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.
Bootcamp Mentor Hussien Khayoon: Careers Come in Three Phases and Here’s How To Navigate Them
🎙 About the episodeMeet Hussien Khayoon 🇨🇦! Hussien is a Full-stack engineer with almost a decade of experience. Currently, he works as a Staff Software Engineer at Shopify. He is also a Bootcamp Mentor at Springboard, and, as you can guess, he's very passionate about helping new developers land on their feet. In this episode, Hussien will be your mentor.Hussien and Alex will help you feel confident and teach you a couple of things that can help you land your first coding job. They explain why is the interview process at big tech companies as complicated as it is and tell you what you do about it. Hussien shares his approach to both interviewing and being interviewed, as well as his take on bootcamps vs. universities. By the end of the show, you'll hopefully feel more inspired to learn to code, start applying for jobs, and navigate your new role - or at least figure out how to assess if you need to study more.🔗 Connect with Hussien 👨🏽💼 Linkedin 🐦 Twitter 📹 Youtube 🧰 Resources Mentioned Free report: 4 Tips to Get your FIRST Coding Job Faster Hussien's course: Get Your First Coding Job ⭐️ 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 they can thank you personally for tuning in 🙏
Consistent and Persistent: This Scrimba Student Battled Depression and Landed a Job at Amazon After 1000 LeetCode Challenges
🎙 About the episodeMeet Khaidem Sandip Singha 🇺🇸! He's a Scrimba student from Assam, India, who recently got a job at Amazon! 🎉 Originally, he studied civil engineering before realizing he was more interested in coding. In this episode, you'll hear how he learned to code, battled depression, and reverse-engineered a path to a FANG company.You will also learn about his approach to problem-solving and the benefits of practicing on LeetCode - not many students we interviewed did that, but Khaidem completed one thousand challenges! He also shares some details about Amazon's interview process and his approach to keeping up motivation. 🔗 Connect with Khaidem 👨💼 Linkedin 👩🚀 GitHub 🌐 LeetCode profile ⏰ Timestamps How Khaidem went from civil engineering to learning to code (01:41) Chasing coding certificates or mastering the basics - what is more important for landing your first developer job? (03:20) How Khaidem reverse-engineered the path to a FANG company (04:33) Should you do LeetCode (06:01) The importance of consistency and persistency (07:16) Why Khaidem focused on LeetCode (08:34) Try different frameworks, but then specialize (12:09) Khaidem's approach to problem-solving (13:57) How Khaidem started his job search while suffering from depression (17:47) Khaidem's first jobs and how he knew he was overqualified (21:41) How Khaidem discovered Scrimba around Javascriptmas 2020 (23:15) Why Khaidem benefited from the Scrimba community (24:15) How Khaidem applied for Amazon (25:15) Amazon's interview process (27:18) How Khaidem got an offer, and why it's important to keep up motivation (30:03) Why you shouldn't give up (31:42) 🧰 Resources Mentioned Udacity Intro to Programming Nanodegree Bob Ziroll's React courses LeetCode Scrimba Podcast: A Teacher's Job Is Never Done: Get Your Hands on the Keyboard with Bob Ziroll Scrimba Podcast: Talent Alone Is Not Enough: How Theo Changed Careers at 49 Scrimba Discord community ⭐️ 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 they can thank you personally for tuning in 🙏
A Teacher's Job Is Never Done: Get Your Hands on the Keyboard with Bob Ziroll
🎙 About the episodeMeet Bob Ziroll 🇺🇸! Bob is Scrimba's Head of Education and one of the Internet's favorite React teachers. In a past life, Bob worked in marketing before enrolling into a bootcamp, where he eventually became a teacher and Director of Education. In this podcast, you'll learn about his coding story and teaching philosophy, but also about the early days of Scrimba!Bob and Alex discuss career change, Sunday scaries, and finding the right learning path for you. You'll find out how much work goes into creating a quality coding course, what's the difference between courses and YouTube videos, and why it's sometimes better to learn things more slowly. Bob also talks about how he pushed the limits of the Scrimba platform, how it perfectly lent itself to a successful approach to pedagogy, and shares a wealth of good advice for everybody currently learning to code. 