Send us a text In this episode, I chat with Harley Ferguson, the seven-foot-tall South African CEO of Origen Software. We dig into strategies for going viral, crafting engaging posts, and how Harley’s unique perspective has helped him build an audience of over 60,000 followers. Whether you're looking to become LinkedIn famous or just stand out in t…

Send us a text Let's go over some super practical tips to improve your JavaScript code and look a little less junior. Got suggestions for an upcoming show or a guest I should reach out to? Email me at brian@parsity.io! Shameless Plugs 🧠 ​Parsity​ - a coding program for career changers ​🚀 dev30​ - learn JS in 2024 and get a massive discount to Parsi…

Send us a text In this episode, I’m joined by Rahul Pandey, a former tech lead at Meta and co-founder of JoinTaro, a platform for ambitious software developers. Rahul shares his transparent insights on working in big tech, including the reality of big salaries in FAANG companies and what it’s really like behind the scenes. You can connect with Rahu…

Send us a text "AI is coming for your tech job!" "There's no hope for coders in 2024!" "Learn to code?! Ha, that was so 2015." Do these click bait titles sound familiar? I've gone down the YouTube rabbit hole of doom and gloom videos about the tech job market and AI. The reality is much less interesting which is why you won't see much of it on plat…

Send us a text There is a valuable skill that will set you apart from most developers. It will go from a nice to have to a requirement if you want to move into leadership: Public speaking. If you’re like me, maybe you think you can just hide in your code hole and never speak. I tried this method for a few years and it sorta worked. I didn’t get fir…

Send us a text One started a multi-million dollar business. 💰 Another wrote a popular library for unit testing that you've probably heard of. 🧠 The last one called me out on my b.s. 😅 I stole a little piece of each of these developers to accelerate my own career. I've been very lucky. I live in the epicenter of the tech universe in the San Francisc…

Send us a text Dr. Junaid Akhtar is content architect at Educative and an expert in the science of education and specifically, learning to code. In this episode we discuss: - what most people get wrong about learning to code and learning in general - the best way to stay motivated - why 10,000 hours to master a subject is BS - project-based learnin…

Send us a text Professional software developers overwhelmingly use SQL but few coding bootcamps teach it. Learning some basic SQL doesn't need to be overwhelming or complicated. Listen to the episode and follow along with this post to get some hands-on practice with SQL. Click here to grab your guide. Sign up for early access to our upcoming Python…

Send us a text Without a clear path from junior developer to senior, most developers fall into the coding trap: You double down on your current programming language to become an "expert" You add more tools to your tool belt like a new, more impressive programming language (Rust anyone?) You obsess over code quality and writing error free code You w…

Send us a text Before you watch another 100 hour YouTube tutorial, try these 4 side projects which are small enough to do over a weekend and will teach you a hell of a lot about writing JavaScript. In this episode we will explore the concepts you will learn with these projects, how to get started and where to find information to fill in the gaps in…

Send us a text Dicky Kitchen is a self-taught developer who made the leap into tech in his 40s—without a degree, bootcamp, or formal schooling. Dicky is in his first 90 days as a professional developer after a career as a phyiscal therapy assistant. We dive into Dicky’s journey from physical therapy to coding, how he found success learning online, …

Send us a text Don't hate mail me just yet. “Free” work as a developer can feel like a controversial topic, but it could be the key to jump-starting your career. I’ll walk you through strategies for gaining credibility, building a portfolio, and turning your free work into a launchpad for your development career. You will learn how to: -Discover va…

Send us a text I know the smartest and best looking developers are listening to this podcast. As a thank you, here's a mini-tutorial to learn some backend software development as a Javascript developer. Video: https://youtu.be/9mU6Mnq9ZXY Code: https://github.com/CodeCoachJS/js_pros_backend_starter.git​ Please share this and tag me if you do! One l…

Send us a text In the last decade, I got sober, learned to code, and lost 50 pounds. At the end of the day, the key to all of these transformations came down to habits. In this episode, I break down how small, consistent changes can lead to big life transformations—whether you want to improve your coding skills, land a job, or just build better hab…

