Hear from inspiring developers about how they found meaningful and fulfilling work that that also pays them well. On the #StoriesByScrimba Podcast, you'll hear motivational advice and job-hunting strategies from developers who've been exactly where you are now. We talk to developers about their challenges, learnings, and switching industries in the hopes of inspiring YOU. This is the podcast that provides the inspiration, tools, and roadmaps to move from where you are to work that matters to you and uniquely fits your strengths and talents.
What Is Retrieval-Augmented Generation and How to Make AI Work for You, with Guil Hernandez
π About the episodeMeet Guil Hernandez πΊπΈ! He is a developer and educator with over 15 years of experience in tech. He's also a Scrimba teacher who is a part of the team bringing you the AI Engineer Path, and in this episode, he's helping us understand retrieval-augmented generation. In the previous episode, Tom Chant helped us understand the world of AI models. Today, Guil will further teach us how these models work under the hood. AI models don't understand the world like we do. When we interact with them, they turn our inputs into mathematical representations known as embeddings. By creating our own embeddings, we can teach AI to do what we want it to. Today, we're getting an introduction about making a model aware of your own data source so that that data can be considered for the AI output. For example, using the techniques you'll learn from Gil in this episode, you could connect a model to your customer support conversations so that the model knows what is necessary to answer unique questions about your (or your client's) business. This is the third episode of our series on AI engineering, introducing Scrimba's AI Engineer Path. This path is your gateway to unlocking the full potential of AI for your projects. π Connect with Guil π¦ Twitter πΒ Website π©βπ Github π§° Resources Mentioned The AI Engineer Path Learn Embeddings and Vector Databases Scrimba Podcast with Saron Yitbarek βοΈ Leave a ReviewIf you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star review here and tell us who you want to see on the next podcast.You can also Tweet Alex from Scrimba at @bookercodes and tell them what lessons you learned from the episode so that he can thank you personally for tuning in π Or tell Jan he's butchered your name here.
Demystifying AI: What Are Foundation Models (and How to Use Them), with Tom Chant
π About the episodeMeet Tom Chant π¬π§! Tom is a Scrimba instructor who is a part of our in-house team that brought you a brand new career path available on Scrimba.com - the AI engineer Path.In this episode, we're diving into the world of AI foundation models: what are they, how do they work, and how can you use them to build front-end applications that you, until recently, couldn't even think of unless you were a big company with loads of resources.AI is fundamentally changing the features and user experience of front-end applications. In this episode, you'll learn how to use different foundation models out there (so, not just OpenAI) for your own projects.This is the second episode of our series on AI engineering, introducing Scrimba's AI Engineer Path. This path is your gateway to unlocking the full potential of AI for your projects. π Connect with Tom π©βπΌ Linkedin π¦ Twitter π§° Resources MentionedThe AI Engineer PathβοΈ Leave a ReviewIf you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star review here and tell us who you want to see on the next podcast.You can also Tweet Alex from Scrimba at @bookercodes and tell them what lessons you learned from the episode so that he can thank you personally for tuning in π Or tell Jan he's butchered your name here.
The Rise of the AI Engineer (and How to Become One), with Scrimba CEO Per Borgen
π About the episodeMeet Per Borgen π³π΄! Scrimba's co-founder and CEO returns to the show after more than two years. In this episode, Per and Alex delve into the emergence of a new breed of developerβthe AI engineer.What defines an AI engineer? What key skills set them apart? Is machine learning knowledge a prerequisite? Why did ChatGPT bring a paradigm shift in our interaction with AI? Dive into these topics, discover how to utilize and personalize existing AI models, and explore alternative options beyond OpenAI.Since the Scrimba podcast always brings you practical advice, this episode is a guide to the AI engineer stack. Prepare to take notes as Per unravels the terminology and technology crucial for navigating the AI landscape as a developer.This episode begins a five-part series on AI engineering, introducing Scrimba's AI Engineer Path.π Connect with Per π¨βπΌLinkedIn π¦ Twitter π§° Resources MentionedThe AI Engineer PathβοΈ Leave a ReviewIf you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star review here and tell us who you want to see on the next podcast.You can also Tweet Alex from Scrimba at @bookercodes and tell them what lessons you learned from the episode so that he can thank you personally for tuning in π Or tell Jan he's butchered your name here.
