when she wanted to write an app to solve a problem she had at work as a doctor. One thing led to another, and eventually, she took the plunge into coding, realizing that a career switch might not be such a bad idea.

This is a story of intrinsic motivation, amazing portfolio projects, and landing a job without even having to go through a tech interview. You'll discover how to identify your purpose, find out how to muster enough motivation to tackle difficult decisions, and learn why Shona saw her career change as a lateral move instead of a fresh start. Shona reveals what ten years in medicine taught her and how that relates to her new career If you listen to the end, you will get some fantastic ideas to integrate into your study plan or job-hunting strategy. Plus, you'll find out the ideal music for a cesarean section.

🔗 Connect with Shona

⏰ Timestamps

Shona never thought she would code for a living, although she did play Neopets (02:13)
How Shona started coding because she wanted to solve a real-world work problem she had as a doctor (02:58)
Shona's career in medicine (05:48)
Community Break with Jan the Producer (09:55)
Why Shona eventually wanted to switch careers, and did it feel weird after dedicating so many years to medicine? (11:47)
What skills Shona learned as a doctor helped her become a developer? (14:01)
Doctors on TV vs. programmers on TV (14:55)
Learning to code on YouTube, and when does it become not enough? (15:46)
How Shona enrolled into a bootcamp (18:26)
Why did Shona feel like she needed to give coding a go? (21:35)
Quick-fire questions: Lo-fi Disney and the perfect music for a C-section (23:02)
Shona's new role in a health tech startup (26:03)
When did Shona feel ready to apply for jobs? (Also, her portfolio projects are amazing. )(27:26)
Shona's cold email that brought her a job (31:05)
Shona got hired without a tech interview (32:55)
Why unique projects are never a waste of time (33:55)
Start networking earlier than you think! (35:28)
How Scrimba podcast helped Shona with her career change (36:12)
How to deal with sunk cost fallacy (38:53)

🧰 Resources Mentioned

⭐️ Leave a Review

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star review here and tell us who you want to see on the next podcast.
You can also Tweet Alex from Scrimba at @bookercodes and tell them what lessons you learned from the episode so that he can thank you personally for tuning in 🙏 Or tell Jan he's butchered your name here.

Learning to Code with ADHD: How Zuza Landed Her First Tech Job after Only Four Months Sep 19, 2023

🎙 About the episode

Meet Zuza Grońska 🇵🇱🇳🇱! Zuza is a recently hired new developer with a previous career in social media marketing in the music industry. She's also a Polish transplant who moved to the Netherlands during the pandemic. She craved a career change, and when it turned out that all of her work friends were from the software development team, she put two and two together and decided to learn to code. She landed her first dev job after only four months of intense studying!

Zuza has ADHD, which can be a hindrance and a superpower. In this episode, she talks about the importance of spreading awareness of ADHD and neurodiversity in general. You'll also learn how she approached her portfolio projects, why you should think like a marketer, and how you can stand out in a world where every new developer has a unit converter in their portfolio. Zuza shares how she approached learning to code, what kept her going when she felt unmotivated, why she wanted to leave Poland, and why a career in social media marketing can be draining even though it sounds glamorous.

🔗 Connect with Zuza

🔗 Timestamps

How Zuza started coding in the early 2000s, but never pursued coding (02:26)
How misogyny plaid a part in Zuza's career choices (04:21)
Zuza worked in social media marketing, until she realized it was time for a change (05:46)
How Zuza approached learning to code (spoiler alert: hyperfocus!) (07:30)
Community Break with Jan the Producer (08:54)
Following schedules, and good and bad sides of ADHD (11:35)
How Zuza kept herself motivated (14:25)
How Zuza approached her porfolio and went beyond the stretch goals with her porftolio projects (18:45)
How to think about your projects like a marketer (19:56)
How Zuza applied for a job, even though the job ad was in Dutch and she didn't speak it (24:39)
Why Zuza wanted to leave Poland (and eventually moved to the Netherlands) (29:24)
Zuza's new job (31:22)
Zuza's interview process (32:34)
Quick-fire questions! (33:26)
Zuza's tech interview (36:39)
Zuza became a CSS expert! (37:45)
Working with ADHD (40:17)
Zuza only got diagnosed with ADHD two years ago (44:10)
Why spreading ADHD awareness is important (45:12)

🧰 Resources Mentioned

⭐️ Leave a Review

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star review here and tell us who you want to see on the next podcast.
You can also Tweet Alex from Scrimba at @bookercodes and tell them what lessons you learned from the episode so that he can thank you personally for tuning in 🙏 Or tell Jan he's butchered your name here.

It's All about Your Additude: Building a Software Apprenticeship Program with Luke Hovee Sep 12, 2023

🎙 About the episode

Meet Luke Hovee 🇺🇸! After a career in the US Army, Luke didn't know what to do next. He was considering a career in construction, until he stumbled upon a bootcamp teaching army veterans how to code. Today, he's a full-time web developer with a passion for helping other aspiring web developers getting into tech. Currently, he's creating a software apprenticeship program so that he can help people at scale.

In this episode, you'll find out whether army is a good training for having to deal with product managers, why grit and determination are important, and what's the most important thing you should have to break into tech in today's job market. Luke and Alex also talk about LinkedIn, why getting your second job in tech is way easier than landing the first one, and the current state of the market for junior developers.

🔗 Connect with Luke

👨‍💼 LinkedIn

⏰ Timestamps

How Luke stumbled upon coding by accident (02:11)
Why Luke chose a career in the Army in the first place, and why he eventually retired (04:00)
Why learning to code was challenging (06:19)
On drive and (intrinsic) motivation (09:02)
Were there any transferable skills that Luke gained in the Army? (12:11)
Community break with Jan the Producer (14:11)
How Luke got his first role in Tech (17:13)
Job candidates lack attitude (19:02)
Luke's first role was basically a learning opportunity (20:56)
Why gettint your second developer job is easier (22:27)
Quick-fire questions (23:05): Is Web3 dead?!
Why LinkedIn is Luke's main platform, and why he helps aspiring developers (25:33)
Luke's apprenticeship program (28:41)
Job market's tough right now (33:34)
Can you cultivate the right attitude? (36:11)

🧰 Resources mentioned

⭐️ Leave a Review

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star review here and tell us who you want to see on the next podcast.
You can also Tweet Alex from Scrimba at @bookercodes and tell them what lessons you learned from the episode so that he can thank you personally for tuning in 🙏 Or tell Jan he's butchered your name here.

Ultimate LinkedIn Guide: Listen to This If You’re Working on Your LinkedIn Profile Sep 05, 2023

🎙 About the episode

No matter where you are in your career journey - whether you're a new developer just looking to break into the industry or an industry veteran - having a strategic and up-to-date LinkedIn profile is a must. LinkedIn is something we often talk about on this podcast - many people, from experts to recently hired Scrimba students, have shared their tips and tricks for this social network over the course of 130 episodes.

In this episode, we have compiled their best, most actionable advice. If you're looking to refresh your LinkedIn profile this fall, or you're just about to create one for the first time, this is the episode for you!

Tune in for LinkedIn tips from the LinkedIn profile review guy Austin Henline, pastor-turned-developer Chris Mccoy, GitHub program manager Laura Thorson (who has only ever gotten jobs through LinkedIn), and iOS engineer at paypal and career mentor Stephanie chiu.

📻 Listen to the full interviews

🔗 Connect with everybody

Austin: 👨🏻‍💼 LinkedIn, 🐦 Twitter
Laura:👩‍💼 Linkedin, 🌐 Website, 🐦 Twitter, 👨‍🚀 GitHub
Stephanie: 📸 Instagram, 👩‍💼 Linkedin, 🌐 Website, 🐦 Twitter, 👩‍🚀 Github
Chris: 👨🏼‍💼 Linkedin

⏰ Timestamps

Who is Austin Henline (01:32)
Why LinkedIn is a must for aspiring developers (03:00)
What are the most important sections of your LinkedIn profile? (04:04)
How to reverse-engineer what recruiters are searching for (05:26)
Should you be careful not to spam your LinkedIn profile with keywords? (07:54)
How to know if you're ready to put a skill on your LinkedIn (09:37)
Skill assesments (11:37)
Community break! Your tweets and reviews from Apple Podcasts (12:18)
Chris McCoy signed up for LinkedIn halway through Scrimba (14:15)
How to be genuinely present on the platform (15:59)
How to find your tone of voice... and not spread yourself too thin (18:35)
How Chris added Scrimba to his education on LinkedIn and THINGS WENT WILD (19:30)
You shouldn't let LinkedIn replace your portfolio or GitHub profile, but it can be a significant part of your strategy (21:41)
How to make the LinkedIn algorithm work for you, with Stephanie Chiu (22:50)
Keep your goal in mind and remember nobody likes to scroll (24:46)
Check what a recruiter sees on LinkedIn and optimize accordingly! (26:46)
How Laura Thorson went to interview at Facebook and realized they had printed out her LinkedIn profile (28:18)
LinkedIn bio in third person (29:52)
Life-changing advice from a recruiter on LinkedIn (31:24)
What to do if you don't want to make content on LinkedIn (35:07)

⭐️ Leave a Review

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star review here and tell us who you want to see on the next podcast.
You can also Tweet Alex from Scrimba at @bookercodes and tell them what lessons you learned from the episode so that he can thank you personally for tuning in 🙏 Or tell Jan he's butchered your name here.

Treat Learning to Code Like an RPG (and You Might Get a Job in Three Business Days), with Scrimba student Tomáš Aug 29, 2023

🎙 About the episode

Meet Tomáš Lukeš 🇨🇿! Tomáš is an audio engineer turned primary school teacher turned developer! In only nine months, he learned to code alongside a full-time job, created an awesome portfolio, and then landed a job in three business days. What?!

In this episode, you'll discover exactly how he did it! Tomáš will reveal why he approached learning to code as if it were an RPG, how he selected his projects, why going the extra mile while crafting your portfolio is a must, and how you can transform code-alongs into something of your own. You'll also learn the definitive answer to the question of how many hours it truly takes to reach a hireable level of coding proficiency. Tomáš and Alex also discuss job hunting strategies, the power of persistence, self-discovery,and the importance of knowing the exact industries you want to work in.

🔗 Connect with Tomáš

⏰ Timestamps

How Tomáš went from audio engineering to learning development (01:25)
Why sound technicians make good develoeprs (02:10)
Tomáš had always been interested in coding (03:15)
How Tomáš learned to code alongside a full-time job, and how long did it take? (04:39)
What courses did Tomáš use? (06:35)
Learning coding during the AI boom (07:06)
Community break with Jan the Producer (08:19)
How Tomáš approached projects - by taking course projects and making them his own (10:53)
Why you need good projects to impress HR people (13:59)
Tomáš learned to code at a hireable level in this many hours! (15:12)
How Tomáš approached job hunting, and landed a job in three business days (15:30)
Why Tomáš only applied for local jobs (17:53)
Startups hire quicker than bigger and older companies (19:26)
Why you should say "I don't know" during an interview (21:17)
Quick-fire questions: Tailwind, Josh Tried Coding, and Steve Lacy (23:47)
How to learn to code: persistence and self-discovery (25:54)
Advice for building portfolios (28:44)
Localized job search (33:18)
Trust the process! (34:53)

🧰 Resources Mentioned

⭐️ Leave a Review

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star review here and tell us who you want to see on the next podcast.
You can also Tweet Alex from Scrimba at @bookercodes and tell them what lessons you learned from the episode so that he can thank you personally for tuning in 🙏 Or tell Jan he's butchered your name here.

What Are the Most Common React Mistakes? Inside a React Job Simulator with Johannes Kettmann Aug 22, 2023

🎙 About the episode

Meet Johannes Kettmann 🇩🇪! Johannes is a Fullstack JavaScript Developer from Germany who's also the mastermind behind profy.dev - it’s a React Job Simulator program for aspiring Junior React developers. Originally, Johannes studied physics before transitioning into coding, and he's been working as a freelancer or contractor ever since!

In this episode, dive into Johannes's coding journey and discover why he's all about React. Get ready for tales of his first freelancing gig - it wasn't a walk in the park, but it taught him loads and gave him a taste of freedom. That's why Johannes never considered a 9-to-5 job and embraced contracting. Tune in for the lowdown on why React rocks and the rookie mistakes even experienced developers stumble upon. Curious about a React Job Simulator? You'll learn what it is and why we needed one. Plus, hear what are the skills that aspiring junior developers usually don't have, that can really make you stand out.

✅ 👨‍💻Sign up for profy.dev with 10% discount using coupon code SCRIMBA at checkout!

🔗 Connect with Johannes

⏰ Timestamps

How Johannes went from experimenal physics to software development (01:36)
Johannes started from Android development, but the first steps were shaky (04:51)
Johannes worked on a project for six months... and didn't get paid (07:31)
What Johannes learned from his first freelance experiences, and why he never considered getting a full-time job (08:22)
Freelancing vs. contract work (11:20)
Community break with Jan the Producer (13:06)
Is contracting a good way to get your first job in tech? (15:09)
Is freelancing a good way to get your first job in tech? (16:12)
How Johannes eventually focused on React (17:06)
What is profy.dev? (22:09)
Why code rewiews are cool, and what are the most common React mistakes (26:37)
Quick-fire questions and Kent C. Dodds (31:33)
How can junior developers stand out during job interview process, from the perspective of someone who interviews a lot (37:05)
Should a junior learn TypeScript? (39:19)
Why your personality is important (40:26)

🧰 Resources Mentioned

Podcast: Intentional career building with Kent C. Dodds

⭐️ Leave a Review

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star review here and tell us who you want to see on the next podcast.
You can also Tweet Alex from Scrimba at @bookercodes and tell them what lessons you learned from the episode so that he can thank you personally for tuning in 🙏 Or tell Jan he's butchered your name here.

How Mohamed Landed a Dev Job Through Instagram Aug 15, 2023

🎙 About the episode

Meet Mohamed Amine Hachemi! Mohamed is a full-stack developer who recently landed his first dev job! But that's not the most amazing part of his story. He actually found that job through Instagram! In a world where everyone is applying through LinkedIn, Mohamed decided to take a different approach and utilize social media. In this episode, you'll discover exactly how he did it. And no, it doesn't involve cold DMing.

After completing his law studies, Mohamed realized that a career in law wasn't what he truly desired for the next few decades. He reflected on his childhood interests and rediscovered his passion for coding. With some prior experience in HTML and CSS from editing Blogger templates as a teenager, he immersed himself in front-end development. Eventually, he expanded his skills to backend development when he joined his current company. Tune in to hear more about his coding journey.

🔗 Connect with Mohamed

👨‍💼 LinkedIn

⏰ Timestamps

Mohamed was always interested in tech, but he studied law (01:29)
Why Mohamed decided to switch careers (02:21)
How Mohamed learned to code and did editing Blogger templates in his teen years help (04:24)
Why is JavaScript more challenging than HTML and CSS, and how did Mohamed learn it (on YouTube, of all places)? (07:34)
Community break with Jan the Producer (10:26)
How long did it take Mohamed to learn enough to start applying for jobs (12:33)
How Mohamed try the typical job-hunting strategy (applying on LinkedIn) and then decided to pivot to social media (14:06)
Can you land a job on Instagram, and how?! (15:02)
Mohamed's new job, and learning back-end (19:06)
Why you need an internship (20:49)
Working remotely vs. a saturated job market (21:09)
What did Mohamed's interview process look like (22:38)
Quick-fire questions: Friends, not followers (23:14)
What happens if you get an internship that doesn't turn into a job afterward? (24:14)
What does an employee want to see from an intern? (25:50)
Mohamed blogged about his learning progress on LinkedIn, but didn't care how many people saw that (27:31)
Was it difficult to decide to switch careers? (32:40)
Don't truest everything you see on YouTube (33:52)

🧰 Resources Mentioned

⭐️ Leave a Review

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star review here and tell us who you want to see on the next podcast.
You can also Tweet Alex from Scrimba at @bookercodes and tell them what lessons you learned from the episode so that he can thank you personally for tuning in 🙏 Or tell Jan he's butchered your name here.

Are You a New Developer? Follow This One Tip! (With Scrimba Student Danny) Aug 08, 2023

🎙 About the episode

Meet Danny Vogel 🇩🇪🇪🇸! Danny is a lawyer-turned-developer who decided to switch careers after ten years in law! In high school, he thought he could never do maths and picked a different path. It was meeting his wife, who is a software developer, that made him stop seeing coding as something unachievable, and the search for a better work-life balance that made him start learning. When he quit his job, he focused on coding. But nobody was responding to his job applications. Danny then went to a developer meetup in Barcelona, where somebody gave him wise advice...

In this episode, Danny shares about his coding journey and the struggles along the way. You'll learn how to approach projects, why a "shotgun" approach might work for you, and why it's better not to work remotely if you're just starting out. Danny also talks about his experience with Chingu.io, a platform that pairs you with other developers to create group coding projects, and how he's benefited from joining it. Ultimately, you'll find out how Danny landed his first dev job, even though the company didn't advertise the job he's doing now as a junior position!

🔗 Connect with Danny

👨‍💼 LinkedIn

⏰ Timestamps

Danny always liked computers but never saw himself as a coder (02:26)
Is coding more about letters or numbers? (03:03)
Danny went into law, studying in Barcelona and New York. How did it feel to switch careers after ten years? (03:45)
What made Danny learn to code? (05:22)
Did Danny’s wife, a developer, play a part in his decision to learn to code? (06:10)
Coding and law are often misrepresented in movies and on TV (07:20)
How Danny learned to code (07:45)
Frontend vs backend (08:43)
Was learning to code hard? (09:14)
Community break with Jan the Producer (10:35)
How Danny knew it was time to quit his job in law (12:21)
What was Danny’s approach to looking for dev jobs (13:47)
Danny went on a meetup and got a great piece of advice (15:09)
Danny also joined Chingu.io - what is it? (20:38)
Group projects vs. solo projects (21:49)
How Danny’s projects helped him land the job he now has (22:26)
Shotgun approach! (23:06)
People often talk themselves out of applying for jobs not classified as junior (24:07)
Give yourself options! (25:35)
Quick-fire questions: Danny’s wife, coding to Muse, and videogames! (27:07)
Danny’s interview process (30:12)
What’s HackerRank, and why you should be prepared for it (32:45)
How Danny felt when he got the job (37:01)
Does Danny’s experience in law help in his new role? (39:13)
Should new developers work remotely or at the office? (41:43)

🧰 Resources Mentioned

⭐️ Leave a Review

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star review here and tell us who you want to see on the next podcast.
You can also Tweet Alex from Scrimba at @bookercodes and tell them what lessons you learned from the episode so that he can thank you personally for tuning in 🙏 Or tell Jan he's butchered your name here.

From Lab Coat to Code: Vanessa's Path from Lab Scientist to Developing Lab Software Aug 01, 2023

🎙 About the episode

Meet Vanessa Vun 🇺🇸! Vanessa is a long-time listener of the Scrimba podcast. She's also a career changer who has spent a decade working as a lab scientist before realizing she would be happier coding. She started learning front-end in April 2022. By September, she started applying for jobs. In June this year, she landed a job at a startup making lab software!

However, Vanessa's path to success was not without challenges. She started applying for tech jobs during layoffs, facing rejections due to a lack of relevant experience. In this episode, she shares how she tackled that and whether or not unpaid internships and volunteering are a good idea. You'll also learn how Vanessa created her own curriculum by analyzing what people learn at bootcamps, why it's essential to get outside feedback on your coding projects, and how to make the most out of your LinkedIn, mentorships, and the podcasts you listen to.

🔗 Connect with Vanessa

⏰ Timestamps

How Vanessa gave up on coding and became a lab scientist (01:25)
Vanessa was surprised at how analog lab management tends to be (02:55)
Why Vanessa decided to leave her lab career behind (04:17)
How Vanessa learned to code - but this time, for real (05:36)
Vanessa has been a webmaster of Lady Crvsh Crew since 2019. What did she learn making a website with Squarespace? (08:58)
Vanessa started applying for jobs during layoffs! (09:45)
Community break with Jan The Producer (10:22)
How Vanessa stayed motivated during tech layoffs, and tackled her lack of tech experience (12:36)
Why volunteer experience is different to just working by yourself (15:07)
What is SciShield? (17:01)
Vanessa's LinkedIn strategy (18:16)
How Vanessa discovered a position at SciShield (19:18)
The power of domain knowledge: SciShield liked Vanessa being a former scientist! (20:10)
How Vanessa went through six rounds of interviews (21:08)
Quick-fire questions: Learning resources, Javascript superpowers, and people to follow (22:27)
What Vanessa gained from consultations with a mentor (23:56)
Should you go for unpaid internships, or should you always insist on being paid for your time? (25:16)
Careful where you volunteer at! (26:53)
What is Hack for LA? (27:47)
How does domain knowledge help Vanessa at her new job? (29:16)
Should a front-end engineer know databases? (32:24)
The importance of having a good manager (33:37)
Was learning to code worth it? (34:39)

🧰 Resources Mentioned

⭐️ Leave a Review

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star review here and tell us who you want to see on the next podcast.
You can also Tweet Alex from Scrimba at @bookercodes and tell them what lessons you learned from the episode so that he can thank you personally for tuning in 🙏 Or tell Jan he's butchered your name here.

How to Create a Personal Brand as a Developer Jul 25, 2023

🎙 About the episode

Personal branding is something we often mention on this podcast. However, it is also something many developers don’t prioritize.

In today's job market, having a strong personal brand is vital for success in the tech industry. Personal branding involves crafting a distinctive image and reputation for yourself, setting you apart, and ensuring you get noticed rather than ignored. When others appreciate your work and projects and understand your capabilities, they may approach you with enticing job opportunities or freelance projects. A hiring manager at a company you applied for will, for sure, google you. Wouldn't it be great if you could control what they see?

Also, by maintaining a personal brand, you’ll be more visible to your peers - which will help you create or find community.

In this episode, we’ve compiled advice from multiple experts to help you get started with or further develop your brand as a developer. Get ready for actionable advice from Gary Simon, Cassidy Williams, Josh Comeau, Shawn Wang (Swyx), and Madison Kanna!

⏰ Timestamps

What is a personal brand (02:22)
Why you should have a blog (04:02)
Allow yourself to iterate (04:34)
Why you shouldn’t rely solely on social media (06:27)
What can you do if you’re not good at design? (07:21)
Community break with Jan The Producer (16:40)
Why you should blog about your learning process (18:54)
How to streamline your content production (23:46)
How can you do all this while actually learning without just becoming a content creator? (26:24)
Different ways of learning in public (28:10)
How to organize your portfolio projects and talk about them (30:52)
Putting yourself out there is intimidating, BUT (33:19)
Start small and just write (35:50)

🧰 Resources Mentioned

The Coding Career Handbook by Swyx (30% discount applied when you use this link)
Learn in Public by Swyx
Josh's book, Building an Effective Dev Portfolio (it's FREE!)
xScope
PixelSnap
Fontpair
Podcast: Becoming a six-figure freelancer, with Gary Simon
Podcast: Homeschooler, College Dropout, Developer and Master Networker: Crush Your Career with Madison Kanna
Podcast: How to Create a Web Dev Portfolio That Both HR and Other Developers Will Love, with Josh Comeau
Podcast: Ace the job interview with Cassidy Williams
Podcast: How to make your own luck with Shawn Wang (Swyx)

🔗 Connect with Gary Simon

🔗 Connect with Cassidy Williams

🔗 Connect with Josh Comeau

🔗 Connect with Shawn Wang

🔗 Connect with Madison Kanna

👩🏼‍💼 LinkedIn
🌐 Website

⭐️ Leave a Review
If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star review here and tell us who you want to see on the next podcast.
You can also Tweet Alex from Scrimba at @bookercodes and tell them what lessons you learned from the episode so that he can thank you personally for tuning in 🙏 Or tell Jan he's butchered your name here.

Is This Easy Mode? Breaking into Tech in 400 Hours, with Writer-Turned-Developer Jen-Li Lim Jul 18, 2023

🎙 About the episode

Meet Jen-Li Lim 🇲🇾! Jen is a writer-turned-developer who has recently landed her first developer job! Although she had been tech-adjacent in the past (before becoming a full-stack developer, she worked in content marketing) and had always been interested in coding, it wasn't until the lockdowns that Jen started learning to code. She was doing it alongside a full-time job and quickly realized that she shouldn't compare herself to other learners since everybody has different circumstances.

Jen started learning to code as a hobby. But after a couple of years and only about 400 hours of studying later, Jen realized - hey, this could also be an exciting career! She now works at a company offering free, lightweight vector animations for your website and tools to create, edit, and embed them. In this episode, you'll learn about Jen's struggles with coding and how she overcame them. She'll share invaluable insights on selecting portfolio projects, navigating roadmaps, and why learning to code is akin to learning to swim. Get ready to be inspired!

🔗 Connect with Jen-Li

⏰ Timestamps

How Jen got interested in tech back in the days of Neopets but never pursued it (01:40)
Do you need to be good at math to become a developer (02:29)
How Jen became a writer and worked in content marketing (03:32)
Are there any similarities between content marketing and code? (04:21)
What was it about coding that drew Jen in? (05:57)
The hard part of learning web development is that there's no single path, and that's why Jen ultimately learned on Scrimba (07:55)
How Jen structured her studying (08:50)
Community break with Jan The Producer (10:42)
How Jen logged her studying time and learned to code in only 400 hours! (12:48)
Why you should learn to code at your own pace (13:39)
How to get project ideas (15:32)
Did Jen plan to switch careers? (18:18)
Changing careers challenges your identity (19:38)
Jen changed careers by means of an internal transfer. How's that different from applying for a job from the outside? (21:01)
How Jen felt about the competition, and what was her advantage (22:23)
Shortcuts vs. strategies (23:09)
What is LottieFiles? (24:15)
How Jen found out she was getting her first dev job (25:52)
What Jen wishes she knew when she was starting to learn to code (26:51)

🧰 Resources Mentioned

⭐️ Leave a Review

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star review here and tell us who you want to see on the next podcast.
You can also Tweet Alex from Scrimba at @bookercodes and tell them what lessons you learned from the episode so that he can thank you personally for tuning in 🙏 Or tell Jan he's butchered your name here.

This Is How You Onboard: Actionable Tips for Developers On a New Job from Ian Douglas Jul 11, 2023

🎙 About the episode

Meet Ian Douglas 🇺🇸🇨🇦! The first repeat guest on the Scrimba Podcast and author of The Tech Interview Guide, Ian Douglas, has been coding professionally since 1996. With experience at several notable companies and currently working at Postman, Ian is not only a software engineer but also a mentor, streamer, and career coach.

Whether you're a new developer or aiming for a mid-level or senior position, the onboarding process can feel overwhelming. In this episode, Ian shares his invaluable insights on how to make your onboarding experience truly worthwhile. From essential do's and don'ts to areas where proactive engagement is crucial, Ian covers it all. Discover the importance of taking notes, effectively handling negative feedback, and the significance of asking questions. Worried about asking too many questions? Ian addresses that too. With these insights and more, you'll be equipped to have an amazing first few weeks at your new job.