🔗 Connect with Bob 👨🏼💼 Linkedin 🐦 Twitter 🧰 Resources Mentioned Bob's courses on Scrimba Lofi beats on Spotify Centered app Learn and Understand Node JS by Antony Alicea Scrimba Podcast - Quincy Larson: Why Learning To Code as an Adult Might Be Easier Than You Think Scrimba Podcast - Ace the job interview with Cassidy Williams Scrimba Podcast - Be a Librarian, Not an Encyclopedia of Code: How To Learn (and Teach) Better, With Guil Hernandez Scrimba Podcast - Intentional career building with Kent C. Dodds ⭐️ 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 they can thank you personally for tuning in 🙏
How Pastor-Turned-Developer Chris Crushed It on LinkedIn and Landed an Internship... and a Job
🎙 About the episodeMeet Chris McCoy 🇺🇸! He's a pastor who did odd jobs on the side. But he was always interested in coding! Somewhere between working retail and doing food delivery, he realized he needed something more stimulating. Nine months later, he landed not one but two job offers as a junior developer!Chris CRUSHED it on LinkedIn, even though he never liked social media: in this episode, he shares his approach to posting and being actively present on the platform. You can use it both to learn and to connect with people working in the industry, and that's exactly what Chris did. Spoiler alert: it doesn't have to be complicated.You'll also learn more about internships: Chris landed one, which turned out to be pretty cool! What do companies look for in an intern? Should you become one, and how? He also shares how he approached learning to code and found a balance between learning and work. Chris and Alex also discuss what you can learn from odd jobs.Sadly, you won't learn the recipe for Chick-fil-A. But it does make an appearance in this episode :)🔗 Connect with Chris👨🏼💼 Linkedin⏰ Timestamps How Chris decided to become a developer (01:51) Can you still learn something from odd jobs that have nothing to do with coding? (03:19) How Chris chose to learn to code and found support in his community (04:35) Balancing work, learning, and being a pastor: how Chris did it (06:28) How Chris discovered Scrimba (09:16) It's okay not to know everything about development (12:08) Why you need real-world examples when learning a new skill (12:57) Did Chris complete Scrimba's Career Path or get a job before he managed to? (14:14) When and how did Chris start applying for jobs? (16:31) How Chris created a LinkedIn profile and started crushing it (17:31) How to be genuinely present on LinkedIn and use the platform to connect (18:33) Chris's approach to writing LinkedIn posts (21:36) How adding Scrimba to his education connected Chris to a recruiter (21:51) Can an internship be... good? (24:41) What does a company expect from an intern, and what did Chris do about it (27:05) Working with other interns and the higher-ups (30:02) How Chris compared to the other interns in his group (32:38) How Chris's internship turned into a job (34:33) In the end, Chris had not one but two job offers! How did he pick one? (36:17) The hard work paid off (37:49) 🧰 Resources MentionedThe Frontend Developer Career Path⭐️ 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 they can thank you personally for tuning in 🙏
Quincy Larson: Why Learning To Code as an Adult Might Be Easier Than You Think
🎙 About the episodeMeet Quincy Larson 🇺🇸! Quincy is the founder of freeCodeCamp, a nonprofit company that makes coding accessible for all. He is a self-taught developer who learned to code when he was 31. Why did he learn to code? Because he wanted to make a school he was a director of more efficient. So... We have a career changer!So, how does a teacher teach himself to code? And how does he teach others? In this episode, Alex asks hard questions, and Quincy answers all of them, sharing valuable insights on how adults learn, how important are your intrinsic capabilities, and why learning a new skill after the age of 25 might be easier than you think. You will also learn about the hacker ethic, how you can overcome your limitations, and why software developers need to be humble.