Ep 84 - How to Become A Software Engineer with Uma Abu

The #WorkingInTech series follows the career journeys of thriving tech professionals. We unpack their career stories to turn lessons learned into useful tips to help you make winning career moves.

On this episode of #WorkingInTech, we’re talking to Uma Abu. Uma is a Software Engineer at Netflix, where he works on large-scale distributed systems. He began his career at Microsoft and now shares his experience to help others grow in tech.

Through his social media channels, Uma creates content for software engineers — offering technical insights, career tips, and practical advice for learning and navigating the tech industry.

Uma will share his journey from Microsoft to Netflix, how he builds distributed systems at scale, and advice for engineers looking to level up their skills and careers.

𝕏 CONNECT WITH ME ON SOCIALS 𝕏

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/juwonthetechie/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JuwonTheTechie

Threads: https://www.threads.net/@juwonthetechie

IG: https://www.instagram.com/juwonthetechie/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juwon-io/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@juwonthetechie

CONNECT WITH UMA

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/umaabu/

Coaching and Courses: https://umacodes.com/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@umacodes

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/umacodes/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/UmaAbu

CHAPTERS

0:00 - Intro

1:20 - Why Tech?

10:00 - Building Consistency

14:30 - Tech Stack

16:50 - Misconceptions about SWE

19:30 - Are CS degrees overrated?

23:00 - SWE Interviews

28:42 - Picking a Right Path

32:15 - FAANG

34:35 - Getting a Job in 2025

42:50 - Networking

51:00 - Going the Extra Mile

53:30 - Certifications

57:00 - Learning Right

1:09:03 - Final Words

1:11:53 - Conclusion