Develop Yourself

We hear a lot of success stories about bootcamp grads AFTER they’ve landed their first role. What about those who are in the middle of learning to code? I sit down with Levy, a current student in a coding bootcamp who’s juggling work, life and learning how to build software. Levy shares what he wishes he’d known before starting a coding bootcamp, why the self-taught path wasn’t the right fit for h...

Maybe I've fooled you. To be transparent, I've screwed up a lot over the years as a developer. I’ve blown up production a few times. I deleted the column without a back up. I pretended to understand and f*cked things up. I learned a lot, got yelled at a few times and embarrassed too many times to count. Now I can share my takeaways with you. You will not avoid screwing up. It's a pr...

Learning data structures and algorithms (DSA) isn't JUST a smart interview skill, it will boost your confidence as a software engineer, give you a deeper understanding of computer science fundamentals and they can even be fun once you know how to use them. If you're self teaching or just starting out with code, they can be intimidating. They don't have to be. I break down a pretty c...

How much do you really need to know to start freelancing? What should you charge? How do you get your first client? Matt Cascardi, my friend and former mentor breaks down how he went from psychology major to freelance developer using a boots on the ground strategy to get clients. Matt got his clients the old school way and this a path that isn't explored enough in our social media-centric wor...

Interviews are weird. Software interviews are weirder. This is your guide to go from the recruiter call through the the technical screen and how to negotiate without it being weird. This isn't a theory. I've used all these tactics and so have my mentees. Grab the guide here: Junior Developer Interview Cheat Sheet ​ Also, join Parsity.io this week for a discount and before our prices rais...

Will AI replace coders? Is it still worth learning to code? I am optimistic about our future but things have changed. The future will belong to those who leverage AI in the right way. Unfortunately, too many new coders are using AI in all the wrong ways. Avoid the most common pitfalls and use it to super charge your learning. Check out this AI starter project if you want to explore the Open AI API...

Knowing how to write unit tests will make you a better, more hire-able developer. Few bootcamps teach this for some reason and since I like you, I made a FREE Unit Testing guide you can grab here .  Unit Testing Pro . Having trouble? Shoot me an email at brian@parsity.io 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 po...

In this episode, Ryan shares his opinions and advice for up and coming developers including: his journey from marketer to Parsity.io to full stack software engineer his unusual (but not really) interview experience keeping motivated while learning to code side projects hot takes on technology trends why you should probably be a full stack software engineer in today's market Ryan Passer's...

You ever get that feeling that maybe you're not good enough? I know I have.  Sometimes, it's not all in your head. At some point, when you're doing a new thing, you're going to feel like an impostor. That's because you are one.  And that's OK. Let's explore why this feeling is so common among new developers, not-so-new developers and why you should be chasing thi...

John Crickett is the code challenge king. He is author of the popular Code Challenge Newsletter and one of the few tech influencers on LinkedIn and X who really knows his stuff. We sit down and talk about the best way to learn to code (building stuff ), why AI isn't so scary, his meteoric rise on social media and tactics you can steal to do the same. ​John Crickett's Coding Challenges Se...

Yeah I know, money isn't everything. But it's something right? I've been broke and not-so-broke. I prefer not being broke any day of the week. I applied 3 tactics I copied from a much smarter developer who understood the game of money in tech . I share them in this short episode so you don't make the same mistakes I did. Shameless Plugs 👇 ​ Parsity 🤓 Learn to Code, Save the W...

I  spoke with Nathan Drake, a ​Parsity​ graduate and software engineer at Paylocity. He came into our program with some basic programming knowledge and was hired literally the day he graduated! This is not normal, but it's also not not normal 🤔. Nathan went through tutorial hell, learning to code, giving up and re-learning a few times before he went to Parsity. What we offered (and what any...

About a year ago an event happened that gave me a very unique perspective on the web dev world: Kyle Simpson, world famous JS developer reposted me. My notifications blew tf up, and I got over 500 15-minute calls scheduled. I spent the next year talking to all of these people! I got to help people improve their resumes, fix their LinkedIn profiles and interview approach or just offered an ear to v...

