SpeakingSoftware

Industry Insight; with Melica Moshiri, Founder of SkillTorch. This episode's guest shines a light on the current state of the market, and what a candidate can do to increase their chances of getting hired. If you've been laid off or currently looking for a new role, this episode is not to be missed!

Many software engineers over-optimize their study and interview prep for DSA Platforms like Leetcode/HackerRank, and while they are fantastic learning tool - they're not a good indicator of a real-world developer. A developer's Leetcode or HackerRank score often has little to do with their ability to deliver in a commercial environment, and indeed over-focusing on DSA platforms can mean a...

A big part of my work is mentoring, guidance and career advice, and amongst the many different things that I get asked, the one I get asked most is: What is the 1 single thing you recommend that I can do that will have the biggest effect on my career? The answer? Start a learner log!

There are very real and very fixable reasons why many technology professionals don't see advancement or good/frequent salary bumps. I've seen many talented developers who have become stuck in their careers. And it sucks! These people were exceptional coders but just couldn't make any traction up the career ladder. The worst part is that they weren't even sure why; despite their har...

In the first part of our series on Industry Insights, we're joined by Steve Orrin; the Federal CTO of Intel Corporation. Together we talk about the changing financial and technological landscape, and what a Developer can do do stay ahead of the curve! Show notes and script available here: https://www.speakingsoftwareshow.com/episodes/s3e5-industry-insight-changing-landscape-with-steve-orrin

In this episode we take a look at the Top5 Technical Mistakes that Junior Developers make. Mistakes are fantastic, and an essential part of the learning process! However there are some mistakes that Junior Developers make that hinder their career, and can be incredibly difficult to recover from. We’ll discuss those here, as well as how to remedy them so you can level up and become a stronger softw...

In this episode we talk about Integration vs Impersonation, and how to not to screw up starting a new job! Have you ever felt that you had to change to fit in with your new coworkers, or boss? Or ever gotten up a 6am on a weekend to play golf or go hiking in order to impress, or blend in with, your peers? If so, this episode is for you! Show notes and script available here: https://www.speakingsof...

Nearly anyone you talk to in technology will agree that tech-hiring is broken. There are many reasons for this, probably the most controversial is the usage of DSA-style problems to test a candidates technical ability. Today we'll talk about what DSA tests do, and don't, cover. We'll also discuss a better approach, that's a new twist on an existing method... Show notes and script available here: h...

Bit of an unexpected hiatus, but we're back with a bang! What's the bang? It's a book that I wrote, called "Your Dream Developer Job". Today I'd like to talk about my first internationally published book. It's about everything you need to position yourself as the ideal candidate for your perfect role in the tech industry. It is now available worldwide; in Paperback, Kindle and DRM-Free eBook forma...

In this episode we talk about what makes a Senior Developer.  It is Experience?  Is it Merit?  Is it Office politics?  The answer to each of these can easily be both ‘yes’ and ‘no’. Let's dive in! Show notes and script available here: https://www.speakingsoftwareshow.com/episodes/s2e7-what-makes-a-senior-developer

The epic conclusion is here! This is part 3 of 3 in our mini-series about dealing with Knowledge Gaps on your Development team. We previously talked about how Knowledge gaps can be the silent killer about your delivery team speed, the quality of their output and of course the trust your clients have in you to deliver promised solutions.  In today’s episode we’ll build upon the last, and talk...

This is part 2 of a 3-part mini-series on handling knowledge-gaps on your development team . So last time round we went through the 3 types of knowledge gaps a Development team can face, and how each one can be quite a pain in the butt! Now that we’ve identified the problem, we can solve it… In today’s episode we’ll talk about preliminary actions you can take to mitigate Knowledge Gaps. Show notes...

This is part 1 of a 3-part mini-series on handling knowledge-gaps on your development team . When you really REALLY deep dive into the issues that plague your team, the root cause will nearly always raise it’s many heads as the horrible hydra of Knowledge Gaps. In this episode we’re going to discuss their 3 types, before talking about how to tackle them in Parts 2 and 3! Show notes and script are...