What Is Productivity Anxiety and How to Beat It, with Matt and Eric from Self-Taught Devs Podcast
π About the episodeMeet Matt Ehrlich and Eric Winkelspecht π¬π§! They are the hosts of the Self-Taught Devs podcast. And, you guessed it, they are self-taught devs and career changers to boot. Matt was a park ranger, and Eric worked at an IT solutions company but didn't code. Today, they are a front-end developer and a full-stack developer, respectively, who met through LinkedIn and then decided to host a podcast!In this episode, you will learn about their coding journeys, the resources they used, and why they decided to be self-taught. They talk about motivation and keeping yourself going, how to create structure, and what to do if you feel guilty when you take a break. If you're curious about what makes a successful self-taught dev, this episode is for you!π Connect with Matt and Eric π¨βπΌ Matt's LinkedIn, Eric's LinkedIn π» Podcast βοΈ Matt's blog πΉ Matt's YouTube, Eric's YouTube π¨βπ Matt's GitHub, Eric's GitHub βοΈ Leave a ReviewIf you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star review here and tell us who you want to see on the next podcast.You can also Tweet Alex from Scrimba at @bookercodes and tell them what lessons you learned from the episode so that he can thank you personally for tuning in π Or tell Jan he's butchered your name here.
How to Find Your People and the Work You Find Exciting, with Scrimba Student Anna
π About the episodeMeet Anna Ha π΅π± π°π·! Anna was born in Poland, where she majored in English and minored in Chinese. She then moved to South Korea and set off to learn Korean and coding at the same time! Today, she works at a startup that creates tools for learning Korean. Perfect match!In this episode, you'll discover if coding is a language. Anna also shares her learning strategy, how she discovered Scrimba, what amazing projects she worked on via Chingu, how she kept herself motivated, and how finding a community helped her stay on track. You'll also discover what's the key to both landing a job and looking forward to going to work every day!π Connect with Anna π©βπΌ LinkedIn π Website π©βπ GitHub π¦ X π€ annannanna on the Scrimba Discord βοΈ Leave a ReviewIf you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star review here and tell us who you want to see on the next podcast.You can also Tweet Alex from Scrimba at @bookercodes and tell them what lessons you learned from the episode so that he can thank you personally for tuning in π Or tell Jan he's butchered your name here.
Mastering Corporate Culture for New Developers
π About the episodeReady for your first dev job? Today on the podcast, you'll learn how companies work and how teams stay efficient. How does a typical team operate? Who do you report to? How do you know if you're the right culture fit? Why should you know what you need from your team? And why do job postings sometimes... not make sense?We have compiled the best, most actionable advice to help you understand a corporate environment. You'll hear from engineering manager and career coach Tiffany Jachhja, founder of Technical Integrity Dave Mayer, opera singer turned developer and developer coach Ana McDougal, and engineering manager Jason C McDonald. π» Listen to the full interviews Understanding Corporate Hierarchy (and Perfecting Your Resume), With Tiffany Jachja Advice from a Junior Developer Career Coach, with Anna McDougal What Are Company Valuesβ¦ and Why You Should Know Your Own, with Dave Mayer Lessons Learned Recruiting and Managing Junior Developers for 10 Years, with Jason C. McDonald π Connect with everybody Tiffany: π©π»βπΌ Linkedin, πΉ Twitch, π¦ Twitter, πΒ Website Anna: π¨π»βπΌ LinkedIn, π Website, π©βπ GitHub, π¦ Twitter, πΉ YouTube Dave: π¦ Twitter, πΒ Website, π¨π»βπΌ LinkedIn Jason: π¨π»βπΌ LinkedIn, π Website, π©βπ GitHub, π¦ Twitter, π Dead Simple Python - Idiomatic Python for the Impatient Programmer π§° Resources Mentioned Learning in public! How to Avoid Burnout, Improve Your Confidence and Keep Coding Fun, with Scrimba Student Sylvia βοΈ Leave a ReviewIf you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star review here and tell us who you want to see on the next podcast.You can also Tweet Alex from Scrimba at @bookercodes and tell them what lessons you learned from the episode so that he can thank you personally for tuning in π Or tell Jan he's butchered your name here.
