Afleveringen
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🎙 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
👩💼 LinkedIn🌐 Website👩🚀 Github🔗 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
Frontend Developer Career PathScrimba BootcampKevin PowellMDN Web DocsSassKink.nl radio⭐️ Leave a Review
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🎙 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
Danny Thompson on YouTubeScrimba Podcast: How to become a successful Junior Developer, with Danny ThompsonScrimba Podcast: Freecodecamp Founder Quincy Larson: Why Learning To Code as an Adult Might Be Easier Than You ThinkDavid Roberts on YouTube⭐️ Leave a Review
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Zijn er afleveringen die ontbreken?
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🎙 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
How to make your LinkedIn profile stand out according to a LinkedIn expert, with Austin HenlineHow Pastor-Turned-Developer Chris Crushed It on LinkedIn and Landed an Internship... and a JobIt's about Who You Know: An Introvert's Guide to Networking (and Becoming Amazing at LinkedIn), with Stephanie Chiu from PayPalLaura Thorson From GitHub: This Is How You Master the Mindset of a Programmer🔗 Connect with everybody
Austin: 👨🏻💼 LinkedIn, 🐦 TwitterLaura:👩💼 Linkedin, 🌐 Website, 🐦 Twitter, 👨🚀 GitHubStephanie: 📸 Instagram, 👩💼 Linkedin, 🌐 Website, 🐦 Twitter, 👩🚀 GithubChris: 👨🏼💼 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
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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. -
🎙 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
👨💼 LinkedIn🌐 Website⏰ 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
Colt Steele on UdemyScrimba's Frontend Developer Career PathJosh Tried Coding on YouTube⭐️ 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. -
🎙 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
🎓 Profy.dev👨💼 LinkedIn🌐 Website🐦 X⏰ 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
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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. -
🎙 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.
👨💼 LinkedIn
🔗 Connect with Mohamed⏰ 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
Scrimba's Frontend Developer Career PathMarian Rydzanych on Instagram⭐️ Leave a Review
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🎙 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!
👨💼 LinkedIn
🔗 Connect with Danny⏰ 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
Danny's gameState appScrimba BootcampChingu.ioAngela Yu’s web development course⭐️ Leave a Review
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🎙 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
👩💼 LinkedIn🌐 Website 𝕏 Twitter, I guess⏰ 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
Front-end Developer Career PathLearn React for free! Podcast: Homeschooler, College Dropout, Developer and Master Networker: Crush Your Career with Madison KannaPodcast: Listen to This If You're Working on Your Developer Portfolio, with Alex from TechRallyBrian JenneyVanessa's Lab Kanban⭐️ Leave a Review
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🎙 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 SwyxJosh's book, Building an Effective Dev Portfolio (it's FREE!)xScopePixelSnapFontpairPodcast: Becoming a six-figure freelancer, with Gary SimonPodcast: Homeschooler, College Dropout, Developer and Master Networker: Crush Your Career with Madison KannaPodcast: How to Create a Web Dev Portfolio That Both HR and Other Developers Will Love, with Josh ComeauPodcast: Ace the job interview with Cassidy Williams Podcast: How to make your own luck with Shawn Wang (Swyx)🔗 Connect with Gary Simon
👨💼 LinkedIn🎥 YouTube🔗 Connect with Cassidy Williams
👨💼 LinkedIn❎ Twitter🔗 Connect with Josh Comeau
👨🏻💼 LinkedIn🌐 Blog + Website🔗 Connect with Shawn Wang
🌐 Website❎ Twitter🔗 Connect with Madison Kanna
👩🏼💼 LinkedIn🌐 Website⭐️ Leave a Review
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🎙 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
👩💼 LinkedIn🌐 Website⏰ 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
Frontend Developer Career PathPodcast: From Classroom to Code: How Teacher-Turned-Developer Jess Secured a Tech Job Prior to Diving into Software DevelopmentLottieFilesOne More PageSteph SmithRoadmap.sh⭐️ Leave a Review
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🎙 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
👨🏻💼 LinkedIn🌐 Website🐦 Twitter⏰ 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⭐️ Leave a Review
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🎙 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!
👨💼 LinkedIn🐦 Twitter🌐 Portfolio📺 TikTok
🔗 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
The Coding Career HandbookScrimba's Discord CommunityFrontend Developer Career PathPodcast: How to make your own luck with Shawn Wang (Swyx) html.new⭐️ Leave a Review
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🎙 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.
👩💼 LinkedIn📸 Instagram
🔗 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 YouTubeWeb Dev Simplified on YouTubeKatherine Gilligan on InstagramLearn React for free!Podcast: What a good developer resume looks like and how to write one, with Gergely OroszPodcast: The Power of Domain Knowledge: How Katrina Skipped Junior Roles and Immediately Landed a Senior Developer Job⭐️ Leave a Review
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🎙 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.
📹 YouTube🐦 Twitter🌐 Website👩🚀 GitHub
🔗 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
Kevin's courses on ScrimbaMiriam SuzanneAdam ArgyleModern CSSPodcast: Ace the job interview with Cassidy Williams⭐️ Leave a Review
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🎙 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
👨💼 LinkedIn🐦 Twitter🌐 Blog⏰ 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
#100DevsfreeCodeCampBrilliant Black Minds⭐️ Leave a Review
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🎙 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.
👩💼 Linkedin🐦 Twitter
🔗 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⭐️ Leave a Review
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🎙 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.
👨💼 LinkedIn🐦 Twitter
🔗 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
Frontend Developer Career PathKevin PowellNetwork Chuck⭐️ Leave a Review
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🎙 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.
👩💼 Linkedin🌐 Website🐦 Twitter👩🚀 GitHub
🔗 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 DrasnerKelsey HightowerScrimba Podcast with Chad Stewart: Tech Is Hiring, and Here's What You Need to Do!⭐️ Leave a Review
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🎙 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
👨💼 LinkedIn🌐 Website⏰ 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
Scrimba BootcampFront-end Developer Career PathScrimba's Discord CommunityBook: How to Speak Machine: Computational Thinking for the Rest of UsKevin PowellScrimba Podcast: An Introvert's Guide to Networking (and Becoming Amazing at LinkedIn), with Stephanie Chiu from PayPalScrimba Podcast: Homeschooler, College Dropout, Developer and Master Networker: Crush Your Career with Madison Kanna⭐️ Leave a Review
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🎙 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
👩💼 Linkedin🌐 Website 🐦 Twitter👨🚀 GitHub⏰ 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
Erica Brescia on TwitterScrimba Podcast with Shannon Brown⭐️ Leave a Review
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