Let me be clear: junior developers are necessary. They are also risky to hire. Let's explore the economics of hiring juniors, how to de-risk yourself and what the hell "junior" really means. Also - here's my email if you want any targeted advice: brian@parsity.io Include your Github and LinkedIn and I'll give you my 3 cents! PS. We have 2 spots left for the last cohort of the year. Join me at Parsity.io if you want to become a software developer in 2025. Send us a text Shameless Plugs 🧑💻 Join...
Aug 29, 2024•19 min
Aaron went from rapper to New York City Transit worker to working at some of the largest names in tech including Coinbase, Docker and Meta (Facebook). This story isn't really about tech or money, but that's a piece of it. The real story is about refusing to settle, rising above your circumstances and creating options in life when you feel like you don't have any. Aaron has nothing to sell you. He reached out to me because he wants to share his story in the hopes it will help others who may be st...
Aug 26, 2024•1 hr 3 min
The problem with the tech advice you get on LinkedIn, X and TikTok is that it doesn't reflect reality. The loudest voices dominate the space and create an echo chamber. Luckily, Stack Overflow surveys tens of thousands of developers every year to find out: - what professional developers REALLY think about AI taking their jobs - the technology everyone is using - the tools we use daily to write code Let's explore some of the most interesting take aways from this year's survey. Send us a text Sham...
Aug 22, 2024•26 min
Parsity grad Nils decided to change careers at 44 from professor of music to software engineer. His story may not seem typical but in many ways it follows the same pattern that has worked for other career changers: - He worked on real world projects in exchange for credibility. - He was open to hybrid opportunities. - He went outside LinkedIn and leveraged his personal network. His life changed. Pretty cool story. Nils breaks down how he did it in this episode with some practical takeaways for l...
Aug 19, 2024•35 min
15 years ago I made money by trading various substances for cash. I was hooked on drugs, alcohol and living like a loser. It took 3 near death experiences, 2 children, 1 intervention and too many sleepless nights to count before I changed my ways. The transition from criminal addict to nerdy software engineer was tough and there are lesson from my former life which have helped me navigate a career in tech. Let's explore 3 lessons that can apply to your (legal) career 😅 Send us a text Shameless ...
Aug 15, 2024•15 min
I used to hate admitting my mistakes when I was a more junior developer. Over the years, I've made some embarrassing blunders. I've thought I was going to be fired a dozen times. You can not avoid making mistakes as a software developer. It's part of the learning process. There are a few common problems most developers will encounter that have nothing to do with coding. How you handle them will determine how fast your career grows and if it's heading in the right direction. I sit down with autho...
Aug 12, 2024•30 min
Should I even be telling you this? I mean I own a coding bootcamp. The reality is that you don't need a degree OR a coding bootcamp to be a hire-able developer but there's a reason why the majority of software engineers have some formal education. Let's go over a plan for you to learn the basics of web development on your own and whether or not a coding bootcamp makes sense for you or not. If a coding bootcamp is for you - join me at Parsity.io 😎 and get a massive discount if you enroll by next...
Aug 08, 2024•23 min
Pessimists are often right. Optimists are often successful. When you're doing something new like learning to code, you don't have any "proof" that you will be good at it. Your brain wants to find patterns to protect you from an uncertain future. You scroll IG, YouTube or LinkedIn and are inundated with horror stories which affect your confidence. You begin to doubt that you can actually make it. Before you adopt someone else's narrative. Create your own proof. Let's go over 2 practical ways to c...
Aug 04, 2024•17 min
Learning to code isn't enough. 10 years ago, being able to write some HTML, CSS, Jquery and JavaScript could land you a job. Honestly, you can still make money just knowing these basics. But, if you want career where you work on interesting problems and are highly compensated, there are 3 skills you're going to need which we'll explore and learn practical ways to acquire them . Send us a text Shameless Plugs 🧑💻 Join Parsity - For career changers who want to pivot into software. ✉️ Got a quest...
Aug 01, 2024•18 min
William Ray is a YouTuber, coder, and recent bootcamp graduate. We discuss how he went from a background in behavioral health to freelancing in the tech industry, overcoming addiction, the challenges of the job market, and the importance of time management. William shares his experience of learning Java and Vue, the significance of building a network, and his innovative approach to finding freelance work. Connect with Will here 👈 Send us a text Shameless Plugs 🧑💻 Join Parsity - For career ch...