🔗 Connect with Ian

⏰ Timestamps

Ian's background (02:20)
Last time we spoke, Ian had been "live blogging" his job search on LinkedIn. Why? (03:07)
What is onboarding? (07:38)
How formal is the onboarding process? (08:54)
Onboarding at startups vs. at bigger companies (11:55)
Do this to make your onboarding better (12:58)
What are the expectations from new developers during the onboarding period? (14:06)
Tip 1: Don't rush your onboarding (15:22)
If you're maid to feel you're a drain on someone, that's a sign of bad company culture (19:13)
Be proactive and take time to get to know your coworkers (21:55)
Tip 2: Find a mentor (23:15)
You should also have a mentor OUTSIDE the company (24:01)
How to identify a mentor or a buddy internally (25:41)
When does a coworker become a mentor? (27:16)
Tip 3: Ask lots of questions (30:26)
What are the good questions? (34:09)
Tip 4: Make it easy for people to give you feedback (35:09)
Feedback vs. criticism, and how to deal with the latter (35:54)
Keep track of good feedback, and good track of feedback (40:08)
How to handle feedback you don't agree with (42:51)
In software, there's a lot of ways of accomplishing a goal (48:00)
What are the most improtant traits a developer should have during onboarding? (49:51)

🧰 Resources Mentioned

Our previous show with Ian: An expert guide to technical interviews

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How Kyle Became a Developer and Found His First Dev Job in Just Four Months Jul 04, 2023

🎙 About the episode

Meet Kyle Tan 🇵🇭! A business major with an unrelenting passion for coding, Kyle decided he couldn't wait any longer to pursue his dream. Taking a leap of faith, he left his job, discovered Scrimba's Frontend Career Path, and within only four months, he found his first developer job. Talk about lightning speed!

In this episode, Kyle shares his approach to learning, unveiling the secrets behind his rapid progress. Discover the invaluable role of downtime and gain insights into the way Kyle chose his portfolio projects: what are the right ones, and why embracing open-source resources is a game-changer. Kyle also takes you through his interview process, when he had to dive into backend technologies for a week so that he could build his take-home project in less than 72 hours.

Kyle also reveals how his business background played a role in landing his dream job, what's the power in having a community, and what's his advice for everybody currently learning to code. Tune in and unlock the secrets to accelerated coding mastery!

🔗 Connect with Kyle

⏰ Timestamps

How Kyle decided to learn to code after getting a degree in business (01:14)
How Kyle discovered Scrimba and chose frontend (02:13)
What challenges did Kyle face, and how did he solve them? (06:03)
Kyle finished the Career path in only three months by doing it full-time (07:04)
The importance of downtime (07:48)
How Kyle branched out of Scrimba (09:47)
Kyle’s portfolio projects (11:21)
Why simple projects rock (13:06)
Community break with Jan The Producer (14:23)
How Kyle started applying for jobs after only four months of learning to code (17:07)
To interview for the job he got, Kyle had to take a week to learn backend! (20:08)
The interview process: Kyle had to build an app in 72 hours (21:38)
Kyle’s tips for presenting your code in job interviews (23:33)
Culture fit interviews (24:39)
How Kyle felt when he got the job (26:55)
Quick-fire questions (27:44)
What motivated Kyle to change careers (29:47)
Did Kyle’s previous experience help him to land a job so quickly? (31:13)
Did working as a developer live up to Kyle’s expectations? (32:40)

🧰 Resources Mentioned

⭐️ Leave a Review

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How Teacher-Turned-Developer Jess Secured a Tech Job Even Before Learning to Code Jun 27, 2023

🎙 About the episode

Meet Jess Gilbert 🇬🇧! Jess recently made a career change from being a primary school teacher to becoming a developer. In this episode, we delve into her journey and explore how she successfully transitioned in less than a year!

What was it like being a teacher? Are there any similarities between teaching and coding? How did Jess manage to secure a job offer before diving into her coding education? Jess and Alex also discuss Code First: Girls and why it's worth exploring if you belong to an underrepresented group in the tech industry.

Jess shares why Instagram is her social network of choice, which may surprise you since it's not commonly associated with developers. Plus, find out how she learned to code while working as a full-time school teacher and whether the tech industry lived up to her expectations.

🔗 Connect with Jess

⏰ Timestamps

Jess had never considered a career in tech and became a teacher (01:48)
What made Jess learn to code, and how she found Code First: Girls (03:01)
Why learning to code at her own pace was challenging for Jess, and why in the end, she shouldn't have been as worried (05:42)
Why teachers are sometimes reluctant to work on their personal development (09:03)
Community break! Your Tweets and LinkedIn posts, with Jan The Producer (10:20)
How does Code First: Girls work? (12:57)
How Jess landed a job offer even before learning to code? (14:43)
Why do companies invest in programs like Code First: Girls? (17:51)
What was it like to learn to code while having a full-time job? (20:10)
Why the support of a cohort was important to Jess? (21:17)
Was there variation in the ability level of the people in Jess's cohort, and why do soft skills matter? (22:58)
How do Jess's skills as a teacher transfer to coding? (24:17)
Is there a better work-life balance in coding? (25:55)
Quick-fire questions! Do teachers listen to lo-fi bears? (28:56)
How Jess found a community on Instagram as a developer (31:27)
Why are so many people transitioning from teaching? (33:38)
Learning to code is hard, but there are great resources out there, and you can pick the style of learning that works for you specifically (37:59)
How long did it take for Jess to switch careers? (40:12)
What was her first week on the new job like? (41:18)
Why the size of the codebase is a BIG difference between learning to code and working at a company (42:23)

🧰 Resources Mentioned

Programming with Mosh on YouTube
Web Dev Simplified on YouTube
Katherine Gilligan on Instagram
Learn React for free!
Podcast: What a good developer resume looks like and how to write one, with Gergely Orosz
Podcast: The Power of Domain Knowledge: How Katrina Skipped Junior Roles and Immediately Landed a Senior Developer Job

⭐️ Leave a Review

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You can also Tweet Alex from Scrimba at @bookercodes and tell them what lessons you learned from the episode so that he can thank you personally for tuning in 🙏

How not to struggle with CSS, with Kevin Powell Jun 20, 2023

🎙 About the episode

This is a rebroadcast of one of our most popular interviews. Meet Kevin Powell 🇨🇦! Kevin is a CSS Evangelist and educator. He makes weekly YouTube videos, streams on Twitch, writes articles, and teaches courses. His mission is to show new developers that CSS is fun and teach them how it works... and why it works the way it does.

In this episode, you'll learn how not to get frustrated with CSS, how to debug it, why people struggle with it, and how come we might never see a launch of CSS 4. Kevin also explains why different browsers render CSS differently and how much you should actually care about that. Alex and Kevin also discuss how the web gets made behind the scenes and how you can join the conversation and suggest the features you'd like to see in certain technologies. Plus: Bad design trends, tools and plugins, CSS memes, and tabs vs. spaces.

🔗 Connect with Kevin

⏰ Timestamps

How Kevin found himself in the world of web design (01:40)
Can a new developer focus solely on CSS? (04:38)
What is a CSS Evangelist? (07:24)
Why do people struggle with CSS? (09:26)
Community break! (11:00)
Why CSS works the way it does (13:25)
CSS tools you should use (15:25)
CSS extensions for your editor (17:26)
The learning curve of CSS and the Importance of Experience (17:17)
Why different browsers render CSS differently (and why it sometimes doesn't work) (22:31)
Progressive enhancement and accessibility (27:05)
The History of CSS (30:34)
Will there ever be a CSS4? (34:24)
How to stay in the loop and join the conversation around features (36:30)
Quick-fire questions (38:43)

🧰 Resources Mentioned

⭐️ Leave a Review

If you enjoy this episode, please leave a 5-star review here and let us know who you want to see on the next podcast.

You can also Tweet Alex from Scrimba at @bookercodes and tell them what lessons you learned from the episode so they can thank you personally for tuning in 🙏 Or tell Jan he's butchered your name here.

The Power of Domain Knowledge: How Katrina Skipped Junior Roles and Immediately Landed a Senior Developer Job Jun 13, 2023

🎙 About the episode

Meet Katrina Tucker 🇺🇸! Katrina recently changed careers and got her first software engineering job. But here's the interesting part – she didn't start as a junior! No, Katrina was immediately offered a senior title.

In this episode, you'll discover the importance of never labeling yourself as a junior, especially when transitioning careers. Katrina dives into the significance of language and emphasizes how your domain knowledge can make a significant impact. Get ready to uncover Katrina's networking strategies (spoiler alert: you're probably overthinking yours) and gain insights into how she learned to code while juggling a full-time job and family responsibilities. Plus, find out the number one thing you should know about technical interviews and what you can do to work on your interviewing skills.

Join us as Katrina shares her inspiring journey, challenges conventional notions, and reveals valuable tips and tricks for career success. Disclaimer: The opinions expressed by Katrina in this podcast are solely her own and do not represent the views or opinions of her employer.

🔗 Connect with Katrina

⏰ Timestamps

Katrina learned to code at school, thanks to her father, but ended up majoring in international finance (02:19)
Katrina's career in finance and law (04:14)
After the stock market crashed, Katrina went on to work at IRS (05:04)
Suddenly, Katrina realized she was coding! (05:46)
Katrina's current job combines all of her skills (06:39)
Don't call yourself junior! (07:18)
What made Katrina transition into software engineering (08:10)
Why we should retire the term "breaking into tech" (08:50)
How Katrina joined #100Devs (10:28)
How to learn to code when you have a family and full-time job (11:50)
Community break! Your LinkedIn posts and tweets, with Jan The Producer (14:22)
How Katrina wanted to address her knowledge gap (16:40)
When did Katrina start to feel ready to apply for coding jobs? (18:52)
The most important thing to know about coding interviews (19:47)
How Katrina practiced her interview skills with Brilliant Black Minds (20:56)
Katrina's networking strategy (22:22)
What's the difference between networking and just talking to people? (24:10)
How Katrina found her first software role (26:56)
Find your unique angle and double down (31:44)
How Katrina prepared for her final interview round (32:58)
Why you should ask your prospective employer business questions (33:54)
Why your domain knowledge is important (37:04)

🧰 Resources Mentioned

⭐️ Leave a Review

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OpenAI for Developers: How to Use AI for Coding, with Tom Chant Jun 06, 2023

🎙 About the episode

Meet Tom Chant 🇬🇧! Tom is a Scrimba instructor who has just released a course on building your own AI apps! In this episode, he joins Alex to discuss everything about AI for developers. You'll find out how AI can augment your skills. You'll learn how to use ChatGPT, Codex, and GitHub Copilot, all powered by OpenAI, what their limitations are, and where they overlap.

Tom will also give you useful tips for prompt engineering. You'll hear about the ethical and security risks of using AI when writing code. You'll also get to know how you can train your own ChatGPT model for a specific use! Finally, Tom and Alex also discuss the future of AI. Will coders be replaced with AI language models? Spoiler alert: nope.

🔗 Connect with Tom

⏰ Timestamps

What AI tools can developers use in their coding today? (01:11)
GitHub Copilot vs. ChatGPT for coders (02:57)
Why is generating code with GitHub Copilot superior? (04:34)
What is prompt engineering and how to get better at it (06:01)
What parameters can you tweak when using the OpenAI API to get more customized results? (10:08)
Using AI for debugging (13:03)
The downsides of using AI: security risks and false information (15:05)
How to find balance and use AI wisely (18:08)
Ethical considerations of using AI for coding (19:50)
Why some companies aren’t okay with developers using ChatGPT (23:31)
Community break! Your tweets and LinkedIn posts with Jan The Producer (25:25)
Tom taught English before joining Scrimba (27:27)
Why student examination is broken, and how AI might help change it (28:19)
What’s in Tom’s OpenAI course (30:49)
How to train and fine-tune your own ChatGPT using OpenAI API (35:07)
Why does training data need to be checked by a human, and can you automate that (41:01)
How will developers and AI coexist in the future? (43:21)

🧰 Resources Mentioned

Course: Build AI Apps with ChatGPT, Dall-E, and GPT-4

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How to Get Your First Dev Job by Playing Call of Duty, with Scrimba Student Shaun May 30, 2023

🎙 About the episode

Meet Shaun Jackie Hickman 🇬🇧! Shaun is a new developer who has recently landed his first dev job after meeting his now boss at a LAN party, playing Call of Duty! Earlier, Shaun wanted to become an English teacher but ended up studying social sciences and graduating in business.

Eventually, Shaun realized there was another language he was interested in - and that language was JavaScript. Within a year of dedicated studying, he changed careers. In this episode, Shaun shares how he learned to code while working a full-time job and why it's important to take breaks and have hobbies other than coding. He reveals why long interview processes are not necessarily a bad thing and talks about the philosophy of AI and the ethics of using ChatGPT. Plus: Shaun and Alex delve into the power of determination and maintaining the right mindset.

🔗 Connect with Shaun

⏰ Timestamps

Shaun's long and winding journey into tech (01:29)
Shaun discovered Scrimba by listening to the Scrimba podcast while at work at his previous job! (04:52)
How Shaun learned to code alongside a full-time job, and why you should not overwhelm yourself (05:54)
Power hour (08:16)
What motivated Shaun to get back into coding, and why this episode almost got titled "Learning to code after a breakup" (09:08)
Community break! Your tweets, LinkedIn comments, and Apple Podcast reviews (12:25)
How Shaun met his future boss at a LAN party (14:25)
Increase your surface area! (17:10)
Nobody talks about LAN parties, but they can actually be great for networking (18:08)
Shaun's interview process was long. But that was a good thing! Also, he was at a crossroads: React or PhP? (18:52)
Contacts don't always turn into opportunities overnight, and that is why Shaun wanted to take things slowly (20:45)
Quick-fire questions: Favorite projects, ChatGPT, NetworkChuck, and coding to soundtracks and lo-fi Synthwave (21:56)
Finding a balance in using AI (24:24)
What is business development (27:07)
How Shaun combines his background in business with coding (28:03)
You always bring something from your previous experience with you (29:51)
On failing and sucking at things, and why you shouldn't avoid that (32:24)
Commitment and drive are all you need (34:39)

🧰 Resources Mentioned

⭐️ Leave a Review

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star review hereand tell us who you want to see on the next podcast.

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Career Progression Decoded: Angie Jones' Expert Tips for Entering the Tech Industry and Forging Your Unique Path May 23, 2023

🎙 About the episode

Meet Angie Jones 🇺🇸! Angie is a veteran software developer currently working as a global Developer Relations executive at TBD. Before that, she worked as an automation engineer at Twitter and as a software engineer and master inventor at IBM (where she worked for nine years)! Angie is also a teacher and an international keynote speaker who has authored 27 patents.

In this episode, Angie takes us through her career path, from falling in love with coding through automation engineering to eventually discovering her passion for teaching and DevRel. You'll learn the differences between large enterprises, medium-sized companies, and startups and find out what to look for if you're just breaking into the industry. Angie also talks about teaching, patenting your ideas, and finding specialization. Plus: decentralized technologies, changing jobs with the same company, and why it's important to keep learning new stuff.

🔗 Connect with Angie

⏰ Timestamps

Angie's father thought she should familiarize herself with computers, so she took a C++ course. The rest is history! (01:41)
What Angie loved about programming (03:14)
Are developers missing out if they don't study computer science at university? (04:02)
What makes a good teacher? (05:51)
Community break! Your Tweets and LinkedIn posts (10:00)
Angie got his first role in tech through an internship (11:23)
How Angie spent nine years at IBM (12:54)
What are the advantages of changing jobs within the same company? (13:31)
How does working at a huge corporation compare to working at smaller companies and startups, and why should you try a bit of both (15:12)
What does career progression look like? (17:17)
As a beginner, should you prioritize learning opportunities? What size companies should you go after? (17:55)
Pay attention to the ratio of juniors vs. seniors (19:18)
Software development is about much more than coding (19:39)
How Angie discovered automation engineering and, subsequently, DevRel (20:22)
There are gaps in the market for specializations (23:56)
How to find a slight specialization within frontend (28:06)
Quick-fire questions: Java, decentralized technologies, Sarah Drasner and Kelsey Hightower (29:53)
Angie Jones has 27 patents! Here's how that happened. (34:00)
What does a patent look like? (35:24)
What's it like to invent patents within a big corporation like IBM? (37:54)
Closing advice: Aside from technical competency, what else should new developers focus on? (39:31)

🧰 Resources Mentioned

Sarah Drasner
Kelsey Hightower
Scrimba Podcast with Chad Stewart: Tech Is Hiring, and Here's What You Need to Do!

⭐️ Leave a Review

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Cooking Up a Career Change: Overcoming Burnout and Finding Your Why with Scrimba Student Jimmy May 16, 2023

🎙 About the episode

Meet Jimmy Johnston 🇺🇸! Jimmy is a sous-chef turned developer who's just landed his first developer job after working in the culinary industry for twenty years! The career change took Jimmy eleven months. It also involved going through burnout, figuring out his "why," as well as hitting a dead-end with job applications and changing the strategy from the ground up! In this interview, Jimmy will let you in on all of these things so that you can learn from his experience.

You'll find out the similarities between cooking and computing, how Jimmy learned to code, and why you shouldn't try to learn too many technologies at once. Jimmy also talks you through his interview process so that you can figure out at what point you are ready to apply for a similar position.

🔗 Connect with Jimmy

⏰ Timestamps

Jimmy was always interested in computing but became a chef instead (02:30)
The restaurant industry was hit hard by the pandemic, but coding is almost like cooking (02:54)
How Jimmy learned to code and chose what to focus on (04:59)
Why you should learn how to learn (07:21)
Cooking and web development: science or art? (08:37)
Community break: Your LinkedIn posts, Tweets, and Apple Podcast reviews from the past week (10:41)
How Jimmy discovered the Scrimba bootcamp (12:58)
Jimmy needed mentorship and community, and on Scrimba bootcamp, he found all of that and more (14:31)
If he hadn’t enrolled in a bootcamp, Jimmy would have been back to cooking (19:31)
Quick-fire questions: brain food, getting old, game development, and learning in silence (21:08)
How Jimmy dealt with burnout (25:43)
Jimmy’s job hunting strategy: start with “why” (27:07)
Jimmy tried the “spray and pray” method before, and it didn’t work - but when he changed his strategy, he saw results immediately (28:51)
Jimmy’s interview process (30:27)
What do you need to know to start interviewing for jobs? (33:09)
Jamie’s first technical interview (34:08)
How Jimmy got his first developer job (37:48)
What Jimmy wishes he had known when he was starting to learn to code: Stick to one programming language! (40:38)

🧰 Resources Mentioned

⭐️ Leave a Review

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star review hereand tell us who you want to see on the next podcast.

You can also Tweet Alex from Scrimba at @bookercodes or follow him on LinkedIn and tell them what lessons you learned from the episode so that he can thank you personally for tuning in 🙏 Or tell Jan he's butchered your name here.

Laura Thorson From GitHub: This Is How You Master the Mindset of a Programmer May 09, 2023

🎙 About the episode

Meet Laura Thorson 🇺🇸! Laura is a Program Manager at GitHub and has previously worked at Facebook, Twitter, and Salesforce. She broke into tech after attending the first-ever coding bootcamp in history and has only ever gotten jobs through LinkedIn. So... there's a lot we can learn from her!

In this episode, Laura talks about her career path and how he went from not knowing what coding was to working in high-profile tech companies. You will hear how she approaches LinkedIn and what was the one piece of advice she got from a recruiter that enabled her to get back into tech after a four-year hiatus. You'll also hear how she got a second chance at Facebook after bombing a job interview - and it only took sending a single email!

Laura and Alex also talk about best practices for job interviews, why you should stalk your interviewers, and what to do about impostor syndrome at a new job. Ultimately, Laura reveals how, no matter how you learn to code, the technologies you know come and go - and what you should focus on instead.

🔗 Connect with Laura

⏰ Timestamps

Laura studied oboe, then English, and then enrolled in the first bootcamp in history! (02:05)
How Laura knew made sure she wanted to code before paying for the bootcamp (05:26)
On bootcamps vs. learning on your own (06:35)
What was the first ever bootcamp like? (07:55)
Community break: We got some new reviews on Apple Podcast! Plus, your tweets from last week. (10:06)
Laura’s career in tech: it all started when Salesforce reached out to her on LinkedIn (12:44)
Laura’s role at Twitter (14:07)
How Laura bombed her interview at Facebook but got another chance after sending an email to the hiring manager (15:08)
At Facebook, Laura worked on the Live Video API (18:32)
How Laura approaches LinkedIn (19:49)
Why Laura’s LinkedIn bio is written in the third person (21:37)
How to use your LinkedIn about section (23:19)
Why you should send follow-up emails and research your interviewers so you can ask them better questions (25:21)
If you’re going to ask a question, be prepared, BUT LISTEN (27:42)
When you interview, every touchpoint is an opportunity for them to assess whether you’re the right culture fit (29:22)
The killer LinkedIn advice Laura learned the hard way (30:18)
What to do with your LinkedIn (and portfolio) if you don’t have relevant coding experience (32:05)
Interviewers will do homework on you (33:33)
Quick-fire questions: Ruby, Taylor Swift, water, and AI (35:11)
Laura’s career journey at GitHub (38:47)
Why your most valuable asset is not the coding language you’ve learned (41:29)
Imposter syndrome? Don’t overcompensate but talk to a peer or mentor (44:28)

🧰 Resources Mentioned

⭐️ Leave a Review

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star review hereand tell us who you want to see on the next podcast.

You can also Tweet Alex from Scrimba at @bookercodes and tell them what lessons you learned from the episode so they can thank you personally for tuning in 🙏 Or tell Jan the Producer he has butchered your name here.

How To Get an Internship at Meta (Also: Follow Your Passion), With Scrimba Student Gabriel May 02, 2023

🎙 About the episode

Meet Gabriel Pedroza 🇺🇸! Gabriel is a Scrimba student who has just landed his first internship. And the internship is at Meta (formerly known as Facebook)!

After finishing Scrimba's Frontend Career Path, Gabriel studied computer science at a university, so if you were wondering about the main differences between Scrimba and university, he's the right person to talk to! You'll also hear how he approached learning, how he's already been teaching others how to code, and what did it take for him to get an internship at Meta. More importantly, Gabriel will teach you how to follow your interests and passion, why you shouldn't be afraid of AI, and how to maximize your chances when applying for jobs!

🔗 Connect with Gabriel

👨‍💼 LinkedIn

⏰ Timestamps

How Gabriel got interested in coding when he saw Bruno Simon’s portfolio (01:17)
How Gabriel learned to code (03:23)
Gabriel had imposter syndrome! (04:18)
Scrimba and a university: do they go together, and how do they differ? (05:17)
Community break: Your tweets and LinkedIn posts (08:10)
How Gabriel got his foot in the door at companies like Meta and Google, and the importance of keywords (09:40)
What are OAs (open assessments)? (10:42)
Gabriel almost didn’t apply at Meta! (11:37)
Gabriel taught programming workshops at the university where he’s studying (12:11)
Hard skills or soft skills? Gabriel only had behavioral interviews in person at Meta! (13:03)
How Gabriel prepared for an interview at Meta (14:28)
Why you should practice LeetCode and learn to think like a programmer (15:17)
Gabriel’s internship at Meta (16:10)
Quick-fire questions: coding languages, AI, and people to follow on YouTube (17:00)
Will AI take over coding? (18:43)
Follow your passion (20:52)
Is AI relevant for front-end development? (21:33)
Learning coding is just like learning anything else (23:15)
Don’t try to memorize everything! (24:46)
It’s easy to apply for jobs: here’s what you can do to maximize your chances (25:45)
Gabriel’s plans for the future (28:26)
Next week: Laura Thorson from GitHub! (30:59)

🧰 Resources Mentioned

⭐️ Leave a Review

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star review hereand tell us who you want to see on the next podcast.

You can also Tweet Alex from Scrimba at @bookercodes and tell them what lessons you learned from the episode so they can thank you personally for tuning in 🙏

Tech Is Hiring, and Here's What You Need to Do! (With Chad Stewart) Apr 25, 2023

🎙 About the episode

Meet Chad Stewart 🇯🇲! Chad is a Senior Front End Engineer and the founder of TechIsHiring - it's a hashtag, a community, and a transnational job listing channel helping great jobs and great engineers discover each other.

In this episode, Chad talks about the inspiration behind TechIsHiring, plans for its future, and how he cultivated a community around it. More importantly, Chad will teach you how to cultivate community yourself! We all know we need to network, but networking can be daunting. Chad reveals how he networks, who he follows on Twitter, and why being part of a community can help you get jobs, grow as a programmer, and get help when you need it.

Chad and Alex also talk about different paths to getting into tech. Becoming a developer is not the only way, and we hope this interview gives you some ideas. Plus: computer bugs, the threat of AI, and water.

🔗 Connect with Chad

⏰ Timestamps

How Chad got interested in computers from a very young age (01:54)
There were literal bugs in his computer at times! (03:07)
Why do you eventually need to learn how to learn on your own so you can keep growing (04:35)
Also… Chad learned React using Scrimba! We had no idea. (05:32)
What is TechIsHiring, and how did it start? (07:36)
Community break! We’re highlighting tweets and LinkedIn comments from the past week. (09:27)
Starting a hashtag is not enough - here’s how Chad cultivates community and what the community says about it (10:57)
Becoming a developer is not the only way you can get into tech (13:28)
What TechIsHiring is about, and why Chad doesn’t want to branch out into other niches (18:51)
Quick-fire questions: Will AI replace software developers?
What is the most important thing that a new developer should focus on so they can get their first job? Leverage your connections to get jobs, but don’t forget to grow with your network (25:32)
How to create a network and get involved in communities if you’re not good at networking? (28:42)
Networking is a marathon, not a sprint (31:26)

🧰 Resources Mentioned

⭐️ Leave a Review

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You can also Tweet Alex from Scrimba at @bookercodes and tell them what lessons you learned from the episode so they can thank you personally for tuning in 🙏 Or tell Jan the Producer he has butchered your name here.

Niche Down to Blow Up: Scrimba Student Leo Reveals How to Land an Awesome First Dev Job Apr 18, 2023

🎙 About the episode

Meet Leo de Leon 🇺🇸! Leo was a successful self-taught motion graphics designer. Today, he's a successful self-taught developer! He used to design motion graphics for billboards at an arena in Kansas City that seats 20,000 people. But he needed a change. Eventually, he taught himself how to code in 314 hours over 3.5 months and landed his dream job in a Web3 startup around four months later.

In this episode, you will hear why it's essential to know your learning style and how not doing great at school doesn't mean you cannot learn new things. Leo will teach you how to approach your project and portfolio website, as well as his number one tactic for landing your dream job: niching down.

Alex and Leo also talk about some shady recruiter practices you can come across nowadays, the perks of working at startups (yes, especially in this economy!), developers to follow on YouTube, learning opportunities, consistency, and blessings in disguise.

