Develop Yourself

What’s it really like to go from coding alone to working on a real dev team?  Dean Fox shares his raw experience navigating TypeScript, Git, team dynamics, and scrapped code during his first internship through Parsity's Inner Circle program. 👤 Connect with Dean: Dean Fox on LinkedIn Send us a text Shameless Plugs 👉 Build Your First Website in 30 minutes 👈 ✉️ Got a question you want answere...

The developer landscape is shifting. Fast. AI isn’t replacing developers—it’s replacing the kind of developer that only knows how to write boilerplate and follow tutorials. There are some practical skills you're going to want to pick up in the AI era and a few I'm kinda sad to say are becoming less relevant by the day. I mentioned my unit testing project in this episode - it's still...

What separates successful tech career changers from those who struggle? After switching careers into tech at 31 following years of addiction, and mentoring hundreds of aspiring developers, I've noticed some odd patterns and traits of those who make it vs those who don't. This episode is not meant to discourage you. I hope it gives you a practical idea of some skills you can develop and u...

We cover: Why even smart, driven people need help when learning to code What ADHD looks like as a software engineer—and how she manages it How burnout hit hard after landing the job Why public speaking became a surprising superpower Getting hired without ever doing a technical interview Her honest take on AI tools, TypeScript, LinkedIn vs. Twitter, and more If you’re an adult switching careers, ne...

Think you need a CS degree to get hired? That bootcamps are scams? That AI is making developers obsolete?  In this episode, I share some very hot takes on what it really takes to break into tech — and why most of what you’ve been told is dead wrong.  I talk about the rise and fall of bootcamps, the myth of guaranteed outcomes, why advice from FAANG engineers probably doesn’t apply to you, and why...

A listener, Andrew, was kind enough to send me his resume, LinkedIn and GitHub profile for me to roast. Overall - he did a good job BUT there are some issues I would fix that I've seen in many of the hundreds of resumes I've seen over the years as an engineering manager or while helping to hire other developers at companies where I worked. You can watch here: https://youtu.be/k0_6grxbhXc...

Laly Bar-Ilan has been working in AI and natural language processing for over two decades—long before it was trendy. She’s now the Chief Scientist at Bit , where she’s helping build composable, AI-first developer tools that might just replace most of the coding we do today. In this episode, we talk about what staying ahead actually looks like for developers in an AI-driven world. Laly shares what...

 The job market in 2025 feels broken—and you’re not imagining it. AI-generated spam is clogging recruiter inboxes, resumes are becoming less relevant, and LinkedIn is more influencer platform than job board.   In this episode, I break down why things feel so hard right now (for everyone —not just developers), and give you a practical, modern strategy to stand out and actually get hired:  ✅ What t...

No one said it would be easy. If you're having trouble learning JS, you're not alone. I nearly quit coding when I had to learn JS.  I even considered trying to become an email developer (yes, this was a thing). Fast forward 10 years later and I've made a career with JS and even teach it to others. I want you to have a much better experience. We will explore the 3 stages of learning...

Ever feel like learning to code is impossible with your packed schedule? You're not alone.  Ten years ago, I was juggling parenting two kids, working full-time with a brutal Bay Area commute, and driving Lyft on the side just to make ends meet. Finding time seemed impossible—until I discovered three game-changing strategies that transformed my journey. No fluff - just practical stuff you can...

Have you ever sent a message into the void? That's exactly what's been happening to listeners who've tried to contact me through Buzzsprout's messaging system. From a father in Dayton balancing family responsibilities while trying to break into tech, to aspiring developers wondering if JavaScript is still worth learning in 2025, these messages touch on real struggles and practi...

The rise of AI coding tools has fundamentally changed how people learn programming, creating a concerning trend: developers who can produce impressive-looking applications without understanding how they work. What makes a developer truly valuable? Contrary to popular belief, it's not the ability to rapidly generate new code. A revealing LinkedIn survey showed 73% of experienced developers spe...

Thinking about joining a coding bootcamp to land a job in three months?  Let’s get real.  I’ve been coding professionally for over a decade, and while a bootcamp kick-started my career, it didn’t teach me everything I needed to stay hired.  In this episode, I’ll share four critical skills that most bootcamps overlook—but that you’ll absolutely need if you’re serious about making coding your career...