Jul 29, 2024•31 min
What happens AFTER the "I'm hired" post on LinkedIn? Once the "congratulations" comments and initial excitement wears off, reality sets in. "Did they make a mistake when they hired me?" "Can I do this?" "Will I be fired?" You are now a software developer in charge of writing code for applications that users rely on. Let's explore some practical things you can do to succeed on your first software developer job or your next one. Send us a text Shameless Plugs 🧑💻 Join Parsity - For career change...
Jul 25, 2024•23 min
Megan Dias is a top 1% career coach on UpWork. She's also the career services coordinator at Parsity. She did not hold back on this episode where we discuss: - the reality of the tech job market and what's changed since the pandemic - why you probably shouldn't use the "Open to Work" banner - when to show off your GitHub profile and when NOT to - learning in public do's and absolutely do not's We sincerely hope you find this helpful whether you're learning to code or on the job market as a coder...
Jul 22, 2024•42 min
It's been a hell of a 2024 so far. I bought a business ( Parsity.io ), got laid off, interviewed a ton and then got hired. Check my LinkedIn if you don't believe me. Let's explore 3 lessons from this layoff that I think you can apply to your job search as a software engineer no matter what stage you are currently at. Send us a text Shameless Plugs 🧑💻 Join Parsity - For career changers who want to pivot into software. ✉️ Got a question you want answered on the pod? Drop it here Zubin's LinkedI...
Jul 18, 2024•24 min
Jack Herrington is the mastermind behind the YouTube channel Blue Collar Coder where he does deep dives on React, JavaScript and front end concepts. He shares his impressive 40-year journey in coding that began at age 13 and has remained close to the front end and excelled in software with only a high school diploma! From working at Nike and Walmart Labs to becoming a prominent tech content creator, Jack opens up about balancing his YouTube channel, a high-level tech role, and personal life. Jac...
Jul 15, 2024•1 hr 5 min
Let's tackle the widespread fear that AI will replace software developers. Get a high level overview of how AI and large language models like ChatGPT work and why they produce such mid code. We go over why junior developers should limit their AI usage or risk becoming exceptionally mediocre developers as well as a better way to use AI as a junior dev. There is one occupation more at risk than developers of being automated: content creators! We explore how AI is creeping into the content space wh...
Jul 11, 2024•22 min
Special guest Bhupinder Singh, an engineering leader and author of 'Interview Champion', shares his decades of experience in tech, from starting coding at 12 to working with Fortune 100 companies. Learn how Bhupinder collected offers like Infinity Stones from top tech companies after getting obsessed with interviewing like a champion. He discusses his new book, the nuances of tech interviews, and offers practical advice for job seekers, especially coding bootcamp graduates. Bhupinder delves into...
Jul 08, 2024•46 min
Learning JS is tough because you're trying to learn it the same way you learned in school. The ONLY way you can be a hire-able developer is to write code, NOT memorization. Let's go over a practical, hands-on approach to learning and take these resources below to get your hands dirty. Lastly, join us at Dev30.xyz to learn with some pros and the steps needed to actually make programming a daily habit. JavaScript Basics Interactive Lessons The Form Challenge with JavaScript Javascript.info Send us...
Jul 04, 2024•21 min
Learning to code is tough but it's not enough. Too many developers end up as glorified typists or code-bots. As a code-bot you will write code, given a clear set of instructions, that might even work. You will fix easy bugs, update the colors of buttons and might even write some simple features. The danger of being a code-bot is that they are plentiful and expendable. If you want meaningful work that energizes you and gets you paid handsomely then here are 3 mental shifts you need to make as a s...
Jul 01, 2024•15 min
Your VS Code Shortcuts here including a video. Send us a text Shameless Plugs 🧑💻 Join Parsity - For career changers who want to pivot into software. ✉️ Got a question you want answered on the pod? Drop it here Zubin's LinkedIn (ex-lawyer, former Googler, Brian-look-a-like)...
Jun 27, 2024•13 min
I chat with Carly, a former Parsity student who learned to code, didn't quit her job and instead decided to become a freelance web developer. I love stories like hers. Carly talks about the reality of joining a coding bootcamp program, finding time to code with a full time job, her externship experience with Parsity and advice for early career coders. Send us a text Shameless Plugs 🧑💻 Join Parsity - For career changers who want to pivot into software. ✉️ Got a question you want answered on th...