🔗 Connect with Leo

⏰ Timestamps

How Leo decided to do something with computers after he saw a Matthew Broderick movie when he was 8 (01:59)
How Leo worked as a motion graphics designer for a decade (03:15)
Why Leo wanted to change careers and get into coding, and how a failed job opportunity propelled him forward (04:20)
Why Leo is equipped to teach himself new skills (06:49)
Leo signed up for a bootcamp and then realized it didn’t work for him (when he discovered Scrimba!) (08:31)
How long it took Leo to learn to code (11:01)
Why you need to set realistic goals (11:45)
You’re not too late: there’s never a bad time to get into tech (13:37)
Community break: Highlighting tweets and LinkedIn posts from our community (that’s you!) (15:26)
How Leo approached finding a job and positioning himself in the job market (17:25)
When choosing portfolio projects, choose something difficult! (18:08)
Here’s how to make sure your projects and portfolio look nice! (20:07)
Leo got his first developer job when a recruiter reached out to him on LinkedIn (21:27)
Why a culture fit is important at startups (25:14)
Leo’s trial project took an entire month, but he still got the job! (27:48)
Quick-fire questions: first lines of code, favorite tech YouTubers, and music with lyrics (32:16)
How to create an appealing LinkedIn profile, and how to recognize shady recruiting practices (34:15)
Leo works at a Web3 and blockchain-related company. How did he optimize his LinkedIn profile to get there? (37:30)
Let other people review your LinkedIn profile and your resume before putting yourself out there! (38:36)
Why do you need to niche down and focus on one field or technology (39:56)
Don’t get FOMO: you can’t be known for everything (41:07)
Be consistent and purpose-driven because motivation comes and goes (45:12)
What’s ReadMe Driven Development and how to apply that approach to your career (48:39)

🧰 Resources Mentioned

⭐️ Leave a Review

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You can also Tweet Alex from Scrimba at @bookercodes and tell them what lessons you learned from the episode so they can thank you personally for tuning in 🙏

Becoming a Standout Developer, with Randall Kanna Apr 11, 2023

🎙 About the episode

This is a rebroadcast of one of our most popular interviews. Meet Randall Kanna 🇺🇸! Randall is a software developer, lead product engineer, and the author of The Standout Developer.

Once upon a time, Randall learned the unsettling truth that almost everyone on her team earned more money than her. She mustered the courage to confront her boss and said, “Hey! Google is interested in me. I could go there, or you can give me the fair salary bump I deserve!” They obliged, and at that moment, Randall learned just how important it is to advocate yourself.

Randall wants you to have the best possible start to your tech career and joins the podcast to share what she’s learned about how to stand out and thrive in tech. Spoiler: It’s not just about your coding skills.

🔗 Connect with Randall

🧰 Resources mentioned

📕 The Standout Developer

⭐️ Leave a Review

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You can also Tweet Alex from Scrimba at @bookercodes and tell them what lessons you learned from the episode so they can thank you personally for tuning in 🙏

Ask Better Questions, Get Better Jobs: How Spencer Sped up His Interview Process and Got an Offer Only Four Days after the First Interview Apr 04, 2023

🎙 About the episode

Meet Spencer Dye 🇺🇸! Spencer is a new developer who recently got his first dev job! In the past, he was a designer, but before that, he studied to become a biologist, and then, an accountant! While moonlighting as a designer during his studies, he discovered Webflow, and from there, realized that development is... kind of fun?

In this episode, you'll hear how Spencer learned to code, kept up his motivation by practicing stoicism and filling in a habit tracker, and ultimately landed his first dev job after only five months since he decided to change careers. Alex and Spencer discuss whether you should focus on any job or only the jobs you like, why your background is your asset, and are your coding skills the only thing you should focus on. You'll hear how Spencer interviewed his interviewers and focused on making a human connection - which resulted in one of the shortest interview processes we've heard about on the pod!

Plus: YouTube recommendations, your tweets, and many words of encouragement.

🔗 Connect with Spencer

⏰ Timestamps

How Spencer went from computers to design to biology to accountancy, back to design, and eventually, into development (01:25)
Before learning frontend, Spencer freelanced as a designer and worked with Webflow (03:03)
Spencer dropped out of college and decided to learn development (03:44)
How Spencer created his own curriculum and why he used a habit tracker (04:40)
What challenges Spencer faced while learning to code (06:17)
Nobody teaches problem-solving, but it's essential (06:51)
It only took Spencer five months to learn to code at a hireable level (07:53)
Community break! Here's what you've been tweeting and posting on LinkedIn (08:35)
Interviewing is a skill (11:17)
What's the benefit of focusing only on opportunities you find exciting (12:07)
How stoicism helped Spencer during his job search (12:46)
What Spencer found surprising during his job search (14:23)
Why the job Spencer ended up getting had the most effortless interview process compared to the previous ones (15:06)
Where does Spencer work now? (16:30)
Did Spencer's previous experience in design help him in his new role? (16:56)
Another advantage: Spencer interviewed his boss! (17:49)
On transferable skills (18:18)
Quick-fire questions: favorite frontend YouTube channels, future coding plans, and English breakfast tea (18:52)
Why Spencer chose a career in coding (21:03)
Webflow jobs vs. coding jobs (22:37)
How Spencer got the job within five days of his first interview (24:29)
Spencer's interview process and interviewing his interviewers (22:54)
Focus on making a human connection! (26:47)
Did Spencer have a tech interview? (29:35)
Your coding skills are not the only thing (30:31)
Why it's important to practice interviewing (32:45)
Spencer's tip: Apply at the same company through multiple channels! (33:30)
Closing advice: You will get better! Just focus on the smallest steps. (34:58)

🧰 Resources Mentioned

⭐️ Leave a Review

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star review hereand tell us who you want to see on the next podcast.

You can also Tweet Alex from Scrimba at @bookercodes and tell them what lessons you learned from the episode so they can thank you personally for tuning in 🙏

Learn to Advocate for Yourself with GitHub Developer Advocate Rizel Scarlett Mar 28, 2023

🎙 About the episode

Meet Rizel Scarlett 🇺🇸! Rizel is a Developer Advocate at GitHub. She's also a career changer, software engineer, and community builder!

Rizel dropped out of psychology studies after running out of money. Then she went into IT support, then into coding, and then realized that, after working in an organization that teaches women and non-binary people of color to code, developer advocacy could be a great career for her!

In this episode, you will hear how Rizel learned to code, paved her own path, and knew when she needed to pivot. You'll learn why internships are cool and what to be on the lookout for if you're looking for your first opportunity. Rizel will also teach you why you need personal branding and how to do it even if you're an introvert - complete with step-by-step instructions on how to write a blog post, practice public speaking, or network.

🔗 Connect with Rizel

⏰ Timestamps

Why Rizel switched from psychology to IT and, later, to coding (01:59)
Was the transition to coding easy? (03:08)
Rizel tried many different jobs. Here’s why that’s not a bad thing! (03:41)
How Rizel approached learning to code (05:55)
Community and camaraderie are important parts of learning to code (06:29)
How Rizel decided to enroll in a bootcamp (07:50)
On learning to code with your significant other (08:49)
Thinking like a programmer comes with practice (09:34)
Why Rizel pursued internships (10:44)
Why connections are important (12:13)
What was Rizel’s internship experience like (13:02)
What should you look for in an internship or your first job? (13:47)
Community break! Here’s what you’ve been tweeting (15:47)
What juniors bring to the table (17:30)
How Rizel discovered developer advocacy and got hired as a developer advocate at GitHub (18:45)
What does a supportive manager do (20:46)
How Rizel approaches personal branding (22:08)
You can’t expect people to find you. The best person to advocate for you is you (23:31)
How to work on your public speaking (24:36)
How to work on your writing and how Rizel approaches writing blog posts (26:58)
How to get involved with the community (31:18)
Closing advice: it’s okay to switch your focus, take your time, and maintain a list of your wins! (35:11)

🧰 Resources Mentioned

⭐️ Leave a Review

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Pre-Interview Nerves Are Just Stage Fright: Learn How to Manage Them With Pianist-Turned-Developer Emre Mar 21, 2023

🎙 About the episode

Meet Emre Albayrak 🇹🇷! Emre is a classical pianist from Turkey who decided to change careers, so he trained as a pilot! But then, the pandemic hit. Looking for something else to do (yet again), Emre discovered coding, tried it, and realized he enjoyed it! Only a year after starting to learn to code, Emre landed a job at an international IT company.

In this episode, Emre talks about his long and winding but also efficient path to becoming a developer. You'll hear how he learned to code, what resources he used, and how he approached his portfolio projects and job applications! You will probably learn something about keeping up your motivation and managing stage fright before your interviews.

🔗 Connect with Emre

👨‍💼 LinkedIn

⏰ Timestamps

How Emre went from music to piloting to coding (02:06)
Emre had a developer friend who encouraged him to focus on frontend, after writing his first code in Python (05:10)
What resources did Emre use to learn to code? And how did he discover Scrimba? (07:06)
Emre landed a job only a year after he started learning to code... and he completed the Career Path in the meantime! (08:10)
Emre's job hunting strategy: it's all about your portfolio (09:19)
The secret to getting a job quickly (10:45)
Quickfire questions: Why doesn't Emre, a musician, listen to music while coding? Who are his favorite coding teachers? Who does he follow on YouTube?
How Emre knew he was ready for job interviews? (15:24)
Where does Emre work now? (16:01)
Emre found the job posting on LinkedIn. Here's what happened next (18:12)
Emre had to learn Redux for the test project (18:44)
The interview was so successful that HR told Emre they would continue with him immediately! (19:32)
The final stage of the interview was an English test! (20:05)
How Emre felt when he found out he was hired (20:24)
Community break! Here's what you tweeted since our previous episode. (20:55)
Did Emre regret leaving musicology? (22:37)
How Emre made sure to stay motivated during tougherr times)? (22:57)
How Emre deals with the stage fright that hits right before job interviews and with the pain of being rejected for a job (24:28)
Why does stage anxiety hit? (27:28)

🧰 Resources Mentioned

⭐️ Leave a Review

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You can also Tweet Alex from Scrimba at @bookercodes and tell them what lessons you learned from the episode so they can thank you personally for tuning in 🙏

CodeNewbie Founder Saron Yitbarek: New to Coding? Take Action with These Practical Tips Mar 14, 2023

🎙 About the episode

Meet Saron Yitbarek 🇺🇸! Saron is a developer, entrepreneur, community builder, and the founder of CodeNewbie. Saron has been helping new developers break into tech for a decade, and in this episode, she distills her best and most sought-after advice!

Saron, who recently launched a new project called NewDevCareer.com, is a career changer herself - she first studied to become a doctor! In this interview, you will hear how she decided to make that change, why her first attempts at learning to code didn't work, and what she wishes she knew then. You will learn the ins and outs of different paths you can take to break into tech. You will get practical tips for creating deeper connections within your online community - and learn why they're important. Saron and Alex also discuss the right motivation to learn to code, why tech is fascinating, and how to decide what to learn first.

🔗 Connect with Saron

⏰ Timestamps

Saron’s road to becoming a developer: Originally, she studied to become a doctor and then worked as a journalist (01:31)
How Saron got interested in tech after reading a book on Steve Jobs (03:32)
How Saron approached learning to code and why that approach was wrong (05:43)
Saron first joined startups working in sales and marketing and decided to try coding again out of frustration (08:03)
Bootcamp, university, or a self-directed path? Here’s how Saron made that decision (09:38)
The benefits of bootcamps… and coding communities (11:35)
Community break! Jan the producer reads your tweets, reviews, and LinkedIn posts (13:21)
How can an aspiring developer involve more in the community? (15:21)
How to foster deeper connections online? (17:24)
How important is consistency when learning to code? (19:21)
Can anybody teach themselves coding? (20:23)
What is the right motivation to become a developer? How much should you be passionate about coding? (22:00)
What are a first-time developer’s biggest assets and why? (24:22)
Is “passion” too strong of a word? Should you be passionate about coding? (27:15)
The importance of mentoring juniors (28:53)
Junior developers are an investment (30:45)
What is newdevcareer.com? (32:22)
Information is all around us, but we’re lacking action (36:42)
What is the main problem new developers face? (38:38)

🧰 Resources Mentioned

⭐️ Leave a Review

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How Butcher-Turned-Developer Jamie Got the First Coding Job He Applied For Mar 07, 2023

🎙 About the episode

Meet Jamie Baker 🇬🇧! Jamie is a recently hired new developer who used to be a butcher. Recently, he took the plunge to leave his growing business and, at 38, start his first front-end developer job after only interviewing at one company!

This is a story of perseverance and knowing when to niche down. You will hear how Jamie started coding, why he loves CSS, and how he fell in love with Shopify. You will learn why you should be enthusiastic about the tech you're working with and why if you're sending too many resumes, that might mean you need a better strategy. Jamie also talks about his typical day as a developer working at Velstar, a Shopify agency, why honesty and people skills matter, and why you shouldn't sleep on domain knowledge. There are also some fun quick-fire questions!

🔗 Connect with Jamie

⏰ Timestamps

How Jamie started learning CSS by hosting a football forum (01:54)
How Jamie landed his first paid gig while knowing only CSS (03:16)
How Jamie decided to go from a craft butcher shop owner to front-end developer (and discovered Scrimba) (04:33)
Jamie learned to code alongside his day job (07:29)
His butcher shop had a Shopify website, and Jamie loved it (08:01)
Today, Jamie works in a Shopify agency (09:17)
How Jamie decided to narrow down his focus on Shopify-related jobs (09:58)
Community break! (11:32)
How Jamie left his business and started a coding job at the age of 38 (13:11)
The job Jamie got was the only job he applied for! (13:54)
Jamie's personality and people skills played the biggest role when it came to him getting the job (14:29)
Find what excites you! (18:44)
Quick-fi e questions: Favorite coding courses? Is CSS a language? Why is everybody wearing headphones? (19:28)
What Jamie's typical day at a Shopify agency looks like, and why you should put yourself in the shoes of the user (21:50)
Why you should be honest with your prospective employers (23:27)
Has the career change been worth it for Jamie? (17:00)
Next week: Saron Yitbarek, the founder of CodeNewbie! (29:20)

🧰 Resources Mentioned

Front-end Developer Career Path
Scrimba's Discord Community
Scrimba Podcast: Becoming a Standout Developer with Randall Kanna

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Tech Layoffs Are Still Happening, and ChatGPT Can Code: How To Stay Ahead of the Curve as a New Developer, With Lane Wagner Feb 28, 2023

🎙 About the episode

Meet Lane Wagner 🇺🇸! Lane is an engineering manager and the founder of Boot.dev. In this episode, as an experienced leader and educator, Lane talks about the recent changes in the job market and what they mean for aspiring and established developers alike. With tech layoffs and AI that can write code, how do you even stand out?

Lane and Alex discuss the future of the industry as well as the ongoing recession and why it seems to hit tech companies especially hard. You'll learn what's the main difference between a developer and an AI that can write code and how to focus on it. They also talk about different types of companies, how different paths require different strategies to break into tech, and why it's okay to change companies as that's the quickest way to learn and figure out what works for you..

🔗 Connect with Lane

⏰ Timestamps

Why is the tech industry experiencing layoffs? (01:41)
Do tech layoffs affect junior developers in the long run? (03:20)
Why we are in a recession: the (tech) bubble created during the COVID pandemic burst (05:00)
Why havebig companies mostly hired seniors in the past three years (08:31)
Should junior developers aim to work at smaller companies? (09:24)
Getting a job requires different strategies for different types of companies (12:29)
Changing jobs is okay! (16:06)
Community break! (18:23)
Get your first developer job ASAP because that's the quickest way to learn (20:36)
AI can write code. Should developers be worried for their livelihoods? (22:37)
The difference between ChatGPT and a junior developer (26:03)
If your biggest selling point as a junior is what technologies you use, you're doing something wrong (30:21)
What we can learn from the data available at layoffs.fyi (33:39)
We can't control most things happening in the job market, but we can focus on the things we can control: Lane's advice for junior developers (35:21)

🧰 Resources Mentioned

boot.dev
layoffs.fyi
Blog post: What Do Tech Layoffs Mean for Budding Developers
Scrimba Podcast: How to become a successful Junior Developer with Danny Thompson
Scrimba Podcast: How to Use Twitter to Beat Your Social Anxiety and Land Your First Job, with Scrimba Student Trecia

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Why Finding a Mission Fit Is Important, with Scrimba Student Matheus Feb 21, 2023

🎙 About the episode

Meet Matheus Pessoa 🇧🇷! Matheus is a recently hired new developer who landed his first junior developer job after only about a year of learning to code. To make this story even more awesome, the CTO of the company he now works at reached out to him!

In this episode, you'll hear how Matheus approached learning to code with ADHD, how he chose front-end development as a career that blends his different interests, and how he ultimately landed his first dev job. You'll learn what's important when applying for jobs at startups (hint: it's not necessarily your tech knowledge, especially if you're a junior), whether you can apply for a position involving something you haven't learned yet, and how not to get stuck if everybody on your team is super young.

🔗 Connect with Matheus

⏰ Timestamps

How Matheus decided to learn to code after studying statistics while being interested in visual arts (01:42)
What projects did Matheus make to learn to code? (03:02)
How Matheus decided to focus on becoming a front-end developer (04:32)
How Matheus approached learning to code and navigated being self-taught while having ADHD (05:56)
What's the job market like in Brazil, and when did Matheus start applying? (08:23)
Community break! (09:35)
The real challenge is finding the right cultural fit (11:37)
Matheus found a job because the CTO of the company reached out to him! (12:06)
Interviewing in reverse (14:43)
What kind of technical skills were they looking for from a junior candidate? (15:47)
What made Matheus stand out (16:10)
What is more important: mission fit, tech, or communication skills?
Matheus got an offer letter only five days after the interview! (18:22)
What does a day of work look like for Matheus today? (20:08)
Matheus works in a very young team. Here's why that's awesome and how to do with its shortcomings (20:41)
Matheus's future career goals (21:55)
What Matheus wishes he had known when he was starting out: Be patient! (22:38)
Next week, Lane Wagner of Btalks about layoffs and what they mean for new developers (24:06)

🧰 Resources Mentioned

Front-end Developer Career Path
Scrimba's Discord Community
Matheus' museum project
Optimize Your LinkedIn Page with Danny Thompson
Scrimba Podcast: How to Make Your LinkedIn Stand Out
Scrimba Podcast: An Introvert's Guide to Networking (and Becoming Amazing at LinkedIn), with Stephanie Chiu from PayPal

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How Netlify CEO Matt Biilmann Went from Being Self-taught to Bootstrapping a Company Feb 14, 2023

🎙 About the episode

Meet Mathias Biilmann 🇩🇰! Matt is CEO and Co-founder of Netlify, a cloud computing company you might have heard of. He's also a self-taught developer who was a music journalist in a past life! In this episode, he talks about bootstrapping a company, and hiring his first developers. He also talks about how he initially learned to code and, eventually, decided to change careers! Yes, this story will also take you to the time before everybody had Internet.

Matt will teach you how to best position yourself as a developer, and why companies in different stages of their development look for different things in their hires. Alex and Matt will discuss the current state of the job market and whether you should be worried about the potential for finding job opportunities. And on top of that, this episode is also about the fascinating story about the inception of a company we all know and love.

🔗 Connect with Matt

⏰ Timestamps

How Matt started fiddling with a Commodore 64 before becoming a developer was cool (02:07)
How you would learn coding in the era before everybody was connected to the Internet (03:56)
Matt pursued musicology, comparative literature, and cultural studies degrees and worked as a freelance music journalist! (05:40)
How Matt kept coding as a hobby and decided to switch careers after meeting a girl from Spain (06:10)
Matt’s first notable coding projects: a Sudoku game where you could challenge friends like in Wordle, and a procedurally generated space game (07:24)
How Matt got his first developer job (09:29)
Break: Here’s what our community is saying! (11:50)
How Matt Biilmann went from being an employee to CTO to CEO (14:28)
Matt had a hunch about the future of the web… And it turned out he was right! (17:04)
What is Jamstack? (20:38)
How much code does Matt write today, and how much did he use to write in Netlify’s early days? (23:32)
What was Netlify looking for in the first developers they hired? (25:45)
What kinds of developers do early-stage startups need? What are the differentiators between developers with similar backgrounds? (27:57)
Break: Subscribe! (31:37)
Why do companies still need to hire junior developers? (32:19)
Are junior developers a good investment? (37:03)
Why are there tech layoffs happening right now? (37:49)
Should you be worried about the current state of the job market? (44:28)

🧰 Resources Mentioned

⭐️ Leave a Review

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You can also Tweet Alex from Scrimba at @bookercodes and tell them what lessons you learned from the episode so they can thank you personally for tuning in 🙏

How to Use Twitter to Beat Your Social Anxiety and Land Your First Job, with Scrimba Student Trecia Feb 07, 2023

🎙 About the episode

Meet Trecia Kat 🇿🇦! Trecia is a new developer from South Africa who originally wanted to work in healthcare. She eventually decided to study IT, but she dropped out of college when it turned out that online resources were better! Today she's a front-end developer. She got her feet wet in the world of Developer Advocacy, she beat her social anxiety, and she even spoke at a conference!

In this episode, you'll learn why passion doesn't mean you'll be great at something - and how to recognize what you can actually be great at. Trecia tells us how she learned to code, overcame her fear of interacting with people she doesn't know, and landed her first developer job. Twitter was essential for Trecia's journey - she will teach you how to use it to get out of your comfort zone and what Tech Twitter tropes to ignore. You will also hear about Trecia's DevRel internship at Strapi and how she ended up speaking at a conference by trying not to speak at a conference.

🔗 Connect with Trecia

⏰ Timestamps

How Trecia decided to learn to code, and should you be passionate about coding to do so (01:27)
Trecia wanted to work in healthcare but eventually decided to study IT (02:52)
Why Trecia dropped out of her studies (06:42)
How Trecia decided to pick up front-end when her cousin needed a website (9:30)
Resources Trecia used to learn to code (11:18)
Break: Here’s what you’ve tweeted about the podcast. (13:54)
The biggest challenge Trecia faced was wanting to learn too many things at once (16:13)
Tech Twitter is useful… but don’t believe everything you read (17:41)
How Trecia grew her Twitter following (18:52)
How Trecia used Twitter to fight her social anxiety and connect with the community (20:05)
Trecia got her first freelance gig because of Twitter! (26:15)
How Trecia learned about DevRel and got a DevRel internship (27:29)
Ad break: Next week, it’s Netlify CEO Matt Biilmann! (30:03)
On Trecia’s DevRel internship at Strapi (32:10)
How Trecia spoke at the Next.js conference by trying too hard not to speak at a conference at all (33:36)
Why Trecia decided to drop being a developer advocate for the time being and focus on becoming a better developer (34:34)
What Trecia wishes she knew when she was starting out as a coder: focus on yourself and break out of your comfort zone (37:15)

🧰 Resources Mentioned

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How to Get Better at Communication and Teamwork, with Patrick Akil Jan 31, 2023

🎙 About the episode

Meet Patrick Akil 🇳🇱! Patrick is a software engineer, Golang trainer, and the host of the Beyond Coding podcast. In this interview, he shares his story of becoming a developer and talks about everything beyond coding - mindset, mental health, life- and soft skills. By the way, this is the 100th episode of the Scrimba podcast! 🎉

In this episode, you will learn how to become a better team player and what being a good communicator actually entails. Patrick will teach you how to find your strengths even if you're not the best coder in the world, why mental health is important, and how creating genuine connections with your coworkers benefits everybody. You will also hear how Patrick pivoted to coding after initially missing an opportunity to study it at a university and how he learned from consultants from a company he later worked for!

🔗 Connect with Patrick

⏰ Timestamps

Patrick’s long and winding path to coding through operations (01:28)
Is attending a university a good path to becoming a developer? (05:02)
How Patrick learn development on the job from external consultants (07:36)
People around you will define your growth curve, and mentors are important (10:09)
How much of success is luck, and how much is under your control? (11:09)
How to advocate for yourself (13:13)
What does it mean to be a good communicator (14:16)
Ad break! Next week, it’s Trecia Kat! (16:13)
Why it’s important to talk about things that are ‘beyond coding’? (17:53)
How not to be too harsh on yourself (19:37)
Creating a system that doesn’t rely on motivation (21:55)
What’s more important: hard skills or soft skills? (24:04)
The typical roles within a team (25:28)
How to get better at teamwork (29:04)
Where does perfectionism come from? (33:17)
How to get better at receiving feedback (35:11)
How to apply the takeaways from this interview to interviewing for a job without going over the top (37:56)
Redefining what success means (40:19)
What are goals (43:05)
How Patrick got his first developer job even though he wasn’t expecting to (44:15)
How Patrick became a podcaster (47:54)

🧰 Resources Mentioned

⭐️ Leave a Review

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Reach out to People You Know and You'll Be Surprised: From Comedian to Developer with Scrimba Student Amy Jan 24, 2023

🎙 About the episode

Meet Amy Corson 🇺🇸! Amy is a recently hired new developer. She's also an aspiring comedian! During the pandemic, she realized she was unhappy with her day job and decided to change it. So: this episode is both insightful and funny!

In this interview, Amy talks about learning to code and how her brother, also a self-taught developer, introduced her to Scrimba. You'll learn about ghost buses, local coding meetups, and how help can come from the unlikeliest of places. Amy also teaches you how to pick a coding project you're not going to give up on, even if it might give you food poisoning. Ultimately, you will hear how Amy approached both studying and applying for jobs, how she prepared for the job interview that landed her the job she's doing now, and why vague emails from recruiters are even more stressful when you're in the mountains.

🔗 Connect with Amy

⏰ Timestamps

How Amy went from an aspiring comedy writer with a day job to learning to code (02:12)
Amy quit her job and focused on coding (04:51)
Amy landed her first developer job after a little over a year of studying! (06:20)
How Amy approached learning to code (06:48)
What projects did Amy build? (08:07)
How Amy decided on a complex project, learned a lot, and avoided food poisoning (08:20)
Ad break! Next week, it’s Patrick Akil! (10:17)
How Scrimba’s Discord community helped Amy solve problems better (12:11)
When did Amy decide to start applying for jobs? (13:58)
How Amy tackled her lack of teamwork experience by joining a civic open-source meetup (15:02)
What Amy did when she got stuck on her new project (17:38)
Does Amy’s new job mirror her experience working on the projects at the local meetup group? (18:52)
You don’t know who you know! (21:24)
How Amy landed her developer job (25:14)
What Amy did to prepare for her job interview (27:37)
Why did Amy put work into presenting herself to the interviewers (28:58)
How did Amy's technical interview go? (32:47)
Amy almost two job offers at once! (34:29)
How do you tell your prospective employer to hurry up? (36:22)
How Amy got the job offer she ended up accepting while on a hike with no phone reception (38:15)
Should you negotiate the salary for your first opportunity? (40:08)
Junior developers are an investment (44:39)

🧰 Resources Mentioned

⭐️ Leave a Review

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It's about Who You Know: An Introvert's Guide to Networking (and Becoming Amazing at LinkedIn), with Stephanie Chiu from PayPal Jan 17, 2023

🎙 About the episode

Meet Stephanie Chiu 🇺🇸! Stephanie is a self-taught iOS software engineer and career coach. She's also a chemical engineer who thought she would never code... until she met people who actually worked in tech!

