Develop Yourself

Parsity grad Nils decided to change careers at 44 from professor of music to software engineer. His story may not seem typical but in many ways it follows the same pattern that has worked for other career changers: - He worked on real world projects in exchange for credibility. - He was open to hybrid opportunities. - He went outside LinkedIn and leveraged his personal network. His life changed. P...

15 years ago I made money by trading various substances for cash.  I was hooked on drugs, alcohol and living like a loser.  It took 3 near death experiences, 2 children, 1 intervention and too many sleepless nights to count before I changed my ways. The transition from criminal addict to nerdy software engineer was tough and there are lesson from my former life which have helped me navigate a care...

I used to hate admitting my mistakes when I was a more junior developer. Over the years, I've made some embarrassing blunders. I've thought I was going to be fired a dozen times. You can not avoid making mistakes as a software developer. It's part of the learning process.  There are a few common problems most developers will encounter that have nothing to do with coding. How you han...

Should I even be telling you this? I mean I own a coding bootcamp. The reality is that you don't need a degree OR a coding bootcamp to be a hire-able developer but there's a reason why the majority of software engineers have some formal education. Let's go over a plan for you to learn the basics of web development on your own and whether or not a coding bootcamp makes sense for you...

Pessimists are often right. Optimists are often successful. When you're doing something new like learning to code, you don't have any "proof" that you will be good at it. Your brain wants to find patterns to protect you from an uncertain future. You scroll IG, YouTube or LinkedIn and are inundated with horror stories which affect your confidence. You begin to doubt that you can...

Learning to code isn't enough. 10 years ago, being able to write some HTML, CSS, Jquery and JavaScript could land you a job. Honestly, you can still make money just knowing these basics. But, if you want career where you work on interesting problems and are highly compensated, there are 3 skills you're going to need which we'll explore and learn practical ways to acquire them . Send...

William Ray is a YouTuber, coder, and recent bootcamp graduate. We discuss how he went from a background in behavioral health to freelancing in the tech industry, overcoming addiction, the challenges of the job market, and the importance of time management. William shares his experience of learning Java and Vue, the significance of building a network, and his innovative approach to finding freelan...

What happens AFTER the "I'm hired" post on LinkedIn? Once the "congratulations" comments and initial excitement wears off, reality sets in. "Did they make a mistake when they hired me?" "Can I do this?" "Will I be fired?" You are now a software developer in charge of writing code for applications that users rely on.  Let's explore some pr...

Megan Dias is a top 1% career coach on UpWork. She's also the career services coordinator at Parsity. She did not hold back on this episode where we discuss: - the reality of the tech job market and what's changed since the pandemic - why you probably shouldn't use the "Open to Work" banner - when to show off your GitHub profile and when NOT to - learning in public do&apos...

It's been a hell of a 2024 so far. I bought a business ( Parsity.io ), got laid off, interviewed a ton and then got hired. Check my LinkedIn if you don't believe me. Let's explore 3 lessons from this layoff that I think you can apply to your job search as a software engineer no matter what stage you are currently at. Send us a text Shameless Plugs 👉 Build Your First Website in 30 m...

Jack Herrington is the mastermind behind the YouTube channel Blue Collar Coder where he does deep dives on React, JavaScript and front end concepts. He shares his impressive 40-year journey in coding that began at age 13 and has remained close to the front end and excelled in software with only a high school diploma! From working at Nike and Walmart Labs to becoming a prominent tech content creato...

Let's tackle the widespread fear that AI will replace software developers. Get a high level overview of how AI and large language models like ChatGPT work and why they produce such mid code. We go over why junior developers should limit their AI usage or risk becoming exceptionally mediocre developers as well as a better way to use AI as a junior dev. There is one occupation more at risk than...

Special guest Bhupinder Singh, an engineering leader and author of 'Interview Champion', shares his decades of experience in tech, from starting coding at 12 to working with Fortune 100 companies. Learn how Bhupinder collected offers like Infinity Stones from top tech companies after getting obsessed with interviewing like a champion. He discusses his new book, the nuances of tech interv...

Learning JS is tough because you're trying to learn it the same way you learned in school. The ONLY way you can be a hire-able developer is to write code, NOT memorization. Let's go over a practical, hands-on approach to learning and take these resources below to get your hands dirty. Lastly, join us at Dev30.xyz to learn with some pros and the steps needed to actually make programming a...

Learning to code is tough but it's not enough. Too many developers end up as glorified typists or code-bots. As a code-bot you will write code, given a clear set of instructions, that might even work. You will fix easy bugs, update the colors of buttons and might even write some simple features. The danger of being a code-bot is that they are plentiful and expendable. If you want meaningful w...

Your VS Code Shortcuts here including a video. 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 a full stack AI developer in 6-9 months. Get full access to Develop Yourself at brianjenney.substack.com/subscribe

I chat with Carly, a former Parsity student who learned to code, didn't quit her job and instead decided to become a freelance web developer. I love stories like hers. Carly talks about the reality of joining a coding bootcamp program, finding time to code with a full time job, her externship experience with Parsity and advice for early career coders. Send us a text Shameless Plugs 👉 Build Y...

My son just turned 18 and graduated high school. I started my career in coding at 30 and I often wonder where I'd be if I started earlier. Terrible habit. If I had full control over my kids' lives - this is how I'd structure their careers as software engineers so they would be much further along in the game than I am at my age. None of them want to be coders however so maybe this ad...

Let me tell you about t he WORST interview I've ever had when I made it on site at Google back in 2019. My worst fear came true in this interview with the single worst interviewer I've ever had. It also exposed some serious knowledge gaps that led me to finally learn how to conquer tech interviews, increase my confidence and my boost my salary. This is NOT a lesson on how to beat Google&...

Sometimes, developers and content creators use too many personal stories to make big claims. This creates an echo chamber online, making you believe things that might not be true. Here’s what the real world looks like for most developers: Most developers don’t work for big tech. You’re more likely to fix old code than build new features. Even the best developers fail interviews. Your next intervie...

We dive into the world of over-employment with our special guest, the Secret Developer.  🤫 Discover how he transitioned from a non-traditional background into tech, managed to secure multiple contract roles and successfully juggles his responsibilities across various jobs.  The Secret Developer breaks down his interview experience, finding jobs outside LinkedIn and how his life has changed since...

There is an overwhelming amount of information available for aspiring software developers, let's explore a structured strategy called reverse engineering to simplify the path towards landing a job. We will look at the ONLY project you need to build on your way towards becoming a software developer as well as an opinionated list of technologies you should learn. Send us a text Shameless Plugs...

Learning to code is hard. Getting a job as a developer requires an entirely different approach. David Roberts is a software developer and recruiter with decades of experience. He explains the game of getting hired from a recruiters perspective, how you can make it easier to be "discovered" on LinkedIn and thoughts on job guarantees. You can connect with David at Crushing Digital to check...

I've started too many failed businesses to count.  First there was the diary app. Then there was the 3 years I worked on a startup for real estate transactions. The real-time CSS tool. A learning management system. The SAAS app for actors to upload their auditions. I finally found some success with a small business I created which made me around 20k last year. If you're a software engine...

Could there be a worse time to learn to code? I was nearly 30, had been sober for less than 2 months and had a 1 year old and 8 year old at home. I worked an office job which I just started and drove Lyft and Uber on the side. There was no time. So I had to create time. In the process of learning how code, I learned the 2nd most important skill as a software developer (right after coding): the art...