Nadia Zhuk: Anybody Can Code, and Your Background Doesn't Define You
π About the episodeThis is a rebroadcast of one of our most popular interviews. Meet Nadia Zhuk π§πΎ! Nadia made a switch to coding from journalism at the age of 25. That decision has got her moving countries not once but twice! Nowadays, she lives in London, works at Intercom, and helps aspiring developers. She's also written a book, Crossing the Rubycon, filled with practical advice and insider tips on learning to code and building a programming career.In this episode, Nadia shares her story and many things she's learned along the way! You'll get to know what's it like to learn to code without a technical background, how to manage your mindset and mental health during the process, and what's Nadia's take on choosing your first programming language. Nadia and Alex also discuss common stereotypes about programming,Β gatekeeping within the industry, and what are the critical but often overlooked factors in choosing what to learn.Β π Connect with Nadia π¨π»βπΌ LinkedIn π Dev.to π¦ Twitter πΉ YouTube βοΈ Leave a ReviewIf you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star review here and tell us who you want to see on the next podcast.You can also Tweet Alex from Scrimba at @bookercodes and tell them what lessons you learned from the episode so that he can thank you personally for tuning in π Or tell Jan he's butchered your name here.
How Johnny Learned Angular and Typescript in Three Days
π About the episodeMeet Johnny Proano πΊπΈ! Johnny had a long and happy career in sales, spanning almost two decades. But, something was missing, so he decided to explore coding. He thought he had to have a degree, but when it turned out he couldn't afford it, he enrolled into a bootcamp and signed up for Scrimba.This is a fun and exciting story about career change and looking for your purpose. It is also a story of networking at your daughter's school events, as well as learning Angular and TypeScript (and creating a project using them) in only three days! You'll hear how Johnny approached learning and what kept him going, how to introduce software engineering to toddlers, and how can you turn your failed job interviews in learning experiences once and for all.π Connect with Johnny π¨βπΌ LinkedIn π Website βοΈ Leave a ReviewIf you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star review here and tell us who you want to see on the next podcast.You can also Tweet Alex from Scrimba at @bookercodes and tell them what lessons you learned from the episode so that he can thank you personally for tuning in π Or tell Jan he's butchered your name here.
Changing Careers? This Is How to Defeat the Sunk Cost Fallacy, with Doctor-turned-developer Shona
π About the episodeMeet Shona Chan πΈπ¬π¬π§! Shona was an anesthesiologist. Now she's a developer. It all started when she wanted to write an app to solve a problem she had at work as a doctor. One thing led to another, and eventually, she took the plunge into coding, realizing that a career switch might not be such a bad idea.This is a story of intrinsic motivation, amazing portfolio projects, and landing a job without even having to go through a tech interview. You'll discover how to identify your purpose, find out how to muster harnes enough motivation to tackle difficult decisions, and learn why Shona saw her career change as a lateral move instead of a fresh start. Shona reveals what ten years in medicine taught her and how that relates to her new career If you listen to the end, you will get some some fantastic ideas to integrate into your study plan or job-hunting strategy. Plus, you'll find out the ideal music for a cesarean section.π Connect with Shona π©βπΌ LinkedIn π Website π©βπ Github π¦ Twitter π§° Resources Mentioned Kevin Powell Kevin Powell on the Scrimba podcast Stephanie Chiu on the Scrimba podcast SoundState βοΈ Leave a ReviewIf you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star review here and tell us who you want to see on the next podcast.You can also Tweet Alex from Scrimba at @bookercodes and tell them what lessons you learned from the episode so that he can thank you personally for tuning in π Or tell Jan he's butchered your name here.