In this episode, you'll learn everything about her path to becoming a developer and landing her first job at PayPal! You'll also learn how important it was for Stephanie to be a part of a local developer community. Stephanie will teach you how to optimize your LinkedIn (and think about what recruiters see), seek mentorship, and reach out to senior developers for coffee chats, even if you're introverted.

Stephanie and Alex share excellent tips to help you find your niche and stand out as a new developer. They also discuss predictions for the state of the industry and job market in 2023.

🔗 Connect with Stephanie

⏰ Timestamps

How Stephanie started coding even though she thought she would never do that (01:36)
The life of a chemical engineer working as a production supervisor and why Stephanie wanted to change careers (04:28)
The collaborative nature of getting into tech and how to do coffee chats with developers (05:52)
Why you should go to hackathons (07:13)
Why getting out of your comfort zone can lead to cool stuff (08:17)
How Stephanie surrounded herself with tech people and why that was helpful (09:16)
Should a junior developer work remotely or in person? (11:48)
Ad break! Reading your podcast reviews + next week on the show: a comedian-turned-developer Amy Corson! (14:00)
How Stephanie picked her tech stack and approach learning to code, and why you shouldn't focus on collecting certificates (16:58)
Why iOS developer communities are tightly knit (20:51)
Why iOS developers generally receive higher compensation (21:55)
How Stephanie got her job at PayPal and why you shouldn't sleep on LinkedIn (25:32)
Do small companies hire juniors in the current job market? (27:34)
How Stephanie was found on LinkedIn by a manager at PayPal... and then rejected (28:50)
The engineers replied back to Stephanie's thank you email, she took up one of them on an offer to help her with learning, and the rest is history! (30:56)
The engineers initially doubted Stephanie (32:28)
How Stephanie's manager needed somebody who could think outside the box (35:24)
What is more important for junior developers: a resume, portfolio, LinkedIn, or GitHub? (37:46)
How to teach LinkedIn's algorithm what is it that you want to become (39:55)
The key to using LinkedIn is curation (40:53)
How the Skills section on LinkedIn makes a difference in what you see and who reaches out (42:33)
People don't scroll, so put the most essential things on top! (44:17)
What recruiters see on LinkedIn, and why Stephanie put her GitHub projects into the Experience section (45:36)
Stephanie's take on the state of the job market in 2023 (47:24)

🧰 Resources Mentioned

Levels.fyi - Salaries and tools to level up your career
Scrimba podcast with Austin Henline: How to make your LinkedIn profile standout according to a LinkedIn expert
Scrimba's Discord server!

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Don't Be Afraid to Take Breaks, but Make Sure to Keep Going: Juggling Learning to Code and a Full-time Job with Scrimba Student Marleigh Jan 10, 2023

🎙 About the episode

Meet Marleigh Morgan 🇺🇸! Marleigh is a recently hired graphic designer turned developer. She has always wanted to learn to code, and she tried to study computer science but gave up after it turned out that, at her university, she was supposed to write Java on paper. During the pandemic, she picked up coding again. Two years later, she changed careers!

In this episode, Marleigh will teach you how to balance learning to code with having a full-time job. She also talks about online communities and how to benefit from them, the importance of developing independent projects for your portfolio, and why you shouldn't be afraid to take breaks when you need them. She also shares how she eventually changed career paths within the company she was already working at and how she knew she was ready to apply for jobs.

🔗 Connect with Marleigh

⏰ Timestamps

Marleigh was interested in coding, but gave up after her university wanted her to write Java on paper (01:27)
Marleigh went back to coding after changing majors and working as a designer for ten years (02:22)
What made Marleigh pick up programming again (03:57)
The importance of being consistent (06:05)
How Marleigh learned coding alongside a full-time job (06:28)
Marleigh's advice for everybody learning to code alongside work (07:41)
The difference in mindset between learning to code as a hobby and learning to code as a career path (10:05)
Ad break: Next week, it's Stephanie Chiu!
How specifically Marleigh learned to code (14:34)
Do you ever feel ready to apply for jobs? (16:44)
Remote vs on-site work for junior developers (17:55)
Marleigh is a Scrimba Community Hero with over 2000 messages on our discord server. Here's how she discovered the Scrimba Community (19:33)
Why being in a developer community is important when you're starting out (20:50)
Job applications don't always pan out - here's how Marleigh knew when to take a step back and tweak her resume (21:13)
Marley eventually ended up changing careers internally - here's how it happened (23:10)
Did they grill Marleigh about her coding skills? (27:33)
The perks of being in the Scrimba community while job searching (28:41)
It's okay to take breaks! (30:37)

🧰 Resources Mentioned

⭐️ Leave a Review

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On Bootcamps, Networking, and Job Hunting During a Recession, with Don the Developer Jan 03, 2023

🎙 About the episode

Meet Don Hansen 🇺🇸! Don is a software engineer and developer mentor who helps aspiring juniors land their first opportunity. He's also a Youtuber, podcaster, and streamer who met his first boss on Twitch!

In this episode, Don and Alex talk about career changes, leaving a good first impression, and the state of the job market right now. You'll learn whether you should consider attending a coding bootcamp or stick to a self-directed path, how to see past the marketing copy on a coding bootcamp's website, and how to actually look at networking (especially if you're bad at it). Don also shares valuable insights on all the things you might be doing wrong if you're just starting your job search.

🔗 Connect with Don

⏰ Timestamps

Don always coded as a hobby (01:19)
Bridging the gap between a hobbyist and a professional: it's a shift in mindset (02:56)
How to keep coding playful while maintaining discipline (05:02)
How did Don go about getting his first coding job? (06:23)
Don met his first boss on Twitch! (07:20)
Why is providing transparency very powerful + are you curious about coding? (09:01)
What Don learned from failed job applications (11:21)
How you should think about networking (13:10)
Ad break! Next week, it's Marleigh Morgan! (14:52)
Fight shyness with exposure (16:21)
How James Mariott fought his insecurities by streaming, and why streaming can be a great strategy for you (19:03)
On imposter syndrome: it never goes away (20:32)
Why you should train yourself to be a problem solver (23:25)
Don put stuff you don't know (or senior developers, for that matter) on a pedestal (25:47)
Short-term vs long-term goals (26:19)
How to pick your area of expertise, and why Don picked CSS (30:10)
Should you sign up for a bootcamp or choose a self-directed route? (34:32)
Can you pick a bootcamp based on their success rate? (38:24)
What to do if you're applying for junior developer jobs but never hearing back? (42:39)
Coding ability vs. soft skills, and why it's important to learn presentation skills (45:58)
What's the motivation behind Don's YouTube channel? (48:13)
How to look for jobs during a recession (51:05)
The only surefire way to fail is to quit (55:47)

🧰 Resources Mentioned

⭐️ Leave a Review

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This Scrimba Student Learned Job Interviewing Skills from Podcasts (and Made a Killer Portfolio, Too) Dec 27, 2022

🎙 About the episode

Meet Mislav Markušić 🇭🇷! Mislav is a new developer from Croatia who has changed careers at the age of 40. After attending law school and realizing it wasn't a good fit for him, he spent 14 years working in a record store! Now, he's a junior developer.

In this episode, Mislav shares how he decided to pursue coding, how long it took, and how he managed to do it alongside a full-time job and a family. Mislav and Alex discuss taking breaks, knowing you're ready to apply for jobs, and whether or not a junior should learn TypeScript. Mislav also talks about his portfolio, how having a well-thought-out portfolio can help you stand out in a sea of candidates, and how you can prepare for your job interview by listening to podcasts!

🔗 Connect with Mislav

⏰ Timestamps

How Mislav started coding after dropping out of law school and working in a record store for 14 years (01:22)
How Mislav knew which technologies to focus on (05:07)
How Mislav approached learning to code (06:54)
Hurry up, but slowly (08:33)
Ad break! Check out our video where Alex is reenacting a day in a life as a learner. Next week on the podcast, it's Don Hansen! (10:55)
Mislav wasn't ready too apply for jobs, but a friend of his thought otherwise (13:22)
The hiring manager loved how Mislav presented himself. Here's what he did, and how he picked his portfolio projects! (14:55)
Podcasts were the single best resource for Mislav when it comes to nailing the interview. Here's why (18:20)
Mislav's interview process (20:22)
Mislav's new job! (23:13)
What's the first week of his first developer job been like for Mislav? (23:47)
How fast do you learn coding at home, and how fast do you learn on the job? (26:55)
How you feel about your abilities can change within a month (28:04)
What would Mislav do differently, and why is that - learning TypeScript? (29:03)

🧰 Resources Mentioned

Blog: Mislav's Roadmap to Getting Hired as a Frontent Dev
Mislav's portfolio
YouTube video: A day in the life of a self-taught React developer in London
Scrimba's Discord server!

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How to Fast Track Your Developer Career, with Katy Ashby Dec 20, 2022

🎙 About the episode

Meet Katy Ashby 🇬🇧! Katy studied physics before becoming a developer, and once she did, she went from a complete novice to a principal developer and team lead in only four years! In this episode, Katy shares how she fast-tracked her career and how you can do the same.

In this episode, Katy talks about why you should remain curious, how to recognize opportunities to progress in a company, and what makes a senior developer. Katy shares her view on whether you should seek a remote position as a junior developer and the benefits of staying at a job for longer. Alex and Katy also discuss contractors and whether you should be wary of them (or become one). Also: HTML for Dummies, and rats!

🔗 Connect with Katy

⏰ Timestamps

Katy never thought she was going to become a developer, even though she dabbled with coding as a child (01:06)
How Katy worked on her first website as a kid and kept coding playful (01:54)
Katy never thought about studying computer science because her computer classes at school were boring, and she ended up majoring in physics with a minor in French! (04:23)
Why a developer career, in hindsight, was a perfectly logical choice for Katy (06:25)
How Katy went from a beginner to a principal developer in four years (07:27)
Ad break! Next week, it's Mislav Markušić! (12:21)
What made Katy determined to climb the ranks? (14:13)
Why becoming a senior developer is more about your attitude than just your coding skills (15:07)
Did Katy know much about software development jobs before she got her first one? (16:10)
More and more physicists are becoming coders. Here's why (17:05)
What Katy learned over the course of four years (19:08)
How Katy used the experience of using Python for a physics internship to kickstart her coding journey (19:55)
Is there anything that Katy would do differently? (23:42)
What challenges did Katy face when she started working? (25:29)
How Katy turned a graduate role into an actual job (27:55)
Consider the whole offer, and not just the salary (30:40)
Should junior developers work remotely or in person? (32:45)
Why applying for jobs at other companies can get you a raise (34:18)
How does everybody working remotely change the job landscape? What's the difference between employees and contractors? (37:46)
How Katy took a break between jobs and shared her knowledge with the community (42:09)
Quick-fire questions: favorite places in the UK, Anglo-Indian food, coffee, and keeping rats as pets! (45:07)

🧰 Resources Mentioned

⭐️ Leave a Review

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You can also Tweet Alex from Scrimba at @bookercodes and tell them what lessons you learned from the episode so they can thank you personally for tuning in 🙏

How to Avoid Burnout, Improve Your Confidence and Keep Coding Fun, with Scrimba Student Sylvia Dec 13, 2022

🎙 About the episode

Meet Sylvialynn Favello 🇺🇸! Sylvia got exposed to coding accidentally: by watching online courses for fun after she took a break from work and studying so that she could have surgery. Today, she works at Docker! She will teach us how to stay on track even when our brains don't want to.

In this episode, Sylvia will give us her insights on how to recognize you're heading towards burnout, how to keep learning fun, and how to remain motivated. She also talks about working on her self-confidence and public speaking by participating in communities and Twitter spaces (the latter is also how she met her hiring manager!), as well as how she found a way to enjoy the learning process for what it is. Spoiler alert: you'll get many unconventional study tips, but they might work for you!

Alex and Sylvia also discuss programming with ADHD, why being a developer is rewarding, and how you can turn perceived failures into learning experiences.

🔗 Connect with Sylvia

⏰ Timestamps

How Sylvia started learning to code because she was bored and wanted to learn... anything (01:48)
Alex met Sylvia a year ago when she was joining Twitter spaces to work on her self-confidence and public speaking. Here's how it went down! (03:59)
Why you should try different things until you find something that sticks (05:12)
How Sylvia's dream about studying at Harvard turned into a passion for coding (05:53)
How Alex got exposed to coding by watching videos from Stanford, and Sylvia's unconventional learning practices (07:09)
Developers with ADHD and how programming can be stimulating (11:12)
Ad break: Have you heard our show with Jessica Chan? Coming up next week, lead software engineer Katy Ashby.
Sylvialynn's approach to learning and why you shoulud follow your cuiosity (15:27)
Why you should always be open to tweaking your goals and plans (17:21)
Finding motivation in challenges (18:39)
Keep learning fun! (20:06)
How to recognize and avoid burnout? (23:18)
Why you should enjoy the journey, not the destination (26:44)
When did Sylvia feel she was ready to start applying for jobs? (28:12)
How Sylvia chose her portfolio project (29:34)
What resources did she use to learn JavaScript and React? (30:25)
Sylvia's approach to findind a job (spoiler: in the end, community is always important) (31:26)
Why you should start working on your presentation skills right away (34:13)
How to deal with mental setbacks in networking and socializing (39:16)
Sylvia met a hiring manager at Docker in a Twitter space! (43:33)
Are you an introvert... or an anxious extrovert (45:33)
Sylvia's interview process at Docker (47:33)
What is it like being an intern at Docker? (49:47)
What's it like doing an internship remotely? (51:00)
Technical vs behavioral questions for a Docker internship (53:12)
How long did the internship last and did it come with a promise of a possible job opportunity? (54:46)
Keep trying different things! (57:19)

🧰 Resources Mentioned

⭐️ Leave a Review

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Listen to This If You're Working on Your Developer Portfolio, with Alex from TechRally Dec 06, 2022

🎙 About the episode

Meet Alexander Lee 🇺🇸! Alexander, also known as TechRally, is a front-end engineer at Amazon. He's also a developer coach, Youtuber, and career changer. In this episode, TechRally teaches you how to solve a number of challenges you might face as a junior developer trying to break into the industry.

Alex (the host) and Alex (the guest) discuss the pros and cons of bootcamps, as well as developer portfolios, job market trends, and whether job hunting is similar to... dating. You'll also learn what's the least you can do to stand out as an applicant and how to make sure you really stand out. TechRally will teach you how to approach your portfolio project, how to keep up the motivation, and what to do when you feel stuck in your job search.

🔗 Connect with TechRally

⏰ Timestamps

How Alexander Lee decided to enroll into a coding bootcamp and become a developer (01:48)
Bootcamps vs. traditional education (03:16)
Are bootcamps a good path for people learning to code and breaking into tech? Is there a difference between bootcamps in 2015 and bootcamps today? (05:02)
The best advice for aspiring developers (07:59)
What should you do if you think you're doing everything right but you still don't hear back after you apply for jobs? (09:39)
Ad break! Have you listened to our interview with Madison Kanna? Plus: You can leave a review of our podcast and make the producer smile. Next Tuesday: Sylvia Favello, who started learning to code because she was bored after surgery!
Your developer portfolio and resume should be the best at the start of your career (16:31)
How many projects should you have in your developer portfolio? (18:31)
How Alexander landed a job at Amazon (19:19)
Why do there seem to be fewer recruiters reaching out at the moment? (21:28)
What is the current state of the tech job market, and is there enough work for juniors? (22:42)
Should you worry about seasonal trends in the job market? (25:24)
What are the aspects of the hiring process that a junior developer can control? (26:43)
Job hunting vs. Tinder (30:46)
What kind of projects should you have in your portfolio? (33:14)
One solid project kills two birds with one stone (34:34)
How to stay motivated while building bigger projects (36:26)
Quick-fire questions: coffee, front-end frameworks, and Korean food! (41:13)

🧰 Resources Mentioned

⭐️ Leave a Review

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You can also Tweet Alex from Scrimba at @bookercodes and tell them what lessons you learned from the episode so they can thank you personally for tuning in 🙏

Code Like Nobody Is Watching: On Community, Learning, and Finding the Right Culture Fit, With Scrimba Student James Nov 29, 2022

🎙 About the episode

Meet James Marriott 🇬🇧! He's a software developer and a career changer who previously worked in education, project management, and communications. He devoted himself to learning to code during a lockdown because he likes making things! In this episode, you'll hear how he found a way to get more comfortable coding in front of interviewers by streaming on YouTube, avoided emails to stay motivated, and ultimately landed a job at a company that perfectly fits his personality.

James also talks about impostor syndrome, the importance of finding a community, and how being open about not knowing something can benefit you in the long run. He and Alex also discuss whether coding skills alone are enough to land you your first job and whether your previous work experience is relevant when you're breaking into tech.

🔗 Connect with James

👨‍💼 LinkedIn

⏰ Timestamps

How James decided to become a developer after decades of waiting (02:31)
How did James learn to code? (04:18)
How does one go from hobbyist to professional? Plus, the true value of Scrimba (05:26)
How James connected to other coders in the community (07:06)
The difficulty of changing careers later in life (09:30)
Ad break! Have you listened to our interview with Quincy Larson? How to support us and who's on next week (10:29)
Changing careers in your 40s: advantage or disadvantage? (13:30)
What do you have in your 40s that you don't have in your 20s? (16:06)
Where does motivation come from? (17:03)
How James approached finding his first developer job (18:40)
James set up an email filter so that he couldn't see rejections! (19:32)
Focusing on the things you can control (20:32)
James was interviewed by three companies - here's how it went down (21:25)
What James learned from his first interview and how he battled his fear of live coding by... streaming on YouTube! (23:40)
Why should you learn how to explain your code to other people (27:16)
On imposter syndrome (29:10)
How James ended up in a company that aligns with his values (31:08)
Slow burning motivation, humility, and finding a good fit (34:19)
James' interview process and why you shouldn't lie on your resume (36:59)
James' technical task and being transparent (42:37)
Salaries, how to do them differently, and why a higher salary isn't always a good thing (47:19)

🧰 Resources Mentioned

⭐️ Leave a Review

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You can also Tweet Alex from Scrimba at @bookercodes and tell them what lessons you learned from the episode so they can thank you personally for tuning in 🙏

How To Figure Out Your Strengths as a Career Changer, With Caitlyn Greffly Nov 22, 2022

🎙 About the episode

Meet Caitlyn Greffly 🇺🇸! She's a career changer, developer career mentor, and the author of The Bootamper's Companion, a book of tips she wishes she had known when she was breaking into tech. In her past life, she was a psychologist working in beer. After changing careers at 31, Caitlyn is nowadays a full-stack software engineer with a passion for frontend.

In her book, Caitlyn shares resources, advice, and approaches to help you stand out and find a job. In this interview, she does the same! You'll hear how she decided to become a developer and chose a path to get there. You'll learn why you shouldn't be intimidated by your more experienced colleagues, and why struggling is essential. Caitlyn and Alex also discuss how employers can help juniors grow and how new developers can figure out if an employer is right for them.

🔗 Connect with Caitlyn

⏰ Timestamps

How Caitlyn ended up in programming after studying psychology and working in beer (01:37)
Becoming a coder as a woman in a male-dominated industry (03:03)
Did Caitlyn have any exposure to coding before attending a bootcamp? (04:39)
How Caitlyn knew she was ready for a career change (05:59)
The bootcamp landscape in 2019 and why Caitlyn chose that instead of a self-directed route (08:35)
How Caitlyn found a bootcamp that worked for her life circumstances (10:06)
Ad break: We had a bootcamp mentor on the show! (13:04)
What Caitlyn found more challenging - coding itself or maintaining positivity and motivation (15:08)
The importance of struggling and what to do when you struggle (18:17)
Why you should time box (21:22)
Caitlyn’s book, The Bootcamper’s Companion (21:54)
How Caitlyn got her first developer job (25:02)
On being front of mind and building a community (26:49)
The thing that had the biggest impact on Caitlyn’s journey - how one tweet resulted in her hanging out with Scott Hanselman! (29:17)
How to get yourself out there as a new developer… if you’re an introvert (32:46)
Caitlyn’s experience interviewing (35:45)
Are interview processes a necessary evil? (40:28)
Don’t forget to interview the company! (42:42)
Did Caitlyn feel like she was starting from scratch, changing careers at 31? (46:58)

🧰 Resources Mentioned

Scrimba Podcast: Bootcamp Mentor Hussien Khayoon: Careers Come in Three Stages, and Here’s How To Navigate Them
Scrimba Podcast: How to become a successful Junior Developer with Scott Hanselman from Microsoft
Book: The Bootamper's Companion by Caitlyn Greffly
Scrimba's Discord server!
Thinkful

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Hired by Coca Cola! How Michael Learned Coding on Work Breaks and Changed Careers at 51 Nov 15, 2022

🎙 About the episode

Meet Michael Robards 🇺🇸! Michael is a career changer whose path to becoming a developer was a long and winding one: he was a business analyst and a personal trainer; he worked front of house and managed restaurants; he studied biology and worked in customer service. Eventually, he got a developer job at Coca-Cola!

In this episode, Michael shares his story and his approach to learning and getting a job. He did a lot of things right, and he's also a proof that it's never too late for a carreer change. Michael and Alex also talk about imposter syndrome, difficulties of learning to code while having a full-time job, differences between big and small companies, and why having to keep on learning is a great thing about working in tech.

🔗 Connect with Michael

👨‍💼LinkedIn

⏰ Timestamps

Michael's long and winding path to becoming a developer (01:44)
Why Michael thought becoming a software developer wasn't right for him (08:17)
How Michael commited to learning to code - and did that on company time, at least at first (09:04)
On learning to code while having a full-time job (11:56)
How Coca-Cola helped Michael on his coding journey (12:45)
Ad break: We had a lot of career changers on the podcast. Here's one of them! Plus how to support us, and who's on next week (it's Caitlyn Greffly)!
Is there anything Michael would've done differently? (17:43)
Why did it take four and a half years for Michael to get a software job at Coke? (20:31)
What does it look like to be hired internally? (22:57)
How to fight imposter syndrome? (25:12)
What kind of a coworker does a junior developer need? (27:32)
Why you should do things at your own pace and choose your employers wisely (28:35)
Michael's career goals (31:01)
Keep on learning! (31:47)

🧰 Resources Mentioned

Some of the career changers we interviewed: Chris, Silvia, Theo, Wemerson
Scrimba's Discord Community
Grow with Google
The Frontend Developer Career Path
Codecademy
Freecodecamp

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Homeschooler, College Dropout, Developer and Master Networker: Crush Your Career with Madison Kanna Nov 08, 2022

🎙 About the episode

Meet Madison Kanna 🇺🇸! She's a front-end developer and a creator of a coding book club. She's also a college dropout, a master networker, and a former homeschooler. In this episode, you'll learn about her fascinating journey and get a lot of good, actionable advice!

Madison will teach you how to figure out what you are actually interested in and how to keep pursuing it. You'll learn about her journey to becoming a developer and how being homeschooled helped her in the early days of her coding career.

Also in this episode: Why do companies want juniors with experience, and what did Madison do to go around it? Do you get any better at personal branding if you get a domain with your name at the age of nine? Why is it important to work on production code? How to stand out if you don't have a degree?

Madison also shares how a single tweet turned being laid off into the best experience of her life!

🔗 Connect with Madison

👩🏼‍💼 LinkedIn
🌐 Website
🐦 Twitter
👩‍🚀 Github

⏰ Timestamps

How Madison dropped out of college and decided to learn to code (01:28)
Do you need a college degree? (02:50)
What's it like being homeschooled, and did it help Madison teach herself development? (04:11)
How to avoid burnout as you're learning to code? (06:20)
How to tackle projects as a self-taught developer? (08:09)
How to follow your curiosity? (11:48)
What was Madison's goal? (14:07)
When should you start applying for jobs? Also, MOMS! (15:37)
Madison and her sister, Randall, both became developers. Were their parents an influence there? (18:40)
Madison's approach to personal branding and history of blogging (21:26)
How Madison created her first tech opportunity - and why it was an unpaid apprenticeship (24:25)
Why do companies want juniors with experience (26:44)
How to get the experience needed for your first tech job (28:28)
Why you should work on production code (29:28)
Should you go easy on yourself or keep grinding? (31:50)
Recently, Madison got laid off! But one tweet changed everything. A.K.A. Here's why you need to build community (37:04)
Should you interview even when you're happy at your job? (44:38)

🧰 Resources Mentioned

Scrimba Podcast: From Doctor to Developer, with Jefferson Tang
Scrimba Podcast: Becoming a Standout Developer with Randall Kanna
Book: Deep Work by Cal Newport
Blog post: Why I'm Glad I Grew Up Playing Neopets

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From Growing Up as a Coder to an Internship at Microsoft, with Scrimba Student Rían Errity Nov 01, 2022

🎙 About the episode

Meet Rían Errity 🇮🇪! He's a Scrimba student who started learning to code as a child. Today, he studies Computer Science and Language, a study program that marries his interest in linguistics with his passion for computing. He has also recently completed an internship with Microsoft!

In this interview, Rían talks about his love for computers, growing up with Linux, how he ended up choosing his study program (hint: there was YouTube involved), and whether he actually needs a CS degree. Alex and Rían discuss what self-taught developers might be missing out on compared to developers who are learning to code at a university and what universities could learn from bootcamps and online platforms like Scrimba. You'll also hear all about Rían's internship at Microsoft and learn about his journey from Dublin, where he was competing with 16.000 candidates, to former Skype offices in Tallinn, Estonia!

This episode is jam-packed with actionable advice, but it also brings you an exciting story brimming with enthusiasm!

🔗 Connect with Rían

⏰Timestamps

How Rían became a programmer: it started with growing up with Linux (02:00)
What is CoderDojo (02:45)
Why programming appealed to Rían as a child (04:01)
On Lubuntu and Minecraft (05:42)
How Rían chose his study program (by watching Tom Scott) (06:26)
Computer Science and Language (08:37)
Do universities give you more in-depth knowledge? (12:34)
Teaching children how to code as another way of learning (14:17)
Ad break: If you like the show - share it! And mention Alex on Twitter. Next week, it's Madison Kanna! We already interviewed her older sister (and the link for that episode is below, under Resources).
What are self-taught developers missing out on compared to the ones coming out of a university? Do self-taught developers have a hidden advantage? (16:58)
How do you test programming at a university? (20:11)
Has math been important to Rían as a developer? (21:54)
How Rían got an internship at Microsoft (23:42)
Are Microsoft internships attainable to self-taught developers? (26:38)
How Rían had to compete with 16.000 people and eventually ended up at the old Skype headquarters in Estonia (28:58)
Does Microsoft care about technical skills or culture fit? (32:48)
Rían's interview process for a Microsoft internship (35:24)
What is the difference between coding and programming? (37:37)
How Rían thought the offer from Microsoft was a spam email (38:40)
More on Microsoft's interviews (39:49)
What does being an intern at Microsoft look like? (41:17)
Rían's advice to anybody who's just starting to learn how to code (45:18)
Easy apply! (46:40)

🧰 Resources Mentioned

CoderDojo
Tom Scott and Computerphile on YouTube
Scrimba Podcast: Becoming a Standout Developer with Randall Kanna
Scrimba's Discord community

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How To Be Strategic About Your Learning and Career, With Mike Chen Oct 25, 2022

🎙 About the episode

Meet Mike Chen 🇺🇸! Mike is a self-taught developer who worked at Yahoo, Google, and Airbnb, before becoming a CTO and co-founder of Motivo. Nowadays, he also helps other coders succeed. In this episode, you'll find out what it was like to work at Google and what are the pros and cons of working in a big tech company. You'll learn how to stand out as a new developer without a degree and why you should (not) idealize Silicon Valley.

