
Develop Yourself
To change careers and land your first job as a Software Engineer, you need more than just great software development skills - you need to develop yourself. Welcome to the podcast that helps you develop your skills, your habits, your network and more, all in hopes of becoming a thriving Software Engineer.
Latest episodes

Sep 3, 2024 • 44min
#167 - Imposter Syndrome, Mental Resilience, and the Science Behind Psychedelics: A Developer’s Guide
Dagna Bieda, an accomplished software engineer and author of "Brain Refactor," discusses her journey overcoming communication challenges in tech. She dives deep into imposter syndrome, emphasizing the role of mindset and resilience. Dagna shares personal insights on navigating cultural hurdles and self-promotion in the industry. An unexpected twist reveals her thoughts on psychedelics and neurofeedback, exploring their potential in enhancing mental health and personal growth while coding. Expect a blend of vulnerability and strategies for success!

Aug 29, 2024 • 19min
#166 - Don't Be a Junior Developer
The conversation dives into the complexities of hiring junior developers and the inherent risks involved. It unpacks the definition of 'junior' in the tech world and explores strategies for aspiring coders to boost their profiles. Listeners are encouraged to seek guidance and assess opportunities for growth. The hosts also promote a special program aimed at nurturing future talent and offer practical tips to navigate the challenging job market.

Aug 26, 2024 • 1h 3min
#165 - Risk, Reward, and Reinvention: How Aaron Turned a Bootcamp Bet into a Career in Big tech
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 feel like you don't have any.Aaron has nothing to sell you.He reached out to me because he wants to share his story in the hopes it will help others who may be struggling or feel stuck.If you're not inspired by Aaron's journey, there's a chance you're a robot.You can connect with Aaron on LinkedIn hereSend us a textShameless Plugs 🧑💻 Join Parsity - For career changers who want to pivot into software. ✉️ Got a question you want answered on the pod? Drop it here Zubin's LinkedIn (ex-lawyer, former Googler, Brian-look-a-like)

Aug 22, 2024 • 26min
#164 - AI, the End of Front End Developers, and Jeff Bezos: What the 2024 Stack Overflow Survey Tells Us
Jeff Bezos, the Amazon founder and tech titan, joins the discussion on the 2024 Stack Overflow Developer Survey. He addresses the real concerns developers have about AI potentially displacing jobs. Bezos dives into the shifting roles within the development landscape, highlighting the distinctions between front-end, back-end, and full-stack developers. The conversation also explores the rise of AWS and modern tools like Visual Studio Code, emphasizing the importance of continuous upskilling in a rapidly evolving tech environment.

Aug 19, 2024 • 35min
#163 - Just Your Typical 44 Year Old Musician Turned Software Developer. Nils Reveals the Fast(er) Path To Tech
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.Pretty cool story. Nils breaks down how he did it in this episode with some practical takeaways for listeners.Send us a textShameless Plugs 🧑💻 Join Parsity - For career changers who want to pivot into software. ✉️ Got a question you want answered on the pod? Drop it here Zubin's LinkedIn (ex-lawyer, former Googler, Brian-look-a-like)

Aug 15, 2024 • 15min
#162 - 3 things about software I learned from a career as a criminal
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 career in tech.Let's explore 3 lessons that can apply to your (legal) career 😅Send us a textShameless Plugs 🧑💻 Join Parsity - For career changers who want to pivot into software. ✉️ Got a question you want answered on the pod? Drop it here Zubin's LinkedIn (ex-lawyer, former Googler, Brian-look-a-like)

Aug 12, 2024 • 30min
#161 - Oops, Did I Do That? Alex Lau and Brian Share Their Biggest Mistakes (and lessons) as Software Developers
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 handle them will determine how fast your career grows and if it's heading in the right direction.I sit down with author and software engineering leader, Alex Lau to discuss our biggest mistakes so far and what we've learned from them. Don't judge us... too much.Alex has written an amazing field guide for software developers to avoid the most common career mistakes. Check it out here. Alex's book Keep Calm and Code On Alex's LinkedIn.This is the book I wish I had when I first started writing code professionally.Send us a textShameless Plugs 🧑💻 Join Parsity - For career changers who want to pivot into software. ✉️ Got a question you want answered on the pod? Drop it here Zubin's LinkedIn (ex-lawyer, former Googler, Brian-look-a-like)

Aug 8, 2024 • 23min
#160 - No, You Don’t Need a Bootcamp or Degree to Become a Software Developer
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 or not.If a coding bootcamp is for you - join me at Parsity.io 😎 and get a massive discount if you enroll by next week. I'm working 1 on 1 with the first 5 people to prep for the program!Here's the vide on APIs I was talking about in the episode. Watch here.Send us a textShameless Plugs 🧑💻 Join Parsity - For career changers who want to pivot into software. ✉️ Got a question you want answered on the pod? Drop it here Zubin's LinkedIn (ex-lawyer, former Googler, Brian-look-a-like)

Aug 4, 2024 • 17min
#159 - Why Pessimists Fail at Coding: How New Coders Can Build Optimism, Practically
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 actually make it.Before you adopt someone else's narrative. Create your own proof. Let's go over 2 practical ways to cultivate optimism, one of the most important traits any new developer can have.Send us a textShameless Plugs 🧑💻 Join Parsity - For career changers who want to pivot into software. ✉️ Got a question you want answered on the pod? Drop it here Zubin's LinkedIn (ex-lawyer, former Googler, Brian-look-a-like)

Aug 1, 2024 • 18min
#158 - Beyond Coding: The Essential Skills Every New Developer Needs
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 us a textShameless Plugs 🧑💻 Join Parsity - For career changers who want to pivot into software. ✉️ Got a question you want answered on the pod? Drop it here Zubin's LinkedIn (ex-lawyer, former Googler, Brian-look-a-like)