Jun 24, 2024•35 min
My son just turned 18 and graduated high school. I started my career in coding at 30 and I often wonder where I'd be if I started earlier. Terrible habit. If I had full control over my kids' lives - this is how I'd structure their careers as software engineers so they would be much further along in the game than I am at my age. None of them want to be coders however so maybe this advice will help you. Send us a text Shameless Plugs 🧑💻 Join Parsity - For career changers who want to pivot into ...
Jun 20, 2024•25 min
Let me tell you about t he WORST interview I've ever had when I made it on site at Google back in 2019. My worst fear came true in this interview with the single worst interviewer I've ever had. It also exposed some serious knowledge gaps that led me to finally learn how to conquer tech interviews, increase my confidence and my boost my salary. This is NOT a lesson on how to beat Google's interview process. We go over the interviews that 99% of developers will encounter after graduating a bootca...
Jun 17, 2024•41 min
Sometimes, developers and content creators use too many personal stories to make big claims. This creates an echo chamber online, making you believe things that might not be true. Here’s what the real world looks like for most developers: Most developers don’t work for big tech. You’re more likely to fix old code than build new features. Even the best developers fail interviews. Your next interview probably won’t include a whiteboard. JavaScript is the most popular language, even if some say "re...
Jun 12, 2024•30 min
We dive into the world of over-employment with our special guest, the Secret Developer. 🤫 Discover how he transitioned from a non-traditional background into tech, managed to secure multiple contract roles and successfully juggles his responsibilities across various jobs. The Secret Developer breaks down his interview experience, finding jobs outside LinkedIn and how his life has changed since learning to code. Whether you're an aspiring developer or navigating the tech industry, this episode o...
Jun 10, 2024•36 min
There is an overwhelming amount of information available for aspiring software developers, let's explore a structured strategy called reverse engineering to simplify the path towards landing a job. We will look at the ONLY project you need to build on your way towards becoming a software developer as well as an opinionated list of technologies you should learn. Send us a text Shameless Plugs 🧑💻 Join Parsity - For career changers who want to pivot into software. ✉️ Got a question you want answ...
Jun 06, 2024•15 min
Learning to code is hard. Getting a job as a developer requires an entirely different approach. David Roberts is a software developer and recruiter with decades of experience. He explains the game of getting hired from a recruiters perspective, how you can make it easier to be "discovered" on LinkedIn and thoughts on job guarantees. You can connect with David at Crushing Digital to check out his social media, courses and free trainings. Chapters: 13:16 Developers' Approach to Job Applications 15...
Jun 03, 2024•51 min
I've started too many failed businesses to count. First there was the diary app. Then there was the 3 years I worked on a startup for real estate transactions. The real-time CSS tool. A learning management system. The SAAS app for actors to upload their auditions. I finally found some success with a small business I created which made me around 20k last year. If you're a software engineer interested in starting your own business I'm going to lay out some practical, no-nonsense advice for you to ...
May 30, 2024•29 min
Could there be a worse time to learn to code? I was nearly 30, had been sober for less than 2 months and had a 1 year old and 8 year old at home. I worked an office job which I just started and drove Lyft and Uber on the side. There was no time. So I had to create time. In the process of learning how code, I learned the 2nd most important skill as a software developer (right after coding): the art of time management . Send us a text Shameless Plugs 🧑💻 Join Parsity - For career changers who wa...
May 27, 2024•14 min
In today’s episode, we chat with another Brian, a founder, mentor, and recurring guest at Parsity. Brian shares his fascinating journey from being a self-taught developer to working as an engineering manager at IBM I asked Brian what he would do if he was a bootcamp grad in today's job market and he has some practical and actionable advice that has worked for him and others he has mentored. Hope you find this helpful! Send us a text Shameless Plugs 🧑💻 Join Parsity - For career changers who wa...
May 20, 2024•50 min
4 little letters almost got me fired. LGTM. "Looks good to me" As a software developer you'll be reading code much more than you will be writing it. Part of your role will almost certainly include looking over your peers' code and giving them feedback. These are called PRs or peer reviews. I sucked at PRs until our lead developer called me out! In this episode we will learn how to approach peer reviews as a developer and how they fit into the software development life cycle. Here's a video going...
May 16, 2024•22 min