This week, I interviewed David Rogers, a teacher turned software engineer. He now mentors others and breaks down difficult JS concepts unlike many can.  Maybe you're thinking, "Wait, isn't he like, your competition?" You'd be right. We both have businesses with the goal of teaching others to code and change careers. I like when people keep it real and David did not disappo...

The caterpillar learning method to the rescue. I've switched tech stacks 3 times so far in my career. More like 5 if you count the contract jobs I've worked on. That means I had to learn completely new languages and frameworks in a fairly short amount of time. I didn't have the luxury of sitting down for a 100 hour tutorial. The strategy I use to learn is the caterpillar method. Whe...

Zubin Pratap didn't hold back in this episode. He breaks down how he went from lawyer to Software Engineer at Google to BlockChain developer to mentoring others making the transition into tech . We speak about: - mentorship - learning to code - the infamous Google interview and how he beat it - the skills you need outside of coding to be hire-able - money and mindset ;)Zubin shows career chan...

Listen, becoming a software engineer is not a decision to make lightly . Along with the ability to work remotely and the potential to make multiple 6 figures comes with a lot of expectations and stress. There's nothing quite like solving a bug at midnight or deploying code to the web for customers to enjoy. It can be really exciting and fulfilling - but it's certainly NOT for everyone. O...

In this episode I break down the only 3 things I think you should be adding to your toolbelt as a developer in 2024 and because I like you, here's an advanced project that uses AI, NodeJS and Express. Your AI AStarter Project : This is an advanced project and assumes some knowledge of JS. If you're looking for something a little more beginner friendly, check out this project to learn how...

Let's dive into a practical LinkedIn strategy to attract the right people through your posts: Step 1: Be anti-cringe. Posting platitudes is an easy way to get ignored or not taken seriously. That's not only NOT helpful, but as humans, we have an uncanny ability to smell when people are not being genuine. Instead, post about what you're learning.  Step 2: Don't be boring... at f...

Debugging may be one of the most underrated technical skills as a developer. It is one of the major differences between a junior and senior developer. I'm going to share the story of a super stressful bug I had to fix years ago while working at a start up and the method I still use to track and fix critical issues in JS code. It's dramatic. It's emotional. It's software! If vid...

Erik Andersen, the World's Happiest Engineer did not hold back when I asked him what he felt about coding bootcamps. 😅 Erik is an amazing and knowledgeable engineer. He’s not just an influencer online but he’s also a full time tech lead who runs a YouTube podcast dedicated to helping junior developers land their first job . You should check it out . Listen to one of my favorite people on Lin...

So last week I wrote to Kyle Simpson, world famous JavaScript developer and author of the incredibly popular You Don't Know JS series . I asked if he'd appear on the Develop Yourself Podcast and I was bracing for a rejection email. Within about an hour, I saw a new email in my inbox. Here we go. "Well, maybe next time", I thought... He said "sure". 😮 I freaked out. I...

In this week's podcast you're going to learn the 3 types of interviews you WILL encounter as a developer on the job market and how to beat them 💪. Interviewing may be the most high paying skill you can develop as a developer. It takes a different approach than creating software which is why most people kinda suck at it.  I should know, I sucked for years! Like pitifully so. Then I studi...

This week's podcast is a bit different...  I only know 2 things fairly well: 1. Coding and 2. Getting in shape I've only shared my advice on #1 thus far and I feel guilty because I know that my "secret" to success as a developer and in life has been my exercise routine and diet. Shame on me.  Don't worry, this won't become a fitness influencer podcast and next week we...

In this week's podcast, Brian explores how you should approach becoming a web developer in 2024. What you should learn. How you should learn it. When to start applying for roles.   Plot twist: it's mostly the same as what you should have done in 2023 but there are a few trends I think you should be aware of that will make 2024 different. Brian lays out the path in this episode, which sho...