Learning to Code with ADHD: How Zuza Landed Her First Tech Job after Only Four Months
π About the episodeMeet Zuza GroΕska π΅π±π³π±! Zuza is a recently hired new developer with a previous career in social media marketing in the music industry. She's also a Polish transplant who moved to the Netherlands during the pandemic. She craved a career change, and when it turned out that all of her work friends were from the software development team, she put two and two together and decided to learn to code. She landed her first dev job after only four months of intense studying!Β Zuza has ADHD, which can be a hindrance and a superpower. In this episode, she talks about the importance of spreading awareness of ADHD and neurodiversity in general. You'll also learn how she approached her portfolio projects, why you should think like a marketer, and how you can stand out in a world where every new developer has a unit converter in their portfolio. Zuza shares how she approached learning to code, what kept her going when she felt unmotivated, why she wanted to leave Poland, and why a career in social media marketing can be draining even though it sounds glamorous.Β π Connect with Zuza π©βπΌ LinkedIn π Website π©βπ Github π§° Resources Mentioned Frontend Developer Career Path Scrimba Bootcamp Kevin Powell MDN Web Docs Sass Kink.nl radio βοΈ Leave a ReviewIf you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star review here and tell us who you want to see on the next podcast.You can also Tweet Alex from Scrimba at @bookercodes and tell them what lessons you learned from the episode so that he can thank you personally for tuning in π Or tell Jan he's butchered your name here.
It's All about Your Additude: Building a Software Apprenticeship Program with Luke Hovee
π About the episodeMeet Luke Hovee πΊπΈ! After a career in the US Army, Luke didn't know what to do next. He was considering a career in construction, until he stumbled upon a bootcamp teaching army veterans how to code. Today, he's a full-time web developer with a passion for helping other aspiring web developers getting into tech. Currently, he's creating a software apprenticeship program so that he can help people at scale.In this episode, you'll find out whether army is a good training for having to deal with product managers, why grit and determination are important, and what's the most important thing you should have to break into tech in today's job market. Luke and Alex also talk about LinkedIn, why getting your second job in tech is way easier than landing the first one, and the current state of the market for junior developers.π Connect with Lukeπ¨βπΌ LinkedInπ§° Resources mentioned Danny Thompson on YouTube Scrimba Podcast: How to become a successful Junior Developer, with Danny Thompson Scrimba Podcast: Freecodecamp Founder Quincy Larson: Why Learning To Code as an Adult Might Be Easier Than You Think David Roberts on YouTube βοΈ Leave a ReviewIf you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star review here and tell us who you want to see on the next podcast.You can also Tweet Alex from Scrimba at @bookercodes and tell them what lessons you learned from the episode so that he can thank you personally for tuning in π Or tell Jan he's butchered your name here.
Ultimate LinkedIn Guide: Listen to This If Youβre Working on Your LinkedIn Profile
π About the episodeNo matter where you are in your career journey - whether you're a new developer just looking to break into the industry or an industry veteran - having a strategic and up-to-date LinkedIn profile is a must. LinkedIn is something we often talk about on this podcast - many people, from experts to recently hired Scrimba students, have shared their tips and tricks for this social network over the course of 130 episodes. In this episode, we have compiled their best, most actionable advice. If you're looking to refresh your LinkedIn profile this fall, or you're just about to create one for the first time, this is the episode for you!Tune in for LinkedIn tips from the LinkedIn profile review guy Austin Henline, pastor-turned-developer Chris Mccoy, GitHub program manager Laura Thorson (who has only ever gotten jobs through LinkedIn), and iOS engineer at paypal and career mentor Stephanie chiu.π» Listen to the full interviews How to make your LinkedIn profile stand out according to a LinkedIn expert, with Austin Henline How Pastor-Turned-Developer Chris Crushed It on LinkedIn and Landed an Internship... and a Job It's about Who You Know: An Introvert's Guide to Networking (and Becoming Amazing at LinkedIn), with Stephanie Chiu from PayPal Laura Thorson From GitHub: This Is How You Master the Mindset of a Programmer π Connect with everybody Austin: π¨π»βπΌ LinkedIn, π¦ Twitter Laura:π©βπΌ Linkedin, πΒ Website, π¦ Twitter, π¨βπ GitHub Stephanie: πΈ Instagram, π©βπΌ Linkedin, π Website, π¦ Twitter, π©βπ Github Chris: π¨πΌβπΌ Linkedin βοΈ Leave a ReviewIf you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star review here and tell us who you want to see on the next podcast.You can also Tweet Alex from Scrimba at @bookercodes and tell them what lessons you learned from the episode so that he can thank you personally for tuning in π Or tell Jan he's butchered your name here.