Ultimately, Mike will tell us why tech is cool (if you have a passion for it), as well as how we should go about putting in our work wisely and why it is worth it. He will also reveal what motivates him to teach and mentor other developers!

🔗 Connect with Mike

⏰ Timestamps

How Mike went from studying biochemistry to becoming a developer and eventually worked at Google (01:45)
Paul Irish: Tools, not rules (04:19)
Has the way big tech companies hire changed since Mike broke into the industry? (07:12)
How were the front-end roles at Google structured back then? (08:36)
Ad break: How to support us + Next week: Rian Errity, who's doing a lot of cool stuff (11:15)
How big is Google's infrastructure, actually? (12:55)
Mike's experience at Google and the benefits of working at a big tech company (14:22)
Why working in big tech ultimately didn't work for Mike (16:01)
Why do hiring managers like people with big companies on their resumes (17:15)
You have to figure out what you want out of a tech job (20:15)
The best way to demystify Silicon Valley is to be in Silicon Valley (21:41)
Career advice for new developers: How can they stand out if they don't have a degree and haven't worked at Google? (23:09)
Why you should have a demonstrable track record (26:35)
Losing your passion is normal over time; here's what to do first (27:34)
What did Mike have to give up on to learn to code and change careers? (30:09)
In tech, it pays off to put in more work, but not any kind of work (31:59)
What motivates Mike to help other developers (36:08)

🧰 Resources Mentioned

⭐️ Leave a Review

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How This Junior Developer Tripled Their Salary Within One Year of Getting Hired Oct 18, 2022

🎙 About the episode

Meet Vikas Jyani 🇮🇳! He studied fine arts before discovering coding and realizing that web development is what can combine his eye for design and interest in tech.

In this episode, you'll hear about Vikas's approach to learning and job hunting and why he thinks remote work might still not be optimal for a junior. He talks about life-changing advice he got from a senior developer when he saw Vikas was burning out, recognizing red flags in job offers, and, eventually, how he tripled his salary within a year from getting his first job!

You will also learn more about India. Specifically, its job market and education, differences between big and small cities, and why a hybrid approach to work, combining remote work and going to an office, might not work there.

🔗 Connect with Vikas

⏰ Timestamps

How Vikas started coding after studying fine art and also discovered Scrimba (01:37)
Job opportunities vs. the population in India (05:00)
How Vikas got out of tutorial hell (07:33)
How Vikas decided to get into React (09:04)
Ad break: We did an episode with Bob Ziroll! Next week, an episode with Mike Chen! Also: how you can support us if you like what we're doing. (10:34)
Vikas's approach to applying for jobs (13:21)
How positive feedback from a hiring manager who couldn't hire him helped Vikas keep going (14:31)
Vikas even turned down an offer because he recognized shady practices! (16:15)
How Vikas got a job offer when he thought he failed a trial assignment (17:27)
A senior developer recognized Vikas was burning out and gave him life-changing advice (20:40)
As a junior, should you go for a remote or office job? (21:54)
Would a hybrid approach to working work out in India? (26:16)
How Vikas tripled his junior salary (27:18)

🧰 Resources Mentioned

⭐️ Leave a Review

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Bootcamp Mentor Hussien Khayoon: Careers Come in Three Phases and Here’s How To Navigate Them Oct 11, 2022

🎙 About the episode

Meet Hussien Khayoon 🇨🇦! Hussien is a Full-stack engineer with almost a decade of experience. Currently, he works as a Staff Software Engineer at Shopify. He is also a Bootcamp Mentor at Springboard, and, as you can guess, he's very passionate about helping new developers land on their feet. In this episode, Hussien will be your mentor.

Hussien and Alex will help you feel confident and teach you a couple of things that can help you land your first coding job. They explain why is the interview process at big tech companies as complicated as it is and tell you what you do about it. Hussien shares his approach to both interviewing and being interviewed, as well as his take on bootcamps vs. universities. By the end of the show, you'll hopefully feel more inspired to learn to code, start applying for jobs, and navigate your new role - or at least figure out how to assess if you need to study more.

🔗 Connect with Hussien

⏰ Timestamps

How Hussien started coding - it wasn't without struggle (01:29)
What's the difference between solving a math problem and a coding problem? (04:31)
The problem with the way coding is taught at universities (06:02)
Is there any prestige in getting a degree? (08:20)
Programming is vast: do you have to know everything? (12:40)
Elitism and gatekeeping in the coding community (15:48)
Is learning to code similar to learning a language? (17:38)
Interview processes at big companies: why are they the way they are? (18:13)
Does LeetCode make you a better developer? (22:36)
Intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, and learning to code (23:09)
Are big tech companies doing interviews right? (24:55)
Coding is just half the job (25:59)
What a mentoring session is about (30:00)
Companies are changing the way they hire + Hussien's approach to being interviewed (33:37)
What do coding students need (35:49)
Why do companies hire people who aren't perfect yet? (39:09)
Your career has three stages (42:03)

🧰 Resources Mentioned

Free report: 4 Tips to Get your FIRST Coding Job Faster
Hussien's course: Get Your First Coding Job
Scrimba Podcast: This Scrimba Student Battled Depression and Landed a Job at Amazon After 1000 LeetCode Challenges

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Consistent and Persistent: This Scrimba Student Battled Depression and Landed a Job at Amazon After 1000 LeetCode Challenges Oct 04, 2022

🎙 About the episode

Meet Khaidem Sandip Singha 🇺🇸! He's a Scrimba student from Assam, India, who recently got a job at Amazon! 🎉 Originally, he studied civil engineering before realizing he was more interested in coding. In this episode, you'll hear how he learned to code, battled depression, and reverse-engineered a path to a FANG company.

You will also learn about his approach to problem-solving and the benefits of practicing on LeetCode - not many students we interviewed did that, but Khaidem completed one thousand challenges! He also shares some details about Amazon's interview process and his approach to keeping up motivation.

🔗 Connect with Khaidem

⏰ Timestamps

How Khaidem went from civil engineering to learning to code (01:41)
Chasing coding certificates or mastering the basics - what is more important for landing your first developer job? (03:20)
How Khaidem reverse-engineered the path to a FANG company (04:33)
Should you do LeetCode (06:01)
The importance of consistency and persistency (07:16)
Why Khaidem focused on LeetCode (08:34)
Try different frameworks, but then specialize (12:09)
Khaidem's approach to problem-solving (13:57)
How Khaidem started his job search while suffering from depression (17:47)
Khaidem's first jobs and how he knew he was overqualified (21:41)
How Khaidem discovered Scrimba around Javascriptmas 2020 (23:15)
Why Khaidem benefited from the Scrimba community (24:15)
How Khaidem applied for Amazon (25:15)
Amazon's interview process (27:18)
How Khaidem got an offer, and why it's important to keep up motivation (30:03)
Why you shouldn't give up (31:42)

🧰 Resources Mentioned

⭐️ Leave a Review

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A Teacher's Job Is Never Done: Get Your Hands on the Keyboard with Bob Ziroll Sep 27, 2022

🎙 About the episode

Meet Bob Ziroll 🇺🇸! Bob is Scrimba's Head of Education and one of the Internet's favorite React teachers. In a past life, Bob worked in marketing before enrolling into a bootcamp, where he eventually became a teacher and Director of Education. In this podcast, you'll learn about his coding story and teaching philosophy, but also about the early days of Scrimba!

Bob and Alex discuss career change, Sunday scaries, and finding the right learning path for you. You'll find out how much work goes into creating a quality coding course, what's the difference between courses and YouTube videos, and why it's sometimes better to learn things more slowly. Bob also talks about how he pushed the limits of the Scrimba platform, how it perfectly lent itself to a successful approach to pedagogy, and shares a wealth of good advice for everybody currently learning to code.

🔗 Connect with Bob

⏰ Timestamps

How Bob went from coding, to advertising, to coding again (via V School)(01:56)
Why Bob got interested in advertising, and ended up with Sunday scaries (04:43)
How Bob realized he was interested in teaching and making a bootcamp better (07:12)
Is there a selfish aspect to teaching? (09:13)
What does it take to make a Scrimba course? And how is the approach different when compared to YouTube? (11:51)
How Bob discovered Scrimba and ended up recording his first Scrimba course (13:19)
Bob's first React course gained traction... How did he look at the stats? (16:27)
React is always evolving and a teacher's job is never done: Bob made more courses and here's in what order to watch them (19:54)
What happens if you release a course and something immediately changes? (21:10)
Pushing the limits of Scrimba's platform and Bob's approach to pedagogy (23:02)
The importance of practice when learning to code (and otherwise) (25:16)
Do not cram! (26:53)
There's no reason to drink from a firehose (29:19)
Making a students' knowledge sharp, vs broad (32:32)
Quick-fire questions: lofi beats, electric cars, how not to disappoint Cassidy Williams (34:55)
Remix meetup (38:33)

🧰 Resources Mentioned

Bob's courses on Scrimba
Lofi beats on Spotify
Centered app
Learn and Understand Node JS by Antony Alicea
Scrimba Podcast - Quincy Larson: Why Learning To Code as an Adult Might Be Easier Than You Think
Scrimba Podcast - Ace the job interview with Cassidy Williams
Scrimba Podcast - Be a Librarian, Not an Encyclopedia of Code: How To Learn (and Teach) Better, With Guil Hernandez
Scrimba Podcast - Intentional career building with Kent C. Dodds
Bob's Remix meetup lightning talk

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How Pastor-Turned-Developer Chris Crushed It on LinkedIn and Landed an Internship... and a Job Sep 20, 2022

🎙 About the episode

Meet Chris McCoy 🇺🇸! He's a pastor who did odd jobs on the side. But he was always interested in coding! Somewhere between working retail and doing food delivery, he realized he needed something more stimulating. Nine months later, he landed not one but two job offers as a junior developer!

Chris CRUSHED it on LinkedIn, even though he never liked social media: in this episode, he shares his approach to posting and being actively present on the platform. You can use it both to learn and to connect with people working in the industry, and that's exactly what Chris did. Spoiler alert: it doesn't have to be complicated.

You'll also learn more about internships: Chris landed one, which turned out to be pretty cool! What do companies look for in an intern? Should you become one, and how? He also shares how he approached learning to code and found a balance between learning and work. Chris and Alex also discuss what you can learn from odd jobs.

Sadly, you won't learn the recipe for Chick-fil-A. But it does make an appearance in this episode :)

🔗 Connect with Chris

👨🏼‍💼 Linkedin

⏰ Timestamps

How Chris decided to become a developer (01:51)
Can you still learn something from odd jobs that have nothing to do with coding? (03:19)
How Chris chose to learn to code and found support in his community (04:35)
Balancing work, learning, and being a pastor: how Chris did it (06:28)
How Chris discovered Scrimba (09:16)
It's okay not to know everything about development (12:08)
Why you need real-world examples when learning a new skill (12:57)
Did Chris complete Scrimba's Career Path or get a job before he managed to? (14:14)
When and how did Chris start applying for jobs? (16:31)
How Chris created a LinkedIn profile and started crushing it (17:31)
How to be genuinely present on LinkedIn and use the platform to connect (18:33)
Chris's approach to writing LinkedIn posts (21:36)
How adding Scrimba to his education connected Chris to a recruiter (21:51)
Can an internship be... good? (24:41)
What does a company expect from an intern, and what did Chris do about it (27:05)
Working with other interns and the higher-ups (30:02)
How Chris compared to the other interns in his group (32:38)
How Chris's internship turned into a job (34:33)
In the end, Chris had not one but two job offers! How did he pick one? (36:17)
The hard work paid off (37:49)

🧰 Resources Mentioned

The Frontend Developer Career Path

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Quincy Larson: Why Learning To Code as an Adult Might Be Easier Than You Think Sep 13, 2022

🎙 About the episode

Meet Quincy Larson 🇺🇸! Quincy is the founder of freeCodeCamp, a nonprofit company that makes coding accessible for all. He is a self-taught developer who learned to code when he was 31. Why did he learn to code? Because he wanted to make a school he was a director of more efficient. So... We have a career changer!

So, how does a teacher teach himself to code? And how does he teach others? In this episode, Alex asks hard questions, and Quincy answers all of them, sharing valuable insights on how adults learn, how important are your intrinsic capabilities, and why learning a new skill after the age of 25 might be easier than you think. You will also learn about the hacker ethic, how you can overcome your limitations, and why software developers need to be humble.

🔗 Connect with Quincy

👨🏼‍💼 Linkedin
🐦 Twitter

⏰ Timestamps

How Quincy Larson started coding at the age of 31... as a school director (01:55)
Why you should hang out with other developers (03:52)
What is the hacker ethic? (04:51)
Why do software developers need to be humble? (07:07)
Quincy learning to code before freeCodeCamp. What was that like? (08:16)
How does a teacher learn? (11:09)
The key learning technique for people over 25 (11:56)
The elusive nature of learning to code (15:41)
How does an adult brain learn, and why might kinesthetic learning be the best way? (17:29)
Can an old dog learn new tricks? (18:57)
Learning with analogies and associations + why you shouldn't drink (21:47)
Quincy is a master learner... But what if you're not? (24:49)
Can anyone learn to code and become a successful developer? (27:35)
Are aptitudes important? (28:24)
Overcoming your limitations (32:16)
How does Quincy feel about the success of freeCodeCamp? (34:44)

🧰 Resources Mentioned

freeCodeCamp
Hackers: Heroes of the Computer Revolution, book by Steven Levy

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Drumroll, Please: Make Your Portfolio Projects Fun and Prepare for the Following Questions Sep 06, 2022

🎙 About the episode

Meet Stevie Gill 🇬🇧! Stevie was a scientist, a medical writer and an editor, and then he wrote about video games. Eventually, he moved countries and changed careers. Nowadays, Stevie lives in Toronto, Canada, and works as a full-time front-end developer at Kijiji. In this episode, he shares his story and everything he learned along the way that can help you land your first developer job!

You'll hear how Stevie learned to code, how he prepared for the interviews, and that LinkedIn can be useful even if you only have a handful of connections. He reveals how he took a generic portfolio project and made it his own - and why you should do the same. Stevie and Alex discuss Stevie's interview process in depth (be warned: there are some witty HR people out there) and also answer the question of whether you should be dreading the gaps on your resume.

🔗 Connect with Stevie

⏰ Timestamps

Stevie's journey into coding (02:01)
How moving countries helped Stevie switch careers... and discover Scrimba in the process (05:27)
Is LinkedIn that important, and how can you stack the deck in your favor (07:56)
A hiring manager discovered Stevie's LinkedIn. How? (13:40)
Can you have seven years of React experience and still be a junior? (15:39)
Are there any hidden perks of generic messages from recruiters? (16:44)
What do recruiters want to know when they're getting to know you as a candidate? (18:40)
Taylor Desseyn on how to spot a good recruiter on LinkedIn (19:48)
How to deal with a gap on your resume when you're changing careers (20:51)
How to stand out from other job candidates (23:14)
Stevie's four job interviews: deep dive (24:19)
Fun HR questions in a soft skills interview: how to answer them and why are they there (24:30)
How to prepare for a tech interview + how Stevie impressed an interviewer (27:59)
Stevie's final interview, and how he made an app that became a major talking point (33:56)
How to make a fun portfolio project and impress your interviewers (35:40)
Don't do this! (39:02)
How Stevie got a job offer... with a drumroll! (39:41)

🧰 Resources Mentioned

⭐️ Leave a Review

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Understanding Corporate Hierarchy (and Perfecting Your Resume), With Tiffany Jachja Aug 30, 2022

🎙 About the episode

Meet Tiffany Jachja 🇺🇸! Tiffany is a data scientist, career coach, engineering manager, and Twitch streamer! By day, she works at Vox Media. In her free time, she helps fellow developers by sharing career advice and her computer and data science knowledge. In this episode, Tiffany helps you understand a company's organizational structure so that you can come to your job interview prepared!

Alex and Tiffany also talk about resumes: what is their function, and is there such a thing as an ideal resume? You'll also learn the main differences between studying computer science and taking a bootcamp, how to approach the job-hunting tips you find online, how to know if you're ready to apply for your first developer job, and why inspiration matters. Tiffany also shares her favorite online coder communities and job boards!

🔗 Connect with Tiffany

⏰ Timestamps

How Tiffany got interested in coding thanks to Neopets (02:07)
What's the main difference between studying computer science and taking a coding bootcamp? (04:10)
The importance of trying stuff out (05:36)
What drew Tiffany into management... and data science (08:40)
What does Tiffany's typical day at Vox look like? (09:52)
Understanding company hierarchy for new developers (10:56)
Project management vs. people management (16:00)
What should a new developer look for in their engineering manager? (18:37)
How does Tiffany choose between a stronger technical fit and a stronger culture fit when hiring? (22:42)
Should you meet 100% of the requirements when applying for your first junior role? (27:41)
How to build up the confidence needed for career advancement (29:09)
How does Tiffany get out of her comfort zone? (32:31)
How Tiffany became a career coach (33:26)
What should a good resume do? (36:46)
Why are resumes so difficult to get right? (37:14)
Attaching numbers to your contributions on a resume: how to do it, and why? (40:48)
How to approach online advice on job-hunting, so you don't lose your mind (45:38)
Tiffany's advice for a new developer entering the job market (46:59)

🧰 Resources Mentioned

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Don’t Compare Yourself to Other New Developers: Scrimba Student Silvia on Changing Careers Aug 23, 2022

🎙 About the episode

Meet Silvia Piovesan 🇮🇹! Silvia is a Scrimba student who recently got for job offers after four different interviews. But her success didn't come overnight! Silvia used to be a project manager in the pharmaceutical industry - where she first got interested in coding. After she got laid off (and became a mom!), she wanted to learn to code so that she could become a knowledgeable project manager in IT... before realizing that she actually wanted to code!

In this episode, Silvia reveals what's the similarities between learning to code and hiking Camino de Santiago, as well as her approach to learning and finding a job as a new developer. You'll find out how to utilize your soft skills, what to do if you don't know the answer to a question on a technical interview, and what to do during your first week on the job. Alex and Silvia also discuss goal setting, and why it's not a good idea to give your 100% every day.

🔗 Connect with Silvia

⏰ Timestamps

Silvia's journey from pharmaceuticals to tech (01:11)
How Silvia knew a lot about the inner workings of a company but wanted to pursue specialization (03:27)
Did Silvia's professional skills from her previous career help her when she became a developer? (06:06)
Silvia's approach to learning to code (09:07)
Silvia only learned to code so that she can become a better project manager. What happened next? (10:29)
What knowledge did Silvia lack after a bootcamp? How did she discover Scrimba? (14:25)
Key takeaways from Silvia's approach (16:41)
On setting realistic goals (19:56)
How Silvia knew it was time to start applying for jobs and how long it took to get there (21:08)
On comparing yourself to other people learning to code (23:39)
Did Silvia have doubts about whether or not she would make it? (26:41)
Silvia's approach to finding her first developer job (plus: do you need to have a portfolio?) (28:21)
Let's talk numbers: how many applications, how many interviews, how many offers? (31:59)
How to stand out in a job interview (33:34)
Silvia's job interview process (36:10)
The most important thing you should know if you're interviewing for jobs (28:52)
Where does Silvia work now? (40:49)
Silvia's first pull request, and how long does it take to code a button? (42:13)
What should you do during your first week on the job? (44:24)

🧰 Resources mentioned

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How To Learn To Code From the Free Content on YouTube, With Jessica Chan Aug 16, 2022

🎙 About the episode

Meet Jess Chan 🇺🇸! Jess's YouTube channel, Coder Coder, has almost 400,000 subscribers at the time of recording. She's a web developer turned educator, and when she's not teaching her subscribers JavaScript and CSS, she's working on her first course. This episode is about learning, YouTube, and learning on YouTube!

In this show, you'll learn how to evaluate a course and quickly decide if you can trust a YouTube tutorial. Jess and Alex talk about how YouTube evolved over the years and why it might be an underrated place to meet other developers. You'll hear about Jess's long and meandering road to coding and learn why it's okay if you don't become a full-time developer in just three months. Finally, Jess will reveal, once and for all, what's the best camera for YouTubers.

🔗 Connect with Jess

⏰ Timestamps

On Coder Coder, and why Jess loves web development (and enjoys teaching it) (01:33)
Why you should remember what's it like to be a beginner at something before teaching it (03:33)
Can you teach problem-solving on YouTube? (04:55)
How Jess went from Pre-Med to photography to becoming a developer and, finally, an educator (06:24)
Why it's okay if you don't become a full-time developer in three months (07:51)
On becoming a developer in the era before bootcamps (09:33)
Can you judge the current state of the industry from YouTube comments? (12:41)
How would Jess approach cracking her first coding interview today? (13:22)
Why you should look for other people's job interview experiences on YouTube and how the YouTube landscape has changed over the years (14:33)
On Jess's YouTube content, the barrier to entry, and the democratization of educational content (16:51)
Should new developers make their own YouTube channels? Can you learn soft skills on YouTube? (19:20)
Hard skills vs. soft skills - what's more important when it comes to getting your first junior dev job? (21:04)
They say you should "be so good they can't ignore you." What does this mean? (22:51)
There are a lot of content creators on YouTube. How can you know who to trust? (24:51)
Jess's new course on responsive web design, and can you learn without a mentor (30:21)
Can you combine resources while learning? (33:25)
Quick-fire questions: mechanical keyboards, music for coding, best social networks for developers, and best cameras for YouTube

🧰 Resources mentioned

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Talent Alone Is Not Enough: How Theo Changed Careers at 49 and Landed a Paid Web Dev Apprenticeship Aug 09, 2022

🎙 About the episode

Meet Theo Ntogiakos 🇬🇧! Theo has just switched careers at the age of 49! Recently, he landed a paid apprenticeship and is currently attending a coding bootcamp. But before that, he learned on Scrimba - he joined a coding challenge in February and became an active member of our community. Although he always did something with computers, he used to think he could never become a front-end developer. Well, he was wrong! And that's why he's here.

In this episode, Theo shares details about a path that led him here, as well as his approach to learning. You'll find out what's it like to attend a bootcamp and how it compares to Scrimba's learning platform, as well as what kinds of opportunities to keep an eye out for if you're a new developer and live in the UK. Theo also talks about motivation, self-doubt, and whether he could've shifted gears earlier. He and Alex also discuss the importance of wanting to become a developer for the right reasons.

🔗 Connect with Theo

👨🏻‍💼 LinkedIn

⏰ Timestamps

Theo's journey into web development (it's a long and winding path!) (01:33)
Theo's coding background (it includes Pascal!) (02:48)
Why Theo wanted to change careers (05:29)
On self-doubt (06:13)
Was it challenging to change careers later in life? Plus, the perks of a coding apprenticeship (06:41)
How Theo landed a paid apprenticeship after only six months of learning to code... and discovered Scrimba along the way (08:42)
Scrimba's coding challenges (11:02)
UK developer bootcamps (11:56)
How to get an apprenticeship as a web developer in the United Kingdom (14:27)
Is salary enough of a reason for a career change? (19:23)
What do employers want to see in a candidate? (21:33)
Slow and steady wins the race (25:17)
How does Scrimba compare to a boot camp? (27:49)
If you're a self-taught developer, do this! (29:10)
Theo's deep dive into Scrimba (30:51)
Let's talk pricing: how much does Scrimba cost compared to a coding bootcamp? And what are the differences between the two? (32:18)

🧰 Resources Mentioned

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What Are Company Values… and Why You Should Know Your Own, with Dave Mayer Aug 02, 2022

🎙 About the episode

Meet Dave Mayer 🇺🇸! Dave is a founder and CEO of Technical Integrity, a boutique recruiting firm famous for its culture-first approach. TI has worked with big companies like Twitter, as well as many mid-size startups. In this episode, you'll get a glimpse into the other side of recruiting. Dave explains his culture-first approach and why it benefits both you and the employer. You'll learn why it's important to know your values and how to make sure you find a company that aligns with them.

Dave explains why you shouldn't feel desperate if you don't get a job in a company that was your first choice and how to probe into a company's values without sounding disrespectful. From the recruiter side, Dave reveals how looking for a culture fit can backfire and why it's much better to look for a "culture add."

Dave and Alex also talk about recessions (Dave has lived and worked through three of them already!) and how to stay focused on what's truly important.

🔗 Connect with Dave

⏰ Timestamps

Dave's path as a recruiter: from a traditional approach to focusing on finding a long-term fit between a developer and a company (01:44)
What is company culture, and what makes someone a good fit? (03:19)
Should you share your company's values? (06:15)
Find your own values first (07:24)
How can you verify that a company truly embodies what they claim to be their values? (12:10)
Ask your interviewer: What does success in your company look like? (16:45)
The importance of technical vs soft skills (18:12)
Don't care who's hiring, find out where you belong (20:08)
Why integrity matters (23:39)
Challenges of recruiting, and the difference between the quantity-first and quality-first approach (25:53)
Advice for developers who are thinking about approaching recruiters (30:01)
We're in a recession. Now what? (33:14)

🧰 Resources Mentioned

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Take a Chance, Even If Things Sound Weird and You Don't Feel Ready: How Wemerson Learned to Code and Landed a Dream Job in a Web3 Startup Jul 26, 2022

🎙 About the episode

Meet Wemerson Queiroz 🇧🇷! Wemerson never thought he was going to become a developer. He started studying computer science, dropped out, and spent ten years working in sales because he wanted to earn money immediately. Ten years later, he realized he was unhappy (after all, money is not everything), learned to code, and got his first developer job in no time!

What got him back into IT was Blockchain, so he first started learning Solidity before realizing he should first learn the basics. Shortly after, those basics got him a job at a startup working with Blockchain technology! In this episode, you'll learn how far HTML, CSS, and Javascript can get you and how important it is to follow your passion. You'll also hear about Wemerson's unusual interview process and why taking a chance can sometimes pay off.

🔗 Connect with Wemerson

⏰ Timestamps

Wemerson's journey into tech (02:44)
How important is money? (05:13)
How Wemerson decided to leave his previous career behind and learn to code (06:45)
On diving head-first into Blockchain and Solidity... and then going back to basics (08:29)
How Wemerson landed his first developer job after only three months of learning to code (09:47)
Why junior developers should look for work opportunities as soon as they can (11:00)
On motivation, passion, and learning (14:29)
Why context matters in problem-solving (15:43)
About the Web3 startup excal.tv, where Wemerson got his first developer job (18:18)
What's it like working at a startup as a junior developer? (20:50)
How Wemerson landed this opportunity? (25:18)
Was Emerson put off by an unorthodox interview process? (26:59)
Wemerson's plans for the future (27:56)

🧰 Resources mentioned

⭐️ Leave a Review

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How to Create a Web Dev Portfolio That Both HR and Other Developers Will Love, with Josh Comeau Jul 19, 2022

🎙 About the episode

Meet Josh W. Comeau 🇨🇦! Josh is a developer, indie hacker, educator, and author. He worked in some companies you might have heard of (including, but not limited to, DigitalOcean, Gatsby, and Khan Academy). He also wrote a book on how to build an effective web dev portfolio. In this episode, we're answering that and many other questions! Spoiler alert: all the advice is actionable.