Jeremy spoke with a couple mentees at Parsity which led to a conversation where I learned about his unusual (and long) journey into software. If you're a career changer and you're dealing with impostor syndrome or tutorial hell and need some practical advice on breaking into tech, you're going to get a lot out of this episode. Connect with Jeremy here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jr...

With the rise of AI and Python’s dominance, is JavaScript still worth learning? In this episode, I break down why JavaScript remains the best starting language for new developers, how it sets you up for success in web development, and even why it’s still relevant for AI.  Plus, I introduce a new AI developer course for those looking to leverage AI in real-world projects. Sign up here Send us a tex...

I started off 2025 knowing jack sh*t about LLMs besides how to ask Chat-GPT questions. Since then, I've built a multi-agent app for work, learned some linear algebra to understand how LLMs work at a basic level and started using a new tech stack for working with these LLMS.  In this episode, I lay out the technologies you need to learn to keep up with AI as a full stack JavaScript developer a...

Cursor is an AI-powered text editor for coders. Let me be honest - if I was a junior developer, I'd feel a little nervous looking at what it's capable of doing. But I'm not. So I'm not. Let's explore why Cursor is an amazing tool that will cause a ton of headaches when used improperly and what you can do as a junior developer to to create a technical moat to be "AI-pr...

I've been using AWS Q Developer for a few months now but it turns out I've barely scratched the surface. Srini, Director of Generative AI Applications and Developer Experiences at Amazon Web Services, who leads the team behind Q, agreed to be interviewed by me. We discuss: • How AWS Q Developer helps software engineers with coding, testing, and debugging • How Amazon used AI to save 4,50...

You’re learning about JavaScript arrays all wrong. For loops, zero-indexing, blah blah blah. But WHY? What makes arrays so damn important? Let's break down why arrays and objects are the backbone of the internet and a couple common problems that JS beginners should work towards solving. A video on using APIs with JavaScript : https://youtu.be/4naH4qczQCg Send us a text Shameless Plugs 👉 Buil...

Don't worry - this won't become a fitness podcast... or I dunno, maybe it will. Seriously, I know how much exercise has changed my life and directly contributed to my ability to debug code, stay sane during stressful periods and make me feel a bit more confident. Next episode we'll be back to tech focused content but I sincerely hope you find this show useful. Grab  Your simple fitn...

There are enough stories out there about how to be a 10x developer, whatever the hell that means. I want to share with you the 3 worst developers I ever worked with and what made them so awful. The names have been changed to protect the innocent. Except for the first one… Send us a text Shameless Plugs 👉 Build Your First Website in 30 minutes 👈 ✉️ Got a question you want answered on the pod? Dro...

Henry Ngo is a tech recruiter who wants to see you win the game of job hunting.  We chat about: • The Importance of a compelling hero section in resumes • Utilizing technology and AI in the recruitment process • Tips for effective communication during interviews • Addressing myths about the competition in job applications You can connect with Henry on LinkedIn Send us a text Shameless Plugs 👉 Bui...

I might be in the minority on this one but I cannot stand these types of interviews. IF you must participate, you might as well give it your best shot. Let's go over 3 ways I've personally seen mentees at Parsity crush the take home assignment so you can do the same. Here's a short unit testing course that yours for free: Grab it here. 👈 Send us a text Shameless Plugs 👉 Build Your...

I used to roll my eyes when someone talked about "prompt engineering." Then Dr. Toth showed me what's possible in a video where he created facial recognition software in under 9 minutes. Toth is the CEO of an AI Medical Tech company with decades of coding experience. He's a smart cookie. He schooled me on how to use new coding tools like Cursor, writing better prompts and what...

Let's cut to the chase. Here's the video for building a side project: Watch on YT Grab the cheat sheet for side projects here. Here's the waitlist for the AI Mentorship Program : Apply here See ya! Send us a text Shameless Plugs 👉 Build Your First Website in 30 minutes 👈 ✉️ Got a question you want answered on the pod? Drop it here 🧑‍💻 Apply for 1 of 12 spots at Parsity - Become...