Treat Learning to Code Like an RPG (and You Might Get a Job in Three Business Days), with Scrimba student TomΓ‘Ε‘
π About the episodeMeet TomΓ‘Ε‘ LukeΕ‘ π¨πΏ! TomΓ‘Ε‘ is an audio engineer turned primary school teacher turned developer! In only nine months, he learned to code alongside a full-time job, created an awesome portfolio, and then landed a job in three business days. What?!In this episode, you'll discover exactly how he did it! TomΓ‘Ε‘ will reveal why he approached learning to code as if it were an RPG, how he selected his projects, why going the extra mile while crafting your portfolio is a must, and how you can transform code-alongs into something of your own. You'll also learn the definitive answer to the question of how many hours it truly takes to reach a hireable level of coding proficiency. TomΓ‘Ε‘ and Alex also discuss job hunting strategies,Β the power of persistence, self-discovery,and the importance of knowing the exact industries you want to work in.π Connect with TomΓ‘Ε‘ π¨βπΌ LinkedIn π Website π§° Resources Mentioned Colt Steele on Udemy Scrimba's Frontend Developer Career Path Josh Tried Coding on YouTube βοΈ Leave a ReviewIf you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star review here and tell us who you want to see on the next podcast.You can also Tweet Alex from Scrimba at @bookercodes and tell them what lessons you learned from the episode so that he can thank you personally for tuning in π Or tell Jan he's butchered your name here.
Empowering Junior React Developers: Inside a React Job Simulator with Johannes Kettmann
π About the episodeMeet Johannes Kettmann π©πͺ! Johannes is a Fullstack JavaScript Developer from Germany who's also the mastermind behind profy.dev - itβs a React Job Simulator program for aspiring Junior React developers. Originally, Johannes studied physics before transitioning into coding, and he's been working as a freelancer or contractor ever since!In this episode, dive into Johannes's coding journey and discover why he's all about React. Get ready for tales of his first freelancing gig - it wasn't a walk in the park, but it taught him loads and gave him a taste of freedom. That's why Johannes never considered a 9-to-5 job and embraced contracting. Tune in for the lowdown on why React rocks and the rookie mistakes even experienced developers stumble upon. Curious about a React Job Simulator? You'll learn what it is and why we needed one. Plus, hear what are the skills that aspiring junior developers usually don't have, that can really make you stand out.Β Β β π¨βπ»Sign up for profy.dev with 10% discount using coupon code SCRIMBA at checkout!π Connect with Johannes π Profy.dev π¨βπΌ LinkedIn π Website π¦ X π§° Resources MentionedPodcast: Intentional career building with Kent C. Dodds βοΈ Leave a ReviewIf you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star review here and tell us who you want to see on the next podcast.You can also Tweet Alex from Scrimba at @bookercodes and tell them what lessons you learned from the episode so that he can thank you personally for tuning in π Or tell Jan he's butchered your name here.
How Mohamed Landed a Dev Job Through Instagram
π About the episodeMeet Mohamed Amine Hachemi! Mohamed is a full-stack developer who recently landed his first dev job! But that's not the most amazing part of his story. He actually found that job through Instagram! In a world where everyone is applying through LinkedIn, Mohamed decided to take a different approach and utilize social media. In this episode, you'll discover exactly how he did it. And no, it doesn't involve cold DMing.After completing his law studies, Mohamed realized that a career in law wasn't what he truly desired for the next few decades. He reflected on his childhood interests and rediscovered his passion for coding. With some prior experience in HTML and CSS from editing Blogger templates as a teenager, he immersed himself in front-end development. Eventually, he expanded his skills to backend development when he joined his current company. Tune in to hear more about his coding journey.π Connect with Mohamedπ¨βπΌ LinkedInπ§° Resources Mentioned Scrimba's Frontend Developer Career Path Marian Rydzanych on Instagram βοΈ Leave a ReviewIf you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star review here and tell us who you want to see on the next podcast.You can also Tweet Alex from Scrimba at @bookercodes and tell them what lessons you learned from the episode so that he can thank you personally for tuning in π Or tell Jan he's butchered your name here.