Obtaining and maintaining a a healthy balance between your work and your private life can be though! This episode is part 2 of 2, where we dive into some top tips on how to actively maintain your balance, and your sanity! You'll hear great advice like: Setting Boundaries Taking your Breaks The golden rule - if it's not your name above the door - it's not your problem. Show notes and script are ava...

Obtaining and maintaining a a healthy balance between your work and your private life can be though! This episode is part 1 of 2, where we dive into some top tips on how to actively maintain your balance, and your sanity! You'll hear great advice like: How to recognize the signs of a bad balance How to live a whole life, and not just a work life How getting AWAY from the computer can drastically i...

After a long hiatus - we're back baby! Announcing the start of Season 2, and looking back to the origins of the Podcast. All of this will set the scene for what's to come in this new season! If you're new here, let me give you a quick rundown: The SpeakingSoftware podcast is dedicated to Soft-skills in technology. Together, we'll talk about: Management Leadership Interviewing & Hiring Mentorin...

Spinning out a side-project or laying the foundations of your start-up seem tempting, but with so much biased advice out there it can be hard to understand the reality of the road ahead.  Enter Albert Kozlowski (@albertkoz on twitter), who's been kind enough to both give you and I an unvarnished and honest look into start-up life. Albert is working on his second start-up - Birdslate ( https:/...

We all know prepping for an Interviewer’s questions is they key to a good interview. Do you know what makes for a GREAT interview though? You firing back with some questions of your own! In this episode, we talk about the who, what, when, where and why, of asking questions during an Interview. I’ll touch upon my 5 top-tips about asking questions so you can show that you are THE PERFECT CANDIDATE f...

Sharing Developer Stories - this time we're talking to the talented Rojhan (Ro) Paydar. A recent graduate from the Juno College bootcamp, Ro is now very well-known in Tech-twitter. Her excellent communication and oration skills have made her stand head-and-shoulders above her peers!  We wanted to share a little about making the Jump from your studies into the Professional World of Development...

High energy conversation with an upcoming titan in the Tech industry! I recently interviewed Danny Thompson with a view to reflect upon his meteoric rise through in the world of Software Development. Check out this episode for pearls of wisdom from 2 voices of experience in the industry, as well as some VIGOROUS motivation for those of you who want to start, or have just started, on your Programmi...

Everyone in tech talks about Portfolios .  Regardless of whether you're a developer, coder, programmer, or engineer - you're chances of getting anywhere in the industry are practically nil without a body of work to display. Don't fret though - I'm here to help you craft the perfect portfolio. We're going to make sure that you have the right projects in your bag-of-tricks. This ensures that yo...

Are you seeing more jobs rejections than you'd like? Maybe you're not even getting to speak to a real person before you've get cast aside? You must be getting stopped by ATS - Applicant Tracking Systems. Not to fear - I've got 5 tantalizing tips that will give your Resume some WHOOMPH so you can bypass the machine check. These tips will give you a much better chance of getting your CV/Resume into...

Are you currently trying to figure out how to hire remotely for a new work-from-home position? Maybe you're already experienced at remote hiring, but you feel you're missing an edge? Or maybe you're company is totally new to the Video interview scene and need some tips to get started? I'm here to help! This episode focuses on great Hiring tips for remote positions, and how you can excel at: - Figu...

Tech Interviews can be tough. Some are super super heavy on the Tech stuff, and would be difficult for even the most hardcore of Developers; Deep dives into obscure algorithms, odd design patterns and generally just requiring a ton of study beforehand. Other interviews can be quite socially or culturally driven, and this can be even harder given that the majority of developers  – including myself...

You would think it's obvious , right? All is not as it seems though! There's a reason we do what we do, and it might surprise you that it's not just about the craft... I'm going to share a lesson that I learned over 10 year ago, in the hopes you don't make the same mistakes that I did! #SoftwarePodcast #SoftwareDeveloperTips #SoftwareStories