Send us a text The field of software development tends to attract neuro-divergent people, and because of the emphasis on problem-solving, long stretches of focus, and task management, developers with ADHD often face unique challenges. Henry Lam, an ADHD coach for professionals who shares practical strategies for managing time boosting motivation mi…

Send us a text Wondering where to take your first step in the tech world? Should you aim for a fast-paced startup, a steady mid-sized company, or a giant like Google? In this episode I share my personal journey through all three—from a stressful startup experience to working at Fortune 100 companies. Learn the pros and cons of each environment, and…

Send us a text In this interview, Dagna Bieda, an accomplished software engineer and author of "Brain Refactor", shares how she struggled with communication as a developer and how she had to "refactor" her own mindset to reach the next level in her career as well as: Common pitfalls that most software engineers make in their career Why "mindset" is…

Send us a text Let me be clear: junior developers are necessary. They are also risky to hire. Let's explore the economics of hiring juniors, how to de-risk yourself and what the hell "junior" really means. Also - here's my email if you want any targeted advice: brian@parsity.io Include your Github and LinkedIn and I'll give you my 3 cents! PS. We h…

Send us a text Aaron went from rapper to New York City Transit worker to working at some of the largest names in tech including Coinbase, Docker and Meta (Facebook). This story isn't really about tech or money, but that's a piece of it. The real story is about refusing to settle, rising above your circumstances and creating options in life when you…

Send us a text The problem with the tech advice you get on LinkedIn, X and TikTok is that it doesn't reflect reality. The loudest voices dominate the space and create an echo chamber. Luckily, Stack Overflow surveys tens of thousands of developers every year to find out: - what professional developers REALLY think about AI taking their jobs - the t…

Send us a text 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…

Send us a text 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 …

Send us a text 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…

Send us a text 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 whe…

Send us a text 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 you…

Send us a text 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 explo…

Send us a text 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 b…

Send us a text 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 som…

Send us a text 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 …

Send us a text 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. Shameless Plugs 🧠 …

Send us a text 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 …

Send us a text 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 A…

Send us a text 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…

Send us a text 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 p…

Send us a text 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…

Send us a text Your VS Code Shortcuts here including a video. Shameless Plugs 🧠 ​Parsity​ - a coding program for career changers ​🚀 dev30​ - learn JS in 2024 and get a massive discount to Parsity ​🤵🏽‍♂️ Brian's LinkedIn​ Already a developer? Check out 👉 Not Another Course Serious about joining Parsity - schedule a call with me ☎️…

Send us a text 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 ea…

Send us a text 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 …

Send us a text Let me tell you about the 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 …

Send us a text 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 featu…

Send us a text 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, fin…

Send us a text 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 te…

Send us a text 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. …

Send us a text 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 mad…

Send us a text 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 impo…

Send us a text In today’s episode, we chat with another Brian, a founder, mentor, and recurring guest at Parsity. Brian shares his fascinating journey from being a self-taught developer to working as an engineering manager at IBM I asked Brian what he would do if he was a bootcamp grad in today's job market and he has some practical and actionable …

Send us a text 4 little letters almost got me fired. LGTM. "Looks good to me" As a software developer you'll be reading code much more than you will be writing it. Part of your role will almost certainly include looking over your peers' code and giving them feedback. These are called PRs or peer reviews. I sucked at PRs until our lead developer cal…

Send us a text For the last 10 years I've been writing code for a living and also worked at several bootcamp programs. I now own Parsity, a coding bootcamp. I also went to 2 bootcamps myself! I know they can work wonders and change lives. I've also seen a lot of people who failed to make the transition to software engineer. That sucks. Let's explor…

Send us a text I met a junior developer with 7 years experience. His resume actually looked pretty good. When we started the interview though… oof. He struggled with a simple problem that required iterating over an array and merging some objects. How was this possible? Let's explore how to avoid a similar fate and how you can shorten your path to s…

Send us a text Ryan Talbert, author of 101 Tips: TypeScript, React, and JavaScript has a hell of a developer origin story: Part 1: Went to school for entrepreneurship Part 2: Scammed by a shady developer who stole his life savings Part 3: Learned to code from tutorials Part 4: Becomes a software engineer and LinkedIn personality Part 5: This interv…