You'll learn why you need to have a portfolio, how to make one, and is there a formula that works. Josh will teach you how to steal a design for your portfolio website and not get caught and how to develop an eye for design in the long run. Plus: why everybody needs junior developers and how to create an exciting portfolio project even if you don't have any niche interests to base them on. Josh and Alex also discuss handy tools you can use, writing cover letters, and hiring biases in the industry.

🔗 Connect with Josh

⏰ Timestamps

Josh's trajectory from development to education (01:09)
Why Josh wrote a book on web developer portfolios (02:12)
Don't put skill bars on your website! What do they even mean?! (04:40)
Who should you cater your portfolio to, and how to do it? There are two main target audiences. (06:16)
How does a portfolio compare to a LinkedIn profile or a resume? (10:53)
Why everybody needs to hire juniors (12:41)
Can you get away with not having a portfolio? (14:40)
What to do if you're a developer but not good at design? (16:00)
Why minimal design could be better (21:53)
Can you use a template? (23:45)
What should you put on your portfolio website (25:46)
How to present your projects (29:49)
How to choose your projects... and write about them (31:10)
How to write a good cover letter (34:58)
How to approach looking for a job (39:07)
Hiring biases in the industry (40:56)

🧰 Resources mentioned

Josh's book, Building an Effective Dev Portfolio (it's FREE!)
xScope
PixelSnap
Fontpair

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Interview Your Interviewers and Find Somebody Who Believes in Your Skills: How Jonathan Became a Developer in Three Months Jul 12, 2022

🎙 About the episode

Meet Jonathan Gauthier 🇨🇦! Jonathan volunteered when the company where he worked needed somebody to figure out how to turn a Figma design into a website. The rest is history.

After quitting that job, Jonathan gave himself three months to properly learn front-end development and get his first developer job. And he succeeded! In this interview, he shares how. Yes, Jonathan was pulling long hours, but there's more to it!

Jonathan talks about his way of learning and why knowing how to approach a problem is better than knowing the exact method of solving it. You'll also learn why it's good to find a mentor - and how to find one! Lastly, Jonathan shares his approach to looking for a job online and why it's important to interview your interviewer. Believe it or not, the latter can make or break your interview process!

🔗 Connect with Jonathan

⏰ Timestamps

Jonathan's journey into coding by way of learning to translate designs in Figma into a website + his introduction to Scrimba (01:59)
How Jonathan quit his job and had only three months to learn to code and get a job in front-end (04:14)
What's manual QA, and was that a helpful background to a new developer? (05:41)
Learn the approach, not the method (06:29)
How Jonathan decided to switch careers(07:27)
Why you should apply when others think you're ready (08:53)
Jonathan's study plan (10:21)
How can you study both properly and fast? (11:41)
The importance of taking breaks (14:10)
How Jonathan found a mentor and why are mentors important (15:10)
Jonathan's approach to finding his first developer job: LinkedIn, Angel.co, and messaging recruiters directly (17:43)
How to optimize your LinkedIn profile (19:16)
Jonathan's interview process (21:22)
How to interview your interviewers and why that gives you an advantage (22:15)
What skills should a junior developer have? (24:44)
How Jonathan got his job offer (27:13)
Jonathan's new company + Do you have to know Agile? (28:21)
How to ask questions as a junior (29:38)
Closing advice: don't stress about feeling ready; remember to take breaks, and come up with personal projects! (31:18)
On notetaking (32:12)

🧰 Resources mentioned

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Nadia Zhuk: Anybody Can Code, and Your Background Doesn't Define You Jul 05, 2022

🎙 About the episode

Meet Nadia Zhuk 🇧🇾! Nadia made a switch to coding from journalism at the age of 25. That decision has got her moving countries not once but twice! Nowadays, she lives in London, works at Intercom, and helps aspiring developers. She's also written a book, Crossing the Rubycon, filled with practical advice and insider tips on learning to code and building a programming career.

In this episode, Nadia shares her story and many things she's learned along the way! You'll get to know what's it like to learn to code without a technical background, how to manage your mindset and mental health during the process, and what's Nadia's take on choosing your first programming language. Nadia and Alex also discuss common stereotypes about programming, gatekeeping within the industry, and what are the critical but often overlooked factors in choosing what to learn.

🔗 Connect with Nadia

⏰ Timestamps

Nadia's journey into coding and move to Poland (01:41)
Can you learn to code with no computer education whatsoever? (06:48)
Why Nadia chose the self-taught route (08:16)
How and why Nadia chose to learn Ruby (11:17)
What influences your choice of a programming language (13:33)
How to choose your first coding language if you're not technical (14:43)
What to do (and what not to do) if you're learning to code on your own (17:03)
Is coding creative? (23:17)
The biggest stereotypes about being a programmer... and why they're wrong
Can anyone learn to code? (28:26)
Gatekeeping in the industry - and gatekeeping that's self-imposed (29:50)
Quick-fire questions: favorite programming language, JavaScript, frameworks, chatbots, caffeinated beverages, London, and cats! (32:54)

🧰 Resources mentioned

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Do the Projects You Find Fun and Take Time To Process Rejection: Actor-Turned-Developer Ollie Church Jun 28, 2022

🎙 About the episode

Meet Ollie Church 🇬🇧! Ollie started out as an actor. He took up coding as a hobby during a lockdown and made a puzzle game partially inspired by an escape room where he worked at the time. Now he works in fintech!

This episode is about lockdowns, hobbies, motivation, and having fun. Ollie talks about his career change and approach to goal-setting. He also shares advice on choosing portfolio projects, as well as dealing with rejection - something that actors are maybe even more familiar with than new developers.

You'll find out how an online game he made for fun brought Ollie some income even before he landed his firs junior developer role, and what it's like to accidentally be interviewed for a senior role when you're applying for a junior position. Spoiler: Ollie did get the job in the end!

You'll also get an inside scoop on working as an actor, and how the pandemic has impacted the world of performing arts and in-person experiences.

🔗 Connect with Ollie

⏰ Timestamps

What is's like being an actor (01:59)
Theater, in-person experiences, and performing arts during the COVID-19 pandemic (03:18)
How Ollie took up coding (07:55)
Front-end development as a hobby (09:34)
How Ollie and his partner created their first online puzzle game (11:43)
How to make learning to code playful, and how to choose portfolio projects (14:17)
Ollie's puzzle game became a work project! Here's how that happened. (17:13)
Should you apply before you're ready? How Ollie navigated changing careers and defined his goals and deadlines (20:53)
Ollie's job hunt stats (25:51)
An interview process from hell (16:15)
How Ollie got his current job - it started with a rejection (30:13)
How to deal with rejection and when is the common advice about it actually useful (31:03)
The interview that got Ollie his current job... and how it went wrong (33:30)
First months on the job and imposter syndrome (38:33)
Ollie's closing advice for new developers: do the projects you think are fun and focus on showing up. It's a marathon, not a sprint!

🧰 Resources mentioned

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Be a Librarian, Not an Encyclopedia of Code: How To Learn (and Teach) Better, With Guil Hernandez Jun 21, 2022

🎙 About the episode

Meet Guil Hernandez 🇺🇸! You've heard of a learning curve, but what about the forgetting curve? Don't worry, Guil can help you not get overwhelmed. He is a developer and educator with over 15 years of experience in tech, and in this episode, he teaches you how to get better at learning. Guil and Alex also talk about Scrimba Bootcamp, a brand new study program that Guil has been working on.

Guil has developed over one hundred coding courses and workshops and comes from a teaching environment, so he also answers the dreaded question of what makes a good teacher. You'll also learn different learning techniques that might work for you, what's the Ebbinghaus' forgetting curve, and what it was like to make stuff for the web back in the early days of Web 2.0. Alex and Guil also discuss scopes, structure, and the importance of storytelling in teaching, as well as why you won't vibe with every YouTube tutorial out there... but you might still want to learn from multiple sources.

🔗 Connect with Guil

🐦 Twitter
🌐 Website
👩‍🚀 Github
🤖 Guil from Scrimba#6455 on the Scrimba Discord

⏰ Timestamps

How Guil got into coding (01:18)
Web development in the early days of Web 2.0 (03:02)
Do you need a computer science degree to consider yourself a developer? (04:50)
How Guil became a teacher (06:17)
What makes a good teacher (07:18)
The science of learning (10:38)
What's the forgetting curve, and what you can do about it (11:54)
How to not make a learning process overwhelming (14:07)
Learning techniques that work for Guil: Scheduling study time, Pomodoro technique, Keeping a study log (16:15)
Scrimba now has Solo projects: What are they, and how can they help you learn better? (20:32)
What is Scrimba Bootcamp and the benefits of code reviews and getting feedback (25:24)
Quick-fire questions: Code editors, coding music, Web 3.0, and Puerto Rico (27:48)
Closing advice: be a librarian, not an encyclopedia

🧰 Resources mentioned

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Scrimba Community Hero Yin Chu: Be Consistent, Play the Long Game, and Help Others Jun 14, 2022

🎙 About the episode

Meet Yin Chu Rijnaard 🇳🇱! Yin Chu is a new developer who landed a job offer after only seven months of learning to code! In the meantime, he also became a Scrimba Community Hero.

In this episode, Yin Chu shares his approach to learning to code, why he chose front-end development and some of the struggles he encountered along the way. He also talks about his involvement in the Scrimba Discord community and how he became our Community Hero. On Scrimba's Discord, you can award karma points to other users, and Yin is currently on top of the leaderboard. You'll learn more about online communities, their unexpected benefits, and Yin Chu's approach to helping other newbie developers online.

Plus: Alex shares Scrimba's origin story!

🔗 Connect with Yin Chu

👨🏻‍💼 LinkedIn
🌐 Website
👩‍🚀 GitHub
🐦 Twitter
🤖 YinChuRijnaard#2266 on the Scrimba Discord

⏰ Timestamps

Yin Chu got into coding by way of business school (01:27)
Front-end development for visual learners (02:40)
How Yin Chu learned to code while at work (04:11)
Yin's approach to learning (05:11)
Learning to code when English is not your first language (09:04)
How to become a Scrimba community hero (11:39)
A surprising benefit of being in Scrimba's Discord community (15:10)
Why you should help people (16:20)
Yin Chu's new job... and LinkedIn's Easy Apply (17:23)
Good LinkedIn profile strategies (19:29)
Yin Chu's interview process (21:24)
You have to play the long game (24:50)

🧰 Resources mentioned

⭐️ Leave a Review

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How to Become Good at Networking, with Recruiter-turned-developer Cameron Blackwood Jun 07, 2022

🎙 About the episode

Meet Cameron 🇬🇧! Cameron is a full-stack software engineer, podcaster, and co-founder of The Coder Career. But before learning to code, he studied business... and worked as a tech recruiter! This episode is all about networking. How to do it? What to say? And... To whom? Do you have to be an extrovert to become good at it?

Cameron will teach you why networking is important and how to go about it. He will also give you scripts for different situations - from reaching out to a recruiter on LinkedIn to starting a conversation with somebody at a meetup. Alex and Cameron discuss how to stand out when applying for a job and how recruiters operate. There are more junior developers than junior positions, and we hope this episode will help you get your foot in the door! Or, at least, nurture your professional relationships - you never know when can they come in handy.

🔗 Connect with Cameron

🧰 Resources mentioned

Never Eat Alone

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Hurry Up, but Slowly: How Ansub Knew When To Go Back to Basics and Relearn Web Development From Scratch May 31, 2022

🎙 About the episode

Meet Ansub Khan 🇮🇳! Ansub has always been drawn to front-end development, but he took a couple of detours: he studied computer science and tried to learn C, C++, Java, and Python. In the end, he got a job by creating a website for a self-sustaining AI, while chatting to his now CEO about robots and quantum mechanics.

In this episode, you'll learn how to know when to go back to the basics of what you're learning, why rushing to get a job isn't always a good idea, and how a sprinkle of stoic philosophy can help you on your journey. Ansub shares details of his pretty unconventional job interview, as well as his approach to figuring out which jobs to apply to. He also talks about all of his failed job applications and what he learned from them.

🔗 Connect with Ansub

🧰 Resources mentioned

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Shannon Brown: There's a human side of recruiting, and here's how to get onto it! May 24, 2022

🎙 About the episode

Meet Shannon Brown 🇺🇸! Shannon is an experienced tech recruiter in a company known for diversity. In this interview, she will teach you how to get your foot in the door even if you're coming from an unconventional background. A good recruiter should know how to recognize an overlap between your skills and job requirements, but there are also things you can do to make your application stand out.

In this episode, we're talking about the dreaded ATS, the importance of storytelling, and cover letters (which might not be as crucial as you'd think... unless they're required)! You will learn how recruiters operate and what they're looking for, and why both recruiters and job applicants should be in it for the long game. You'll also find out when is the right time to apply for a job and how to troubleshoot an unsuccessful application. Plus: photos on CVs, font preferences, free resume reviews, and tough coffees.

⏰ Timestamps

Shannon's work as a technical recruiter (01:02)
The importance of domain knowledge (03:57)
What recruiters do, what they should do, and why some of them have a bad reputation (05:54)
Why both recruiters and job-seekers should focus more on building relationships (10:21)
How to contact a recruiter, and what's the ideal first message (12:31)
Should you be afraid of an ATS (application tracking system)? (14:39)
When is the best time to apply for a job? (16:29)
What is a well-optimized resume? (19:01)
Are cover letters necessary? (22:48)
Cover letters as a tool to provide additional information (24:50)
Storytelling on your resume (28:34)
How to know when not to use job-hunting advice from influencers (30:00)
Setting career goals helps you write a better job application (31:17)
How to get free feedback on your resume (32:46)
Quick-fire questions: fonts and photos on a resume, practicing self-care during a job search, debugging your job application
What is the most important thing to do when looking for a job? (38:21)

🔗 Connect with Shannon

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Career Change on Maternity Leave: How Kynnedy Learned To Code, Became a Code Reviewer, and Landed Her First Developer Job May 17, 2022

🎙 About the episode

Meet Kynnedy 🇺🇸! She recently made history as the first student who found a job through Scrimba's Discord! She originally wanted to be an air traffic controller, but ended up working in hospitality. After she became a mom, Kynnedy decided on a career change. And she succeeded! 🎉

In this episode, you'll get handy tips on how to learn better and make whatever you're learning stick. Kynnedy shares what she did right, but also what she did wrong, as well as her approach to creating a more memorable developer portfolio. You'll hear her story about learning enough about front-end development to go from zero to becoming a code reviewer on Scrimba in only a few months. Plus: how to know you're ready to apply for jobs, and how how to code with a baby. :)

🔗 Connect with Kynnedy

⏰ Timestamps

How Kynnedy got into coding (02:00)
Bootcamp vs a self-directed route (04:03)
Learning to code while being a new parent (04:57)
Kynnedy's path and learning style with Scrimba (05:49)
Dealing with self-doubt when learning to code (06:58)
How to choose projects for you developer portfolio? (09:38)
How Kynnedy knew she was ready to start applying for jobs (14:22)
How Kynnedy put herself out there... and got no results (14:57)
Getting an interview through Scrimba's discord (16:00)
Kynnedy as a code reviewer on Scrimba (17:42)
Kynnedy's interview process (19:50)
Coding advice for younger Kynnedy (25:48)

🧰 Resources mentioned

Scrimba's Front End Career Path
Gary Simon on YouTube
Build and deploy your portfolio with Kevin Powell

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How not to struggle with CSS, with Kevin Powell May 10, 2022

🎙 About the episode

Meet Kevin Powell 🇨🇦! Kevin is a CSS Evangelist and educator. He makes weekly YouTube videos, streams on twitch, writes articles, and teaches courses. His mission is to show new developers that CSS is fun and teach them how it works... and why it works the way it does.

In this episode, you'll learn how not to get frustrated with CSS, how to debug it, why people struggle with it, and how come we might never see a launch of CSS 4. Kevin also explains why different browsers render CSS differently and how much should you actually care about that. Alex and Kevin also discuss how the web gets made behind the scenes and how you can join the conversation and suggest the features you'd like to see in certain technologies. Plus: Bad design trends, tools and plugins, CSS memes, and tabs vs spaces.

🔗 Connect with Kevin

⏰ Timestamps

How Kevin found himself in the world of web design (01:28)
Can a new developer focus solely on CSS? (04:26)
What is a CSS Evangelist? (07:12)
Why do people struggle with CSS? (09:04)
Why CSS works the way it does (12:15)
CSS tools you should use (14:12)
CSS extensions for your editor (16:14)
The learning curve of CSS and the importance of experience 18:04
Why different browsers render CSS differently (and why it sometimes doesn't work) (21:18)
Progressive enhancement and accessibility (25:53)
The history of CSS (29:21)
Will there ever be a CSS4? (33:11)
How to stay in the loop and join the conversation around features (35:18)
Quick-fire questions (37:33)

🧰 Resources mentioned

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Career Change in Just a Year: How Anthony Hacked His Productivity and Got Hired Ten Minutes After an Interview! May 03, 2022

🎙 About the episode

Meet Anthony 🇳🇱! Anthony worked as a Guest Experience Teamleader at the Sea Life aquarium in Scheveningen, where he got his feet wet in the world of the web by helping set up and manage the aquarium's new website. Web development enticed him with its unlimited possibilities and he quickly realized he wanted to do it as a job.

In this episode, you'll learn why to set goals, why deadlines are important, how to use the Pareto principle, and how to create consistency in your learning. Anthony also shares his tips for crafting a resume (very important if you're switching careers!) and choosing your portfolio projects.

🔗 Connect with Anthony

👨🏻‍💼 LinkedIn
🌐 Website
👩‍🚀 GitHub
🤖 Ant Casson#2260 on the Scrimba Discord

⏰ Timestamps

How Anthony got started with web development (01:32)
How Anthony switched careers in a year (03:36)
Keeping a consistent schedule (04:44)
How Scrimba provided Anthony with structure (06:48)
Anthony's strategy for getting his first junior developer job (11:18)
Putting effort into applications (13:09)
How many emails should you send? (14:24)
Getting a job within ten minutes from an interview! (16:11)
Negotiating an offer when changing careers (19:57)
The importance of setting a goal (22:43)
The Pareto Principle (23:58)
Learning on YouTube, or from documentation (26:05)

🧰 Resources mentioned

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How to make your LinkedIn profile standout according to a LinkedIn expert Apr 26, 2022

Meet Austin Henline 🇺🇸! Austin works at LinkedIn and has reviewed more than 1200 LinkedIn profiles. In this episode, Austin teaches you how to make your LinkedIn profile discoverable to companies.

🔗 Connect with Austin

⏰ Timestamps

Introduction (0:00)
Coming soon...

🧰 Resources mentioned

Coming soon...

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From Doctor to Developer Apr 19, 2022

🎙 About the episode

Meet Jefferson Tang 🇦🇺! Being a doctor is one of the most prestigious jobs out there, but Jefferson's coding itch would not go away! Enoramoured with web3 and the unlimited possibilities, Jefferson learned to code using a Web3 Bootcamp and Scrimba's Frontend Developer Career path. Now he works as a full-time developer at a Decentralised finance start-up! In this episode, Alex and Jefferson discuss the challenges of changing careers after 7 years of study. Other topics include staying motivated when learning to code and what Jefferson wished he knew at the beginning that would help him now.

🔗 Connect with Jefferson

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An expert guide to technical interviews with Ian Douglas from Postman Apr 12, 2022

🎙 About the episode

Meet Ian Douglas 🇺🇸🇨🇦! Ian has been in the industry for 26 years and in this episode, imparts his wisdom about how stand out then succeed at technical interviews to you.

🔗 Connect with Ian

⏰ Timestamps

Introduction (0:00)
Removing the stigma from the interview process (01:39)
Why technical interviews are kinda broken (3:16)
What the heck does culture fit even mean? (08:57)
How to answer “What is your biggest weakness?” in an interview (14:04)
More on culture fit (16:08)
The truth behind why companies hide salaries in job descriptions (18:52)
Your previous salary has nothing to do with your new one (20:50)
Ian’s experience interviewing at 27 companies (23:28)
How to increase your callback % when applying to jobs, even if you don’t have much experience yet (27:39)
Ian’s LinkedIn #drama (31:15)
Rejection isn’t personal and you never know what’s happening internally (36:42)
It all works out in the end (39:15)
How to practice your interview skills in the real world (40:49)
Get your foot in the door and the rest will follow (43:14)
How much loyalty should you have to a company? (46:06)
How Ian botched an interview at Twilio (46:29)

🧰 Resources mentioned

Ian’s website, Techinterview.guide
Rezi.ai

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How Ineza stood out with a "why you should hire me" video Apr 05, 2022

Meet Ineza Bonté 🇨🇦🇷🇼! After completing #100DaysOfCode and building a beautiful portfolio, Ineza got his foot in the door by recording a charming "why you should hire me" video. As you might expect, it wasn't all smooth sailing. Ineza struggled with rejection in the early days but his persistence paid off when he was finally hired as a Junior Developer. In this episode, you'll learn exactly how he did!

🔗 Connect with Ineza

👨🏻‍💼 LinkedIn
🌐 Website
👩‍🚀 GitHub
🐦 Twitter
🤖 inezabonte#6980 on the Scrimba Discord

⏰ Timestamps

Introduction (00:00)
How Ineza got into coding (01:47)
Do you need to do #100DaysOfCode in a row? (04:54)
Learning how to learn (06:22)
Deciding what projects to build (07:46)
Why Ineza prioritised building a portfolio and how it helped him (10:20)
Ineza's approach to finding a Junior Developer job (11:44)
Why this company chose Ineza (14:13)
What the interview process looked like (16:31)
Challenges Ineza faced you might be facing too (18:57)
Ineza's advice to aspiring Junior Developers (20:17)
The importance of community when learning to code (21:59)

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How to become a successful Junior Developer with Scott Hanselman from Microsoft Mar 29, 2022

Meet Scott Hanselman 🇺🇸! Scott has been coding for 30 years, blogging for 20, and podcasting for 16. He helps new developers learn to code and find success in their tech career so they, too, can have long and happy tech careers. In this episode, Scott reflects on his career to share the most important things you should know as an aspiring junior. We discuss if you need to know algorithms and data structures to be successful and explore some interesting ideas around systems thinking and toast!

🔗 Follow Scott

⏰ Timestamps

Introduction (0:00)
Becoming an “old” programmer (02:21)
How fast does do tools and technology move? (03:56)
Upcoming technology to keep an eye on (08:25)
Why coding is just like LEGO (10:17)
Responsible AI and Alexa (16:39)
Learning to code and social mobility (21:19)
Systems thinking and burnt bread 🍞 (22:51)
How deep down the technology stack should you go? (25:19)
What you should know to be a successful junior (33:12)

🧰 Resources mentioned

Everything's broken and nobody's upset by Scott

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How LinkedIn helped Buse become a Junior Dev in London Mar 22, 2022

🎙 About the episode

Meet Buse Hizarci 🇹🇷🇬🇧! She just got her first Junior Developer role in London. It’s one of the most competitive tech cities in the world, yet the recruiter came to her through LinkedIn. As an extroverted economics graduate, Buse wasn’t sure if coding was for her. After 5 unsuccessful interviews (and one shockingly rude interview experience, which you’ll hear about towards the end of the episode!), she eventually found success at a well-known company in the UK called Vision Direct. In this episode, you’ll learn how Buse utilised LinkedIn to find success and how she wowed her employers with the take-home task..

🔗 Connect with Buse

⏰ Timestamps

Introduction (0:00)
From economics graduate to developer (01:35)
Why learning web development is great if you want a job (03:43)
How to make what you learn stick with projects (04:30)
Building confidence through early job interviews (06:42)
Buse’s best interview advice (08:17)
Working as a contractor for experience before finding full-time work (10:32)
A recruiter reached out to Buse! (12:02)
The take-home task that got Buse the job (12:44)
Day in the life of a newly-hired junior web developer (14:19)
Kill your ego (15:24)
Don’t compare your real life to other people’s highlight reel (15:50)
What Buse wish she knew at the beginning (16:18)
Overcoming stress and anxiety (17:17)
What’s next for Buse (18:35)

🧰 Resources mentioned

Reach out to Recruiters on LinkedIn (as a Developer)

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Why nobody hires junior developers anymore according to an engineering manager Mar 15, 2022

Meet Gregory Witek 🇳🇱! Greg is an experienced developer and engineering manager currently working at Booking.com. There, he made an alarming observation: While the industry is going nuts for experienced Senior developers, it would seem no one is really hiring junior developers. Why?

In this episode, we explore the state of the junior developer job market and how you can maximise your chance for success. Don't worry! Becoming a Junior developer was always going to be tough. Gregory maintains there's room for everyone in this industry and even shares what he would specifically do with the benefit of all his experience breaking into tech and now hiring developers.

🔗 Connect with Gregory

⏰ Timestamps

Introduction (00:00)
Becoming an engineering manager (01:24)
Why nobody hires juniors anymore (02:20)
The tragedy of commons (04:37)
Companies who only hire mid-level developers cause problems (08:37)
Changing jobs normally yields the most profitable salary bump (11:02)
Don't we need more juniors to satisfy the demand for online software and services created during the pandemic? (12:14)
Juniors are needed but not right now it seems (14:57)
Onboarding junior developers remotely is hard (16:56)
You can still find success! (19:07)
Companies where you'll have the best chance of success as a junior (19:54)
How Gregory found his first tech job (22:58)
Even if you lack experience you can contribute to experience or volunteer (24:12)
If you don't have a job your job is finding a job (25:25)
How to know if you're ready to apply for jobs (26:53)
Always ask for feedback and don't be afraid to apply again (28:40)
How to impress Gregory as a candidate (30:02)
How much time to engineering managers spend per resume or application? (31:45)
What Alex learned about finding work from Tinder (33:11)
What motivates Gregory to help? (36:12)

🧰 Resources mentioned

⭐️ Leave a Review

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How Robert got his first developer job at 33 Mar 08, 2022

Meet Robert Corrado 🇺🇸! Rob tried to become a coder several times, but as a business owner and Dad, it was hard to carve out time and really make it stick! It was during the pandemic, Robert realized his opportunity to double down on his passion and finally learn to code with Scrimba. As his confidence in JavaScript grew, he started to apply for jobs and sending out feelers. In this episode, you'll learn from Rob's experience doing several coding interviews and how he finally found success!

