Develop Yourself

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 🧑‍💻 F...

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 🧑‍💻 Free 5 day email course to go from HTML to AI 🤔 Got a question you want answered on the p...

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 🧑‍💻...

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 🧑‍💻 Free 5...

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 🧑‍💻 Free 5 day email course to go from HTML to AI 🤔 Got a question you want answered on the pod? Drop it here Apply for 1 of 12 spots at Parsity - Learn...

Can you believe I never asked Zubin about his interview at Google? I failed the Google interview a couple times (so far) but Zubin crushed it. And he did it without studying hundreds of LeetCode problems, using an approach which no one really talks about. I hope you find this episode useful whether you're trying to nail the big tech interview or get a job at the local startup. Here's the...

Your most powerful skill as a software developer isn't how many languages you know or what technology you've used. You're real power is in how fast you can learn. Tech changes quick. You got to keep up. I break down a method I've used to learn that you might not like. It's effective as hell. Here are the tools I mention in this episode: Loom.com Excalidraw.com Send us a te...

Want to get hired faster? Start thinking like a salesperson. Developers often struggle with the job search—not because they lack skills, but because they don’t know how to sell themselves . Meanwhile, ex-salespeople seem to land jobs faster, even with less experience . What’s their secret? In this episode, Jeremy Smith shares how his background in sales gave him an unfair advantage when breaking i...

A student at Parsity recently bombed a tech interview—and it wasn’t just their fault.  The hiring process in tech is broken, with endless interview rounds, AI filtering out candidates, and companies that don’t even know what they’re looking for.  In this episode, we break down why tech interviews are so flawed, what really happens behind the scenes, and how you can play the game to win. Send us a...

Zuckerberg went on JRE and told the world that AI will replace mid-level engineers soon. Are we talking about the same mid-level engineers here? AI fear mongering gets lots of engagement but how real is this threat? Zubin and I talk about what mid-level engineers do, why NO ONE is safe and what developers still do better than AI. Here are the resources Zubin mentioned in this pod:   https://www.fr...

Learning to code didn’t change my life. Getting sober and exercising did however. 10 years ago I was lost in addiction and headed on a path to jail or death. I think there are some lessons from my failure that may help you on your own journey. Send us a text Shameless Plugs 🧑‍💻 Free 5 day email course to go from HTML to AI 🤔 Got a question you want answered on the pod? Drop it here Apply for 1...

Alex Lau has nearly 2 decades in software and even wrote a book to help developers avoid the pitfalls that nearly derailed his career. What I like about Alex is that he keeps it real. We answered questions from you in this episode with no BS. - Mass applying vs networking vs building in public - How to negotiate your salary and what hiring managers don't tell you - What to do about that naggi...

Think developers spend all day writing code? Think again. A recent study from Software.com reveals that developers actively code for just 52 minutes per day —about 4 hours and 21 minutes per week .  So what the hell do software developers actually do? In this episode, I break down 2 actual assignments I've been given at both a small startup and a large company to illustrate the reality of wor...

In this episode of the Develop Yourself podcast, we walk you through my 5-step process for solving coding problems. If you’ve ever found yourself staring at a problem, unsure of where to start, this episode is for you . I’ll show you how to break down problems, test your assumptions, and leverage patterns to find solutions that work. I also show you exactly how I use this process to tackle problem...

How cooked are we now that OpenAI is getting closer to AGI (artificial general intelligence)? It feels like AI is inching closer towards making software developers obsolete but how much of this fear is real and how much is complete hype? The answer shouldn't surprise you if you write code for a living... Send us a text Shameless Plugs 🧑‍💻 Free 5 day email course to go from HTML to AI 🤔 Got...

In this episode, Vanessa and Wilfredo share their inspiring journeys of breaking into tech as self-taught developers. Learn how they avoided tutorial hell, built standout portfolios, and reinvented themselves online to land their first jobs in software engineering. Packed with practical advice on overcoming imposter syndrome, choosing the right learning path, and navigating the job hunt, this epis...

Before you read "Cracking the Coding Interview" or "Clean Code", I want to offer a f ew books that you should read at every stage of your developer career from not-yet-hired to engineering manager. Me, sponsored? No. I just like sharing what's worked for me in the hopes it can work for you. If you have some good recommendations I didn't mention please let me and the r...

We're going to go through a very hands-on, practical process for learning enough JS to be dangerous. From the tools and services you will need as well as challenges to complete and small projects to make, you will have a clear idea of what to do and build to go from zero to noob. Send us a text Shameless Plugs 🧑‍💻 Free 5 day email course to go from HTML to AI 🤔 Got a question you want answ...

Humans are notoriously bad at predictions, but I’m going to make some anyway.   Based on what I’ve seen this year and what’s happening in the current market, I believe there are a few key things you’re going to need to know to stay ahead in your career.  Some of these predictions I’m making are bets I’m taking myself, and I figured I should share them with you here.  In this episode, I’m diving in...

The coding bootcamp model is need of a serious face-lift. Aggressive marketing has created unrealistic expectations for career changers. Interviews are more difficult and developers are increasingly expected to do more. It feels like things are changing faster and faster. It's not all doom and gloom. Career change has always been difficult. That shouldn't discourage you, you just need a...

I have been working as a software developer for over a decade. These are the 3 simple (but effective) pieces of advice I’d give anyone starting out, including maybe not just starting at all! Send us a text Shameless Plugs 🧑‍💻 Free 5 day email course to go from HTML to AI 🤔 Got a question you want answered on the pod? Drop it here Apply for 1 of 12 spots at Parsity - Learn to build complex softw...