🔗 Connect with Robert

⏰ Timestamps

Introduction (0:00)
From business owner to coder (01:45)
Deciding to finally go for it (04:01)
Learning Spanish vs. learning JavaScript (05:01)
Robert’s greatest challenges and how he overcame them (06:37)
Employers don’t want someone who only knows HTML and CSS? (08:33)
As a Junior, you can do the task, you just need a bit more time (10:11)
Learning to code and career a little later in life and with kids (11:07)
What Rob learned from his unsuccessful interviews (13:18)
Self-confidence and the job search (15:54)
How Rob got 8 job interviews (17:18)
How Rob got his first Junior developer job (18:48)

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How to Actually Use a Web Developer Roadmap: Mike Karan on Better Learning and Must-Have Skills for Junior Developers Mar 01, 2022

🎙 About the episode

Meet Mike Karan 🇨🇦! Mike is a successful web development business owner and a co-host of the HTML All The Things podcast. His podcast and social media platforms have had tremendous growth in 2021, but Mike explains it's not all about the stats: it's about creating value and connecting with people.

In this episode, we're talking roadmaps! If you're learning to code, it's easier to follow a roadmap that somebody else has made. But, that can also be tricky: it's not always clear when to branch out or move on to another part of a roadmap. You'll learn how to recognize these opportunities, how to figure out if you should quit learning something, and why you should only focus on one framework at a time. Plus, there's a rant about regex.

🔗 Connect with Mike

⏰ Timestamps

Introduction (0:00)
Mike's podcast and Twitter growth (02:00)
How Mike chose the front-end developer career path (07:08)
Step by step guide for learning to become a front-end developer (09:08)
What can you achieve with just HTML and CSS? When is the right time to learn JavaScript? (14:00)
How should you look at a roadmap? (17:49)
Figure out what you hate! (18:48)
How to know you've given something enough of a try? (21:34)
When to monetize your skills? (24:51)
On roadmaps and choosing the right framework (27:21)
What does a junior developer have to know? (33:47)
Apply your knowledge! (36:45)

🧰 Resources mentioned

⭐️ Leave a Review

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How to market yourself as a developer (according to a marketer turned developer!) Feb 22, 2022

🎙 About the episode

Meet Stefi Rosca 🇷🇴🇪🇸. Stefi worked as a marketer but couldn't ignore her passion for tech anymore! Using Scrimba and other resources, Stefi learned to code online and now works at Adevinta - a company almost everyone in Spain knows. Believe it or not, when she first applied, they ignored her! It was only through her perseverance (following up and connecting with people in the company) that Stefi earned this prestigious opportunity. In this episode, you'll learn how meetups gave Stefi the connections and confidence she needed to find success.

🔗 Connect with Stefi

⏰ Timestamps

Introduction (0:00)
Stefi’s experience doing a mock React interview with Scrimba (01:30)
Transitioning from marketing to development (02:46)
Working at a company all your friends and family recognise 🤩 (06:41)
Recurse center (07:34)
Code Bar (09:51)
How meetups impacted Stefi’s career success (12:29)
Navigating meetups as an introvert (13:45)
Challenges transitioning from marketing to coding (15:14)
How to market yourself as a developer, according to a developer (20:04)
Stefi’s EPIC story about how she got a job at Adevinta (25:49)

🧰 Resources mentioned

Welcome to The Scrimba Podcast Feb 22, 2022

Career Advice From a Vue Core Team Member Feb 15, 2022

🎙 About the episode

Meet Ben Hong 🇺🇸! Ben is a Senior Staff Developer Experience Engineer at Netlify, Vue Core Team member, Google Developer Expert, and teacher. After studying psychology at school, Ben picked up programming in his own time, making him one of the most successful self-taught programmers on the podcast to date! He joins us to share his best advice about learning to code and the many career benefits of getting involved with open source.

🔗 Connect with Ben

⏰ Timestamps

Introduction (0:00)
Ben’s transition from psychology to programming (01:06)
Developer experience and why it matters more than you think (04:26)
Developer experience as a profession (05:25)
Ben is part of the Vue core team (07:08)
How Ben got involved in one of the biggest JavaScript open source projects in the world (07:53)
How to start with open source yourself (10:38)
Why Ben works so hard (16:21)
Passion vs. discipline as a profesional (18:36)
How Vue compares to React and other front-end tech (20:56)
Should you abandon React to learn Vue?? (23:27)
Ben’s best advice for anyone learning to code (25:27)
Quick-fire questions (29:36)

🧰 Resources mentioned

⭐️ Leave a Review

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Learning to Code Alongside a Full-Time Job: How Josh Went from Property Manager to Junior Developer in 10 Months with Scrimba Feb 08, 2022

🎙 About the episode

Meet Joshua Smith 🇦🇺! While working full-time as a property manager, Joshua made time after work to learn to code on Scrimba. After just 10 months and, in part, thanks to a referral, Josh was recently hired as a junior web developer 🎉! In this episode, you’ll see how networking and referals don’t have to be complicated. In Josh’s case, he proved his skills to a friend who then vouched for him. From here, it was still up to Josh to crack the coding interview and take-home task.

🔗 Connect with GUEST

👨🏻‍💼 LinkedIn
👩‍🚀 GitHub
🐦 Twitter
🤖 jshsmth.eth#7668 on the Scrimba Discord

⏰ Timestamps

Introduction (0:00)
Why Josh is participating in a bootcamp even though he has a job (02:56)
How bootcamps compare to Scrimba (04:06)
A day in the life of a newly-hired junior dev (07:31)
How Josh found success by securing a referral (09:24)
What the interview process looked like for Josh (11:02)
Josh got the job in around 10 months 🎉(12:12)
Josh’s advice for anyone else learning to code (14:28)
Josh found success quicker than he was planning - does he regret not applying sooner? (16:36)
A job is the ultimate learning environment (19:03)
Challenges learning to code alongside a full-time job (19:48)

🧰 Resources mentioned

⭐️ Leave a Review

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Lessons Learned Recruiting and Managing Junior Developers for 10 Years Feb 01, 2022

🎙 About the episode

Jason has been recruiting and supporting Junior Developers for more than a decade! He joins us to share his inspiring story breaking into tech after sustaining a head injury, and what he’s learned about how to find success as a Junior without a degree along the way.

🔗 Connect with Jason

⏰ Timestamps

Introduction (0:00)
How a head injury at 16 influenced Jason’s career path (01:27)
Interns vs. juniors (05:07)
Job titles matter, but not for the reasons you might think (08:04)
Are there more juniors than junior jobs? (10:35)
Why recruiters sometimes get it wrong and what that means for you, the candidate (11:38)
The job description is not a list of hard requirements (15:44)
How to improve your self-awareness (19:05)
Coding vs. programming and why it matters (22:04)
Justin’s favourite question to ask during interviews: What games do you play? (23:40)
Are you born or made a programmer? (24:56)
Tech is vast and has many career paths to offer (27:26)

🧰 Resources mentioned

⭐️ Leave a Review

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Advice from a Junior Developer Career Coach Jan 25, 2022

🎙 About the episode

Anna is well-regarded as the Opera singer who turned into a Developer! Before serenading the masses, Anna was a marketer and code-tinkerer. This concoction of marketing know-how, work experience, and an inclination to solve problems enabled Anna to find work as a Junior Developer in the wake of the pandemic in record time. Aside from working full-time, Anna also coaches Junior Developers on her YouTube channel, Twitter, and around the web. In this episode, we peel back the curtain to learn Anna’s streamlined advice for new programmers looking to find their success as a Junior.

🔗 Connect with Anna

⏰ Timestamps

Introduction (0:00)
From opera singer to developer (01:01)
How long does it take to become a developer? (03:36)
Born programmer vs. made programmer (07:23)
9 Belbin Team Roles (12:32)
Coding in a team and how it differs from solo work (13:30)
Answering “what is your biggest weakness?” (16:02)
Remember: Rejection is redirection (17:08)
How Anna found success as a Junior quicker than she anticipated (18:51)
Pitching yourself like a pro (23:46)
It’s not enough to be the best coder, sorry! (28:17)
Dissecting Anna’s winning video (29:44)
Quick-fire questions (30:28)

🧰 Resources mentioned

⭐️ Leave a Review

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You can also Tweet Alex from Scrimba at @bookercodes and tell them what lessons you learned from the episode so they can thank you personally for tuning in 🙏

3 Months and 600 Job Applications Later: How Fredrik Became a Junior Developer in Record Time with Scrimba Jan 18, 2022

🎙 About the episode

Meet Fredrik Ridderfalk from Sweden 🇸🇪! He went from not knowing any code to landing a Junior Developer role in just 3 months! Having studied before, Fredrik knew exactly how to structure his learning on Scrimba so that it worked best for him. Thanks to trying some other jobs in the past, he also had a good idea of how to crack the coding interview. In this episode, Fredrik imparts the knowledge that got him hired in record time to YOU.

🔗 Connect with Fredrik Ridderfalk

⏰ Timestamps

Introduction (0:00)
Creating your own Junior Developer roadmap (03:37)
How Fredrik became job-ready in 3 months (06:13)
How to remember what you learn better (08:08)
Applying to 600 jobs (11:01)
Remember: A job ad is a wish list not a must-have list (12:48)
Accidentally being interviewed for Senior roles (14:18)
Fredrik lost faith in tailoring cover letters to the job - is it really necessary? (15:35)
Building original projects to stand out (17:18)
Expanding on Scrimba Career Path projects (20:49)
What the interview process looked like specifically (24:15)
What does a Junior Developer do now they’re hired? (26:42)
Getting paid to learn (28:22)

🧰 Resources mentioned

AngelList

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You can also Tweet Alex from Scrimba at @bookercodes and tell them what lessons you learned from the episode so they can thank you personally for tuning in 🙏

How to become a successful Junior Developer with Danny Thompson Jan 11, 2022

🎙 About the episode

Meet Danny Thompson 🇺🇸! Danny worked in gas stations frying chicken for 10 years before teaching himself how to code. Since then, he’s gone from strength to strength, working at Google for a stint before returning to a company called FrontDoor as a Software Engineer. Along the way, he’s amassed 140k+ followers on Twitter, helping others learn to code and break into tech with measured, actionable advice. He joins the Scrimba Podcast to talk job-hunting strategies and mindset, plus answer quick-fire questions so we can get to know him better.

🔗 Connect with Danny

⏰ Timestamps

Introduction (0:00)
Danny has 141K followers but he doesn’t want you to follow his advice blindly (01:22)
Danny’s new role - returning to work at his previous company after working at a FAANG company (03:02)
Should Juniors look for work in their local area, remote, or both? (14:59)
Transferring skills from your previous non-technical jobs with confidence (17:32)
Alex challenges Danny about what to do if you’re sensitive to rejection (21:24)
“The best thing that never happened to me” (25:34)
Tailor your application to the role or you’re probably going to fail (27:37)
Anticipate what employers want to know and prepare an elevator pitch (30:05)
Quick-fire questions (32:20)
Closing words by Danny (37:16)

🧰 Resources mentioned

⭐️ Leave a Review

If you enjoy this episode please leave a 5 star review here and let us know who you want to see on the next podcast.

You can also Tweet Alex from Scrimba at @bookercodes and tell them what lessons you learned from the episode so they can thank you personally for tuning in 🙏

This Scrimba student dropped out of college to learn online instead - now she's a Junior Developer! Jan 04, 2022

🎙 About the episode

Meet Elly! She dropped out from their CompiSci degree to double down on frontend web development with Scrimba. After showing a recruiter their beautifully-presented portfolio, Elly managed to secure their first “real” job: A Junior Developer role at a purpose-driven web agency!

🔗 Connect with Elly

⏰ Timestamps

Introduction (0:00)
Elly dropped out from their CompSci degree to pursue front end (02:59)
Replacing university with Scrimba’s Frontend Career Path and community (06:00)
Did Elly need to know Data Structures and Algorithms? (08:03)
Elly’s wonderful HTML resume template (09:05)
HTML vs. PDF resume in Elly’s opinion (12:39)
All about Elly’s new job at Portable (13:24)
Elly’s experience working with an external recruiter (15:20)
How Elly stood out and found work so quickly (19:17)
The importance of having a good vibe (rapport) with your interviewer (20:24)
The interview! (21:25)
What would Elly have done differently? (22:51)
Elly’s advice to aspiring Developers and closing words (24:34)

🧰 Resources mentioned

Ask an Expert: Chat with a Tech Recruiter
Ask an Expert: CV Review with a Tech Recruiter
Want to learn frontend development and secure your first technical job like Elly did? Enroll in the Scrimba Frontend Developer Career Path 🎉

⭐️ Leave a Review

If you enjoy this episode please leave a 5 star review here and let us know who you want to see on the next podcast.

You can also Tweet your host, Alex from Scrimba, at @bookercodes and tell them what lessons you learned from the episode so they can thank you personally for tuning in 🙏!

Origin of the name Scrimba, winning the lottery, and our biggest mistakes - Christmas special QnA with Team Scrimba Dec 28, 2021

🎙 About the episode

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! In this special episode, Scrimba co-founders Per (CEO) and Sindre (CTO), plus Bob, Leanne, Michael, Abdellah, and Matias from Team Scrimba join to answer your questions - some serious ones (like the origin of Scrimba) and some totally random and fun ones (like what we would all do if we won the lottery).

🔗 Connect with Team Scrimba

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You can also Tweet Alex from Scrimba at @bookercodes and tell them what lessons you learned from the episode so they can thank you personally for tuning in 🙏

Career advice from the maintainer Redux, Mark Erikson Dec 21, 2021

🎙 About the episode

Meet Mark! Mark maintains Redux and is a seasoned developer with more than a decade of professional experience coding and working with Juniors. In this episode, Alex and Mark explore if beginners need to know Redux before delving into Mark's best coding career advice around searching and evaluating online information efficiently and how to find meaningful information on even the most obscure programming errors!

🔗 Connect with Mark

⏰ Timestamps

Introduction (0:00)
Working at the same company for a decade (01:47)
What is Redux and should newer developers bother learning it? (02:38)
Where does Redux shine? (06:24)
Quick introduction to TodoMVC (09:58)
Redux vs Context API (12:12)
Does Mark with more than a decade experience need Google anymore? Yes! (17:40)
How to search information efficiently (20:10)
How do you search hairy error messages to find meaningful results? (20:44)
Why TypeScript errors trip a lot of people up (23:53)
Mark's best advice to folks new in their career (25:07)

🧰 Resources mentioned

⭐️ Leave a Review

If you enjoy this episode please leave a 5 star review hereand let us know who you want to see on the next podcast.

You can also Tweet Alex from Scrimba at @bookercodes and tell them what lessons you learned from the episode so they can thank you personally for tuning in 🙏

Recruited by Activision to code email templates (best first Developer job ever?) Dec 14, 2021

🎙 About the episode

Tony is a successful Scrimba student from Los Angeles who was recently got their first Junior Developer job at Activision! Tony used to work in finance but hated it. He knew he wanted to find meaningful work that allowed him to prioritize his mental health but couldn't afford to quit outright. For months on end, Tony learned to code alongside his full-time job. Despite many setbacks, he managed to come out on top by niching down and becoming an expert at creating email templates. In this episode, you'll learn all about it!

🔗 Connect with Tony

👨🏻‍💼 LinkedIn
👩‍🚀 GitHub
🤖 tonymoreno86#6931 on the Scrimba Discord

⏰ Timestamps

Introduction (0:00)
Tony transitioned from the world of finance to coding (01:04)
Learning to code alongside a full time job (02:33)
The role of community and friendships in Tony's success (04:00)
How to make your Dad proud (05:02)
Joining Activision! (07:30)
Finding riches in niches by coding email templates (08:29)
Working 400+ hours on UpWork to earn reputation (12:33)
How Tony discovered their niche for email templates (14:31)
Activision reached out to Tony on LinkedIn (16:45)
Perks of the job (18:03)
Moving around in the company a little (18:49)
What do you think were the most significant contributors to landing this job based on what you experienced during the interview process? (21:23)
What would you do differently? (22:23)

🧰 Resources mentioned

⭐️ Leave a Review

If you enjoy this episode please leave a 5 star review hereand let us know who you want to see on the next podcast.

You can also Tweet Alex from Scrimba at @bookercodes and tell them what lessons you learned from the episode so they can thank you personally for tuning in 🙏

How an effective portfolio landed Claire her first remote Junior Developer role Dec 07, 2021

🎙 About the episode

Claire Ramming is a successful Scrimba student from New York City 🇺🇸, who recently got their first full-time developer job 🎉! Before learning to code, Claire studied Data Science and received mentorship on how to choose projects that standout and navigate the job market without a degree. Claire joins us today to share the tactics she learned and how specifically they helped her land this awesome new opportunity. Stay tuned for the end where Alex asks Claire a mock job interview question.

🔗 Connect with Claire

⏰ Timestamps

Introduction (0:00)
Claire's first lines of code (01:30)
Building a standout portfolio full of projects (03:55)
Can you use Scrimba projects in your portfolio? (05:23)
Changing companies without your boss knowing 🤫 (06:45)
Claire's clever idea to apply to Asana by cloning their app (08:50)
Finding success on Hired (09:07)
How to successfully answer "Tell us about yourself" (14:23)
Do. Your. Homework. (15:41)
How to answer "Do you like to work alone or as part of a team?" (16;08)
In-depth account of Claire's interview process and how long it took for them to get back (17:17)
What would Claire do differently if they did it again? (24:42)
Mock interview question: "What is the hardest thing you've ever done?" (26:35)

🧰 Resources mentioned

Hired
Mapbox (SDK for adding maps to apps like Uber Eats)
The data science bootcamp Claire attended (Springboard)

⭐️ Leave a Review

If you enjoy this episode please leave a 5 star review hereand let us know who you want to see on the next podcast.

You can also Tweet Alex from Scrimba at @bookercodes and tell them what lessons you learned from the episode so they can thank you personally for tuning in 🙏

From Photographer to Developer at 35 Nov 30, 2021

Christopher Kühn is a Scrimba student from Cologne, Germany 🇩🇪, who recently got their first Developer job 🎉! At the ripe age of 35 and after 3 arduous years learning to code alongside a full-time job and 70 job applications, this is the interview about how Christopher finally completed the transition from Photographer to Developer. In the conversation, Alex from Scrimba and Christopher talk about changing careers later in life, keeping motivated, and what the job interview process specifically looked like.

🔗 Connect with Christopher

⏰ Timestamps

Introduction (00:00)
Christopher on learning to code at 35 (00:57)
Christopher's bizarre encounter that made them want to learn React (03:03)
"The JavaScript Masterplan" (05:49)
Learning and managing your energy learning to code alongside a full-time job (07:44)
How to know if you're ready to apply (10:59)
Christopher worked for free to build a reputation - it worked (14:01)
Be honest about what you want with recruiters (15:18)
Remember to subscribe to job alerts by email (16:48)
How Christopher specifically got this job and what the interview process looked like (19:16)
Christopher got the job (24:47)

🧰 Resources mentioned

Becoming a Standout Developer with Randall Kanna Nov 23, 2021

Once upon a time, Randall learned the unsettling truth that almost everyone on her team earned more money than her. She mustered the courage to confront her her boss and said, “Hey! Google are interested in me. I could go there or you can give me the fair salary bump I deserve!” They obliged and in that moment, Randall learned just how important it is to advocate yourself.

Randall wants you to have the best possible start to your tech career and joins the podcast to share what she’s learned about how to stand out and thrive in tech. Spoiler: It’s not just about your coding skills.

⏰ Timestamps

Introduction (0:00)
How Randall got into tech (01:25)
How to actually improve your communication and collaboration skills (03:24)
Make the most of LinkedIn with these tips (04:26)
How to stand out in tech (11:06)
Randall and Alex get DEEP (14:34)
How to write a superb Junior Developer resume (15:39)
Randall's scariest moment in tech - confronting her employers because she was underpaid (20:18)
Are you a dark matter developer? (25:41)
How to structure your learning as a self-taught developer and stay motivated (27:33)
Your unfair advantage as a self-taught developer (33:57)
How to genuinely and convincingly answer "why do you want to work here?" (36:10)

From a PhD in Materials Science to Junior Developer with Scrimba Nov 16, 2021

Maeling earned a PhD in Materials Science and Engineering before realising her passion for code! After months of practice and with help from her new friends in various communities, she’s now working as a Junior Developer at a remote start-up. In this episode, you’ll learn how Maeling found the job through a virtual career fair and how you, too, can find success.

Timestamps

Introduction (0:00)
About Maeling's new job (00:48)
How Maeling found this opportunity through a virtual job fair (02:30)
How Maeling used Twitter to lern to code (02:55)
Community and learning to code (06:35)
Self-directed learning compared to university (09:33)
Don't compare yourself to others (11:37)
Homeschooling while learning to code (14:02)
Building a homeschooling journal app (15:30)
What the interview process looked like (18:59)
Maeling's top tips for anyone wanting to become a Junior Developer (23:19)

Links

Advice from a Senior Silicon Valley Engineer Nov 09, 2021

Swizec Teller moved from Slovenia to Silicon Valley to work with the best engineers on the most challenging problems. Along the way, he hired and continuous to mentor countless juniors. In this episode, you'll learn what Swizec looks for in Junior Developer in 2021 and how you can crack the coding interview by highlighting your potential.

Timestamps

Introduction (0:00)
What employers look for in Juniors (02:32)
What projects will impress employers? (05:01)
The difference between front-end engineer and front-end developer (07:28)
An introduction to JSON bureaucracy (10:57)
How to measure your own ability and skill (14:39)
How Google hire Juniors (20:50)
What Swizec learned from Richard Hamming (23:11)
Swizec's career vision (25:37)
An introduction to the Senior Mindset (28:07)
What Juniors can expect from seniors (29:09)

Links

From Guitar Teacher to Software Developer after Scrimba Nov 02, 2021

John Mckay (also known fondly as Johno in the Scrimba community) used to work as a Guitar Teacher. After learning to code on Scrimba, he now works as a full-time trainee developer at one of the UK's largest supermarkets! As a trainee, Johno will spend 20 months working on different real-world parts of the business, while learning from mentors and some dedicated training. In this episode, you will learn how you, too, can earn to learn!

Timestamps

Introduction (0:00)
How John found a 20 month employee training program (1:24)
How John got started programming (03:07)
John's experience with procrastination (04:38)
Don't just learn to code - learn to market yourself too (09:29)
How to write your first developer resume when you have no experience (10:48)
Communication skills are key (12:50)
What John finds intimidating about their new job (14:08)
Competency based interviews deconstructed (17:27)
What surprised John now he's on the team (27:11)
The role of the Scrimba community in John's success (28:59)

Last-minute guide to Hacktoberfest (there's still time), featuring GitHub Star Of The Year, Eddie Jaoude Oct 26, 2021

The month-long celebration of Hacktoberfest is nearly over but don't threat! There's still time to get involved and potentially earn a Hacktoberfest T-shirt. In this episode, GitHub Star of the Year 2020, Eddie Jaoude shares everything you need to know to get involved in these remaining days.

Who is Eddie? Eddie Jaoude is an open source advocate and leader of the EddieHub open source community. He believes OPEN SOURCE is NOT just about code, it is about people, communication and collaboration.

Timestamps

Introduction (00:00)
What is Hacktoberfest (01:13)
Is it too late to get involved? (01:50)
Open source can catapult your career as it did for Eddie (03:02)
Genuinely meaningful ways to contribute to open source that don't even involve writing code (07:10)
Where to find your first open source project (09:21)
How Hacktoberfest measures your contributions (14:32)
"It's always about adding value, not amount of lines that have changed" (15:43)
Challenges you might encounter and how to overcome them (18:52)
Maintaining your own project and taking part in Hacktoberfest (20:23)
Quick-fire questions with Eddie Jaoude (22:35)

Links

How to make money as a developer with Florin Pop Oct 19, 2021

Florin Pop is a JavaScript developer who made $22K in August. After years of experimentation and brand-building, Florin has uncovered several sources of income that enable him to earn good money without a boss and, in some cases, without working at all (Florin earns some passive income). In this episode, Florin and Alex outline several ways to make money if you know how to code and are willing to put in hard work.

From Circus to coding - how Milos turned COVID into an opportunity Oct 12, 2021

At 32 years of age and after 10 years of climbing the ranks in the theatre industry, Milos Dokic from Australia had to start again because of the pandemic.

While many entertainment workers weathered the storm, Milos mustered the discipline to explore his growing interest in programming, enroll in a university course, and get ahead. The university course was fine but when Milos started to look for work he realized he was totally unprepared. There weren't many jobs around C or C++, which he was learning at school, and because Milos hadn't yet graduated, he didn't have any credentials to get in the door.

Around that time, Milos discovered Scrimba and the Front-end Developer career path! He built some exciting front-end projects and developed a stand-out portfolio and LinkedIn page. Along the way, he realized more of his experience was transferrable than he first thought.

Milos joins us to share all the specific details about how he found his job and what the interview process looked like. You will learn more about what to expect and how to succeed yourself!

Links

Guest
- Connect with Milos Dokic on LinkedIn
- Join the Scrimba Discord and message Milos (their username is Samurai#3301)
Host
- Follow Alex Booker from Scrimba on Twitter

Timestamps

Introduction (0:00)
Milos' journey from Cirque du Soleil to Junior Developer (00:50)
When the pandemic hit Cirque du Soleil came to a halt but Milos was determined to turn it around (05:54)
How Scrimba compared to Milos' experience at university? (09:31)
Milos' experience buying a CV template from Etsy (10:19)
Staying focused and on-track even when you experience setbacks (13:28)
How learning Linux helped Milos feel comfortable with commands and servers (14:48)
How Milos specifically found this job and what the interview process looked like (15:49)
Milos' take-home task and how it went (17:56)
Changing carers at 32 and after 10 years in theatre (20:42)
How to stand out among thousands of developers according to Milos (22:42)

How to stand out as a new developer (and ask amazing questions) with Dan Moore from FusionAuth Oct 05, 2021

What do you wish someone had told you when you were just starting out? If you are a new developer (we’re not using “junior developer” here - listen along to find out why!), there are skills you have, skills you can transfer from somewhere else, and skills you don’t even know you need. You probably also have a lot of assumptions… and not too many people who can tell you whether they’re true. Dan wants to change that!

Who is Dan Moore? He is the author of Letters to a New Developer - a blog and book of advice he wishes he had gotten at the beginning of his career. Dan is a developer with twenty years of experience, currently working as a Solutions Architect at FusionAuth.

Links

Guest
Host
- Follow Alex from Scrimba on Twitter
Episode links
- Dan’s book of letters to a new developer

Overcoming interview nerves - how this Scrimba student recovered from failure to become a Junior Developer Sep 28, 2021

Scrimba student Serhan almost canceled his interview at Microsoft because he was nervous. Even though it turned out to be an unsuccessful interview, overcoming that initial hurdle set everything into motion for Serhan. The worse thing that could happen had already happened. Turns out, being rejected from a company wasn't that bad.

After that, Serhan was much calmer in interviews now and was offered a job much sooner than he expected! We think the same could happen to you if you adapt Serhan's mindset when teaching yourself to code and applying for Junior Developer jobs.

Timestamps

Introduction (00:00)
Serhan's transition from Economics to code (01:07)
How Serhan taught himself to code (01:59)
The most frustrating thing about learning to code (03:14)
The importance of community when learning to code (05:41)
How Serhan got an interview at Microsoft (06:42)
Recovering from a rejection by Microsoft 😪 (10:16)
Serhan started doing interviews to get used to hearing "no" (10:36)
How Serhan ensured a constant pipeline of job interviews (15:14)
What Serhan learned from a consultation with a recruiter (19:19)
Serhan got two job offers and finally found success 🎉 (22:32)

Links

Guest
- Connect with Serhan on LinkedIn
- Serhan is Serhan#6676 in the Scrimba Discord community (join)

What a good developer resume looks like and how to write one - learnings from an Uber Engineering Manager Sep 21, 2021

Your resume determines if you will be called in for an interview or not. It’s an advertisement targeted towards your future boss and it can make or break your application. Yet, most programmers fail to write a good resume! In this episode, you will learn to increases the chances that your resume makes it to the “yes” pile according to an actual Hiring Manager.

Who is Gergely? Gergely is the author of The Tech Resume Inside Out - a highly-rated book about what the hiring process look like inside companies and how to make sure your resume stands out. Before that, he worked as an Engineering Manager at Uber for 3 years.

Timestamps

Introduction (00:00)
Most resumes suck so Gergely wrote The Tech Resume Inside Out (01:27)
Remember: Your resume is a sales tool (07:52)
Create a master resume template (14:26)
The problem with using LinkedIn as your resume (15:20)
How hiring funnels work from the inside out(18:35)
Myth-busting Application Tracking Systems (26:20)
Avoid photos on your resume (35:22)
Why resumes should look plain Jane (35:25)
References available upon request? Obviously (36:34)
Internships and Computer Science degrees (36:48)
Employment travel visa options for new programmers are few for a reason (39:12)
The dreaded reference check (41:29)

Links

Guest
Host
- Follow Alex from Scrimba on Twitter
Episode links
- Gergely's book on writing a tech resume

Lessons learned from 400 unsuccessful job applications - how Scrimba student Gandev finally found success Sep 14, 2021

With every rejection, Gandev felt more determined than ever. It didn't matter to him that no one had replied positively yet because he was only really testing the waters - applying to jobs before he was ready in order to see what he could learn about job-hunting while simultaneously skilling up on Scrimba. In the end, Gandev learned the key to his success was to connect with the people behind the jobs. In this episode, you are will learn how to do the same.

Who is Gandev? Gandev is a Scrimba community member and Frontend Career Path graduate with a tenacious attitude. He was recently hired as a Junior Frontend Developer at a London-based web development agency, and joins the podcast to share exactly how he got there.

Timestamps

Introduction (00:00)
Gandevs immensely productive Scrimba schedule (01:45)
Recovering from failures and finding your drive (08:07)
What Gandev learned applying to 400 jobs (13:57)
How to make your own luck by connecting with Senior developers and recruiters (17:22)
How to assure employers you will pull your weight (22:53)

Links

Follow Alex Booker (host) on Twitter

How to work with recruiters according to Senior Recruiter Taylor Desseyn Sep 07, 2021

For every sucky recruiter conflating Java and JavaScript (oh boy), there is a recruiter like Taylor Desseyn ready to listen to your goals, craft your resume, and help you land your first Junior Developer job. Yes, even new programers are eligible to work with a recruiter! In this episode, Taylor breaks it down step-by-step.

Who is Taylor? Taylor is a Senior Recruiter who has been recruiting since 2011 and has helped place more than 450 people land their dream jobs. He joins us today to share his best advice on how to connect with and utilize recruiters in general.

Timestamps

Introduction (00:00)
Recruiting is inherently broken (01:52)
Differentiate between agency and internal recruiters (04:11)
How to connect with agency recruiters even if you are a Junior (05:38)
You wouldn't wait to go to the gym until you're in shape... (09:37)
3 rules to write an impressive cold message (10:10)
LinkedIn is where it's at but do not discount Twitter and Polywork (14:57)
How to stand out on LinkedIn (17:50)
The tenants of a standout resume (21:37)

Links

Follow the guest
- Follow Taylor Desseyn on Twiitter
- TaylorDesseyn.com
Follow the host
- Follow Alex from Scrimba on Twitter
Links mentioned in the episode

How to remember everything you learn with Ali Spittel from Amazon Web Services Aug 31, 2021

Ali has helped hundreds of new developers learn to code through her work as a lead bootcamp instructor and author. She’s an equally talented developer and teacher and In this episode, shares techniques and tips to help you better understand what you’re learning and make it stick once and for all!

Timestamps

Introduction (00:00)
How Ali got her first Junior Developer job (01:31)
What Ali learned helping new programmers as a Lead Instructor at General Assembly (06:16)
What you can learn from successful bootcamp students (07:51)
How to know if you're ready to apply to jobs (11:28)
Ali's experience as a hiring manager (11:39)
Is the first programming language the hardest to learn? (15:38)
How to remember everything you learn (21:34)
How to escape tutorial hell (22:23)
Should you hustle non-stop or take breaks? (28:15)
Focused vs. diffused thinking (30:13)
How Ali schedules time to learn on the job (31:16)
Ali's progression to a Senior role and what Juniors should know about Seniors (33:39)

Links

How to get started in Developer Relations according to Head of Developer Relations Phil Leggetter Aug 24, 2021

The demand for Developer Relations candidates has never been greater. Yet, employers are struggling to fill this unique role. In this episode, Phil Legetter (Head of Developer Relations at PostHog), teaches you what Developer Relation is, the versatile roles within Developer Relations, and what experience you need to succeed. As an experienced Hiring Manager himsself, Phil also shares his experience hiring from the inside out.

Timestamps

Introduction (00:00)
What Developer Relations is (02:30)
Can introverts work in Developer Relations? (10:23)
How much and what kind of experience do you need? (13:12)
Phil cares less about your education and more about your public contributions - very encouraging for self-taught developers (15:10)
What did the Developer Relations hiring process look like at an enterprise company? (16:35)
How long does Phil spend reviewing each resume? (18:21)
Does LinkedIn easy apply ever work? (20:57)
How do companies decide on the X in "X years of experience required" (21:20)
Tell us about a memorable candidate (25:08)

Links

Developer First/Developer Plus
Roles within Developer Relations
Phil covers many of the activities within DevRel in his older post around Defining DevRel
Phil and PostHog's Developer Educator role that he updated the requirements for following the interview 😀

From Air Conditioning Technician to Junior Developer in 6 months Aug 17, 2021

Meet Dan (35) from Australia 🇦🇺🦘. After working as an Air Conditioning Technician for 9 years, Dan enrolled in Scrimba's Frontend Developer Career Path to become a hireable web developer. 6 months later, here we are!

Success found Dan much quicker than he expected - not because he was the absolute best coder (Dan admits he stumbled through the technical interview) but instead because Dan successfully demonstrated his teachability and potential. Now Dan is earning to learn. If you follow Dan's advice, you could too!

Timestamps

Introduction (00:00)
How Dan became a Junior Developer in 7 months (01:32)
How Dan managed to stand out to an employer and get a callback (06:45)
Dan assumed his test questions were JavaScript but they were actually PHP 😧 (09:44)
Instead of idly waiting for a decision Dan improved his skills (14:06)
Dan continued to follow-up and sell himself after the interview (15:57)
Dan think he stumbled through the on-site interview but the employer reassured him (17:07)
Dan got the job 🎉 (19:06)
How Dan's experience talking to customers surprisingly helped him land a a Junior Developer job (20:16)

Links

A screenshot of the cover letter that earned Dan his interview
Dan wrote about his whole experience in more detail here: Changed career from HVAC-R tech to junior web dev at 35. Here’s my story...
Follow Alex from Scrimba on Twitter

Tom's portfolio earns him six figures a year Aug 10, 2021

Tom Hirst's inbox is full to the brim. It's practically spilling with emails from companies and clients inquiring to work with him! This demand comes from Tom's effective personal website and earns him six figures a year as a freelance WordPress developer.

Whether you are a would-be freelancer or aspiring Junior developer, Tom believes you should build a personal website, niche down to scale up and - above all else - put yourself out there (even if you're an introvert like him!) In this episode, Tom shows you how.

Timestamps

Introduction (00:00)
Why you need a personal website in 2021 (01:47)
How to get your personal website off the ground without getting side-tracked (04:02)
A quick quick introduction to SEO and Domain Authority (05:51)
"Specialisation at the beginning of your career is one of the smartest things you can do" (10:42)
The discipline of specialisation (12:38)
How to start freelancing like Tom (15:04)
Putting yourself out there as an introvert (17:29)
UpWork: Yay or nay? (17:44)
How to increase an employers confidence in you when you don't have much experience yet (20:19)
Should you work on the cheap to get your foot in the door? (21:32)
Building equity in yourself (24:39)
Avoiding troublesome employers and manipulative clients (25:20)
Tom wrote a book and it's free (27:21)
Pricing yourself relative to the competition (28:58)

Links

Ace the job interview with Cassidy Williams from Netlify Aug 03, 2021

There are two sides to every story, and a job interview can seem very different depending on whether you’re the interviewee or the interviewer. Cassidy Williams (Director of Developer Experience at Netlify and teacher here at Scrimba) has experienced both. She joins us today to share her experience and prove the interview process isn't as scary as it may seem.

Contents

Introduction (00:00)
What does Cassidy do at Netlify? (01:51)
How Cassidy stays super productive (and how you can too) (03:58)
How to "kill two birds with one scone" (07:31)
Why you should learn and work in public (11:21)
"The difference between a developer and a senior developer is that the senior developer says, 'I don't know' more." (13:50)
How to start your career in tech (17:30)
Why rejection is not a reflection of you or your ability (21:48)
Should you apply to lots of companies or a few specific ones? (25:48)
Small companies or big companies? (29:23)
Cassidy's cool sister's (Cammi Williams) experience working at Apple, Google, Amazon, and Facebook (30:10)
The importance of friendship in the developer community (34:00)
Networking doesn't have to be gross 😷 - think about it like relationship-building (37:37)

Links from the show

Becoming rejection-proof with Erik Hanchett from Amazon Web Services Jul 27, 2021

When Erik started his coding career, several companies rejected him. Today, he works as a Front End Engineer at Amazon Web Services! Can you imagine how different things might have been had Erik let rejection block him? In this episode, Erik talks about how to think about rejection so it doesn't bother you, the tactics he would use to get a junior developer job in 2021, and how to glide into a recruiter's inbox. Finally, Erik compares React and Vue, and talks about the job prospects for each.

The road from intern to Senior Developer with Darin Doria from Wistia Jul 20, 2021

Darin started his developer career as an intern. Now he works as a Senior Engineer at Wistia! This his advice for new programmers considering an internship or junior developer position. We also delve into what companies look for in new programmers and if you really need the experience threshold before applying.

Links

@_darindoria on Twitter
@bookercodes from Scrimba on Twitter
Subscribe to Darin on YouTube
How I Landed My First Developer Job: My Internship Story by Darin
Code With Me | 1hr Real Time w/ Lo-Fi Beats by Darin

Intentional Career Building with Kent C. Dodds Jul 13, 2021

Kent has authored 180 blog posts, created courses on React and unit teseting, hosted podcasts like JavaScript Air and Angular Air. He's also given countless talks and eppared on presentations. From the outside lookign in, it's hard to imagine how he gets so much done!

Links

@kentcdodds on Twitter
@bookercodes from Scrimba on Twitter
Zero to 60 in Software Development: How to Jumpstart Your Career (Kent C. Dodds)
Make It Stick: The Science of Successful Learning (Peter C. Brown et al.)
How I Teach (Kent C. Dodds)
How to get experience as a software engineer (Kent C. Dodds)
Intentional Career Building (Kent C. Dodds)
Epic React course (Kent C. Dodds)
Solidifying what you learn (Kent C. Dodds)

How to make your own luck with Shawn Wang (Swyx) from Temporal Jul 06, 2021

Shawn (Swyx) Wang joins us to discuss his book, The Coding Career Handbook. In this episode, you'll learn principles, strategies, and actionable tactics that will help you become a hireable junior developer. For everything else, there's Swyx's book, for which you can receive 30% off using special code, SRIMBA30.

Timestamps

00:00 Introduction
1:37 When are you ready to apply for junior developer jobs?
03:40 What is learning in public and why is it important?
07:05 Learning in public is more selfish than alturistic
09:56 How to start learning in public
11:05 Preview of next week's episode 👀
12:30 Introduce a learning exhaust
15:00 The four gears of learning in public
17:47 Why working in the open can be magnetic
19:34 Teaching forces you to learn (and learn in depth)
20.05 Should you apply to lots of companies or just a few you really like?
22.44 How to get "lucky" more often
25.55 Alex shares his experience with learning in public
27:57 Swyx shares his experience learning in public

Links

The Coding Career Handbook by Swyx (30% discount applied when you use this link)
Learn in Public by Swyx
Show Your Work by Austin Kleon
Luck and the Entrepreneur by Marc Andreesen

Get started freelancing on Upwork with no experience Jun 29, 2021

When you don't have a CompSci degree, you have to get creative 👀! Ehtisham found freelance work on UpWork by doing the work without permission. Next, he transferred his excellent reviews to earn a job interview! Now his job title is Front-end developer and he works remotely.

Timestamps

00:00 Introduction
01:03 Start freelancing with no experience
03:36 Getting your first client
05:06 The impact of customer recommendations
06:40 Pricing yourself for opportunity
09:20 Turning freelance work experience into a full-time role
11:00 Ehtisham's new job
11:57 What the interview process looked like
13:15 Ehtisham's recommended resources

Links

Communication skills for developers with Dylan Israel from Amazon Jun 22, 2021

If you want to become a successful developer in 2021, communication skills are more important than you might think.

In this episode, Dylan Israel from Amazon talks about Agile software practices, teamwork, working with your manager, boundaries, and dealing with anxiety as someone on the shyer or introverted side.

Timestamps

00:00 Introduction
01:40 What to expect when you join a new team
03:39 What is Agile development all about?
08:35 Beware companies masquerading as "Agile"
12:18 Ask these questions in your interview (and avoid a death march)
12:55 Why communication skills are more crucial than you might think
15:10 Effective communication is a learned skill
16:55 Introverts and extroverts
19:00 Communication in the workplace is unique - treat it as such
21:40 Books Dylan used to sharpen his communication skills (see links from the episode below)
24:17 You don't need to understand Agile that well before applying for jobs
25:39 One-way communication (screencasts, talks) vs. two-way communication (team communication)
27:30 How to deal with social anxiety (and how anxiety differs from stress)
32:30 What to expect from your manager and teammates

Links

Check out Dylan
Links from the episode
- Introduction to Clean Code (Scrimba) by Dylan himself
- Clean Code by Uncle Bob
- The Clean Coder (a code of conduct for professional programmers) by Uncle Bob
- Clean Architecutre by Uncle Bob

Karan didn't meet all the requirements - they hired him anyway Jun 15, 2021

Karan found a job that needed two years of professional experience but as a recent Frontend Developer Career Path Graduate he didn't have any yet 😬 !

Equipped with a stunning portfolio and active GitHub profile, Karan applied anyway...

They practically hired him on the spot 🎉 proving these requirements don't always apply to the individual, and you should apply anyway!

Now Karan's learning lots while working on a project for a Fortune 500 company.

In this episode, you'll learn how Karan became a hireable programmer by helping others and what resources he used to crack the coding interview on his first try.

Timestamps

00:00 Introduction
01:44 Karan talks about his new role
02:50 How did you learn to code well enough that you felt ready to start applying for jobs?
04:00 How did you structure your learning?
04:48 What was your job-hunting strategy?
07:04 What did your interview process look like?
12:20 Preview of next week's episode with Dylan Israel
14:22 How does a company test your personality or culture fit?
16:46 Karan got the job offer 15 minutes after his interview 🎉
17:20 Community
19:07 "Helping other people made me a good programmer"
22:00 Karan's advice to anyone looking for work
24:11 What resources helped you get the job the most?
26:15 Future of the Scrimba community with Alex

Show notes

Karan's portfolio
The Tech Resume Inside Out by Gergely Orosz
De-Coding The Technical Interview Process by Emma Bostian
JavaScript Algorithms and Data Structures
Best Web Dev Resources by Karan himself

Want to learn frontend development and secure your first technical job like Karan did? Enroll in the Scrimba Frontend Developer Career Path 🎉

How these six self-taught developers got jobs Jun 08, 2021

Pete has interviewed hundreds of self-taught developers for his website, NoCSDegree. In this episode, he shares his top 6 stories that YOU Can learn from to make money as an employee, freelancer, or entrepreneur (Pete covers all 3)

Timestamps

00:00 Introduction
02:00 How Beatrice used a meetup to advance their career
07:15 Arvid Kahl founded a $55K/month business
09:45 Please remember to subscribe and share the episode 😇
10:15 Aldhair went from cruise ship worker to developer in 5 months with Scrimba
12:32 Do you need to meet 100% of the requirements to apply for a job (nah)
15:54 Josy got a remote job as a junior dev 🎉
18:26 Richard earned $15k a month at just 22 from a rural area with low living costs
23:21 Tae'lur from waitress to developer
26:22 What do al these developers have in common?
28:05 Outro and thanks

Links

Check out Pete
Links from the episode
- Getting a developer apprenticeship with a sociology degree (Beatrice)
- Learning to code with no CS degree and making $55k a month (Arvid Kahl)
- Covid career change - from cruise ship cleaner to developer (Aldhair)
- Josy learned coding and now has a remote developer job (Josy)
- From Waitress to Software Developer in 8 months (Tae'lur)
- This 22 year old self-taught PHP developer earns $15k a month and lives in an Austrian farmhouse (Richard)

How to get a job at Google with Jack Franklin from Google May 19, 2021

Jack is a twenty-something Front End Engineer at Google. In this episode, you will learn from his experience as he traveled an ambitious and twisty career path that, ultimately, landed him a high-impact job on the Google Chrome Developers team.

Contents

00:00 How did the opportunity at Google come about?
02:39 What it's like working at Google?
04:01 The decision to become a professional developer
05:52 Do you need a computer science degree to work at Google?
9:23 Becoming a speaker
17:31 Publishing a book at 21
21:38 Finding work you love
27:00 Front end engineer vs. developer?
28:57 How Jack got into Google
31:20 Google developer interview process
34:08 How to change jobs when you already have one
37:03 What it's like at Google
38:41 Quick-fire questions 🔥

Links

Scrimba swag give-away terms

DoorDash driver turned full-time developer May 11, 2021

David tried DoorDash part-time while he learned to code on Scrimba. He is also a successful landscaping business owner. If you think these experiences wouldn't help David become a professional developer, then think again! This interview is about how David leveraged his experiences to position himself and secured an exciting developer job 🎉

Contents

00:20 Introduction
02:55 How David got into code
05:30 What David learned about SEO
11:20 How David Tell us about the JOB and how you stood out (Associate SEO strategist)
12:40 Transferring skills from what seem like irelavent previous experiences
13:45 How the Scrimba community helped David
14:50 How David found the community
16:30 Why talking in front of people is scary and how to overcome it
18:00 Did you make friends at Scrimba and how did they help you?

Links

Becoming a six-figure freelancer with Gary Simon May 03, 2021

In this episode, YOU will learn how to become a freelance designer or developer in 2021 💸

Contents

00:30 Introduction
02:27 What does being freelance mean?
05:39 Winning your first customers
06:36 Learning to love UpWork and Fiverr
08:12 Why you need marketing (even if you hate it)
15:00 Setting and agreeing prices
19:30 Valuing yourself
22:08 Managing client expectations
25:20 Personal branding
29:45 Building the perfect portfolio (avoid skill bars)
34:34 Best technologies for freelancers?
35:40 Gary's biggest mistake
37:38 Are no-code tools like WebFlow a threat?
39:12 Quick-fire questions 🔥

Links

🎨 Practice making high-quality mockups a reality in the browser with five stunning projects created by Gary Simon and coded by you

The future of Scrimba with Per Borgen Apr 28, 2021

In this episode, I spoke to Per about:

The story behind Scrimba?
Where did the name Scrimba come from anyhow?
How Per reached 24,000 followers on Medium and why does it matter?
What makes an awesome Scrimba course?
Why did Scrimba make the Front-end Career Path?
Diploma of the 21st century
Selfish reasons to help other people
What people can look forward to at Scrimba and the Scrimba community

An interview with CSS evangelist Kevin Powell Apr 09, 2021

Kevin is the teacher behind Scrimba's ✨ epic ✨ 15 hour Responsive Web Design Bootcamp. You may also know him from his HTML & CSS Crash Course.

Leanne from Scrimba (@RybaLeanne) recently interviewed Kevin about CSS on a live stream and invited anyone watching to ask questions. This was great because the viewers probably had similar questions to you!

The answers Kevin gave on the spot were so good we thought to adapt that interview for an episode of The Scrimba Podcast.

Some of our favourite questions:

Do you need to be good at design and CSS to get a job?
What are your top 3 tips for improving CSS?
How important and relevant is Sass in 2021?
What do you hate about CSS?
Where to learn advance CSS (Kevin's Responsive Web Design Bootcamp of course!)

How new developers can turn rejection into opportunity Apr 01, 2021

Annemarie Visser learned frontend web development and became a full-time Junior Developer in only 5 months.

The secret sauce?

Anne embraced rejection and turned it into opportunity.

With only a few months experience, Anne sent her resume to 25+ companies full well expecting them to reject her. It sounds unorthodox but here is why it worked.

With each rejection, Anne politely asked "why?" and with the answers she got, dramatically accelerated her learning.

Because Anne was resilient to rejection, she learned what employers are looking for and where her blind spots were. As a result, she was able to focus on improving in the areas that matter most using the Frontend Career Path.

It's uncomfortable to face your weaknesses head-on but Anne knew what most people won't accept: Embracing discomfort is quickest path to success!

Anne was uniquely brave in this way and proved to us all that the worse someone can say is "no".

Of course, they might also say "yes"!

To Anne's surprise, she got an offer much earlier than she had anticipated. Now she is earning to learn which, we think, is a dream scenario for any aspiring developer 💸

True to character, Anne asked "why?" when she was hired and shares the reasons with us in this interview!

In this interview, I also asked Anne about:

How Anne learned to code while raising a newborn 👶🏻
Some examples of specific feedback she received when rejected
Why Anne made a portfolio early and how number of projects isn't as important as you might think
How Anne stood out against the competition for her specific role (Anne could communicate her thought process much clearer)
Anne's top tips she WISH she knew at the beginning

Fending off recruiters after #100DaysOfCode Mar 29, 2021

Alejandro coded EVERY DAY for 100 days and Tweeted his progress with the #100DaysOfCode hashtag.
After this 100 days sprit, Alejandro had a beautiful portfolio 🤩 and compelling GitHub account full of projects that proved to employers he could do the job even though he didn't have a computer science degree.

While Alejandro continued polished his skills using Scrimba's Frontend Career Path he applied to take part in a special mock React job interview we hosted with Cassidy Williams.

HE PASSED WITH FLYING COLORS 🎉 so it was no surprise when 2 months later, Alejandro shared word of his new job.

It wasn't that surprising to hear that Alejandro had a lot of interest from recruiters either. Alejandro has a knack for marketing himself. In this episode, you'll learn his top tips to stand out among the competition.

From noob to developer in 7 months Mar 15, 2021

Meet Paul Lee.

In September 2020 Paul decided to learn to code and stumbled upon Scrimba. Just 7 months later he got an entry-level job in Tokyo 🎉

In this interview, I spoke to Paul about:

Anxieties and doubt learning to code
How Paul learned to trust the process and all of a sudden had 2 job offers
How developer jobs work in Japan (I learned two-day internships are common)
At Scrimba we claim "Our career path helps motivated students become hireable frontend developers for 1% of the cost" I asked Paul if we're telling the truth 😬

How Justin got his first developer job at 33 Mar 11, 2021

Meet Justin Lowen (Justin Lowen#3893 on Discord) from San Antonio 🇺🇸.

Justin lost his job in the oil industry because of COVID-19. Less than one year later (and after 163 job applications) he was recruited as a professional developer!

Being recruited isn't something that happens by accident.

After 163 applications and several failed interviews, Justin managed to progressively optimise his LinkedIn, polish his resume and used Scrimba to close skills gaps revealed in previous interviews. I spoke to Justin so YOU can learn from his experience.

In this interview, I also spoke to Justin about:

Justin's shotgun approach wherein he applied to more than 160 jobs
Changing career later in life - going from senior petroleum engineer to junior software engineer
Who should you listen to when it comes to CV/resume advice?
How to be humble and prove you don't think you're "over-qualified" while still highlighting your potential to transfer skills from your previous, more senior role
How to compete with young computer science and traditional bootcamp graduates

How 16 year-old prodigy programmer Josh went viral Feb 26, 2021

After a modest launch among friends, Josh earned the attention of local news stations. COVID INVADERS 👾. went from a few hundred players to a few thousand. It was an overnight hit!

On the topic of hits, Josh performed a freestyle rap to accompany the game. He even rapped about Scrimba in our interview since it was the Frontend Developer Career Path that helped him build the game!

In this interview, Alex from Scrimba spoke to Josh about:

How Josh got freelance clients at 15
Why Josh doesn't care about a Computer Science degree
Do young people have an unfair advantage when learning to code?
How a can-do attitude and a knack for marketing earned Josh such an exciting opportunity
How Josh went viral by identifying a trend, making the game work on all platforms (à la Fortnite), and promoting the fact he was young to his advantage - fair play 👏!

Benedicte was about to quit when she got a call... Feb 19, 2021

When Benedicte returned from her pregnancy break, she was shocked to find that her university had stopped teaching her class!

After weighing her options, Benedicte made a brave decision to pursue web development.

At first, it was overwhelming.Benedicte didn't think she was smart enough.

She repeatedly questioned if she could do it and wondered if she would have to return to retail. Deep down, she knew that wasn't an option because of Coronavirus.

18 months into the journey, Benedicte felt tired.

Companies still weren't responding to her applications, and it made her want to quit...

Less than 2 months later, she got a phone call.

It was from a huge newspapers in Norway (VG). "You're HIRED," the manager said cheerfully!

In this interview, I spoke to Benedicte about

How Scrimba and the Frontend Career Path helped her find success
How to become invincible to rejection
What to do when a job requires "2 years minimum experience" or a degree 🙄
The specific details of her coding tasks (could you do them??)
Her unique interview experience where she did pair programming on a Google Hangout but wasn't allowed to type any code 🤔

How to go from bus driver to frontend developer Feb 11, 2021

Nico's story is incredible. After working as a bus driver for 5 years, he recently landed his first professional frontend development job showing us all it's never too late to be the change you want to see in your life.

In this episode, Nico and I explore many interesting topics including,

Escaping the dreaded tutorial hell 🔥
Pushing your comfort zone to secure multiplejob offers
What Nico's two-day interview process looked like 😱
Nico's tips for creating a résumé and portfolio that stand out (here's Nico's portfolio)
How Nico weirdly helped himself by helping others in the Scrimba Discord (??)
And more

Proven advice to secure your first developer job Oct 26, 2020

Meet Austėja Kazlauskytė - new mom, law graduate, and "mom-and-pop" entrepreneur turned front-end developer. This is the gutsy story about how Austėja found her passion for front-end development. It's about conquering fears, taking risks, and learning to navigate JavaScript, CSS, and the technical job interview 😱

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