🔗 Connect with Quincy 👨🏼💼 Linkedin 🐦 Twitter ⏰ Timestamps How Quincy Larson started coding at the age of 31... as a school director (01:55) Why you should hang out with other developers (03:52) What is the hacker ethic? (04:51) Why do software developers need to be humble? (07:07) Quincy learning to code before freeCodeCamp. What was that like? (08:16) How does a teacher learn? (11:09) The key learning technique for people over 25 (11:56) The elusive nature of learning to code (15:41) How does an adult brain learn, and why might kinesthetic learning be the best way? (17:29) Can an old dog learn new tricks? (18:57) Learning with analogies and associations + why you shouldn't drink (21:47) Quincy is a master learner... But what if you're not? (24:49) Can anyone learn to code and become a successful developer? (27:35) Are aptitudes important? (28:24) Overcoming your limitations (32:16) How does Quincy feel about the success of freeCodeCamp? (34:44) 🧰 Resources Mentioned freeCodeCamp Hackers: Heroes of the Computer Revolution, book by Steven Levy ⭐️ 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 they can thank you personally for tuning in 🙏
Drumroll, Please: Make Your Portfolio Projects Fun and Prepare for the Following Questions
🎙 About the episodeMeet Stevie Gill 🇬🇧! Stevie was a scientist, a medical writer and an editor, and then he wrote about video games. Eventually, he moved countries and changed careers. Nowadays, Stevie lives in Toronto, Canada, and works as a full-time front-end developer at Kijiji. In this episode, he shares his story and everything he learned along the way that can help you land your first developer job!You'll hear how Stevie learned to code, how he prepared for the interviews, and that LinkedIn can be useful even if you only have a handful of connections. He reveals how he took a generic portfolio project and made it his own - and why you should do the same. Stevie and Alex discuss Stevie's interview process in depth (be warned: there are some witty HR people out there) and also answer the question of whether you should be dreading the gaps on your resume.🔗 Connect with Stevie 👨🏼💼 Linkedin 🐦 Twitter 🌐 Blog 🌐 Portfolio 👩🚀 GitHub 🧰 Resources Mentioned FreeCodeCamp The Frontend Developer Career Path Stevie's RetroFix app Scrimba Podcast: How To Work With Recruiters According to Senior Recruiter Taylor Desseyn ⭐️ 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 they can thank you personally for tuning in 🙏
Understanding Corporate Hierarchy (and Perfecting Your Resume), With Tiffany Jachja
🎙 About the episodeMeet Tiffany Jachja 🇺🇸! Tiffany is a data scientist, career coach, engineering manager, and Twitch streamer! By day, she works at Vox Media. In her free time, she helps fellow developers by sharing career advice and her computer and data science knowledge. In this episode, Tiffany helps you understand a company's organizational structure so that you can come to your job interview prepared!Alex and Tiffany also talk about resumes: what is their function, and is there such a thing as an ideal resume? You'll also learn the main differences between studying computer science and taking a bootcamp, how to approach the job-hunting tips you find online, how to know if you're ready to apply for your first developer job, and why inspiration matters. Tiffany also shares her favorite online coder communities and job boards!🔗 Connect with Tiffany 👩🏻💼 Linkedin 📹 Twitch 🐦 Twitter 🌐 Website 🧰 Resources Mentioned Video: From Student to Senior: Career Development 101 Danny Thompson's Commit Your Code community RemoteJobHunters on Reddit ⭐️ 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 they can thank you personally for tuning in 🙏
Don’t Compare Yourself to Other New Developers: Scrimba Student Silvia on Changing Careers
🎙 About the episodeMeet Silvia Piovesan 🇮🇹! Silvia is a Scrimba student who recently got for job offers after four different interviews. But her success didn't come overnight! Silvia used to be a project manager in the pharmaceutical industry - where she first got interested in coding. After she got laid off (and became a mom!), she wanted to learn to code so that she could become a knowledgeable project manager in IT... before realizing that she actually wanted to code!In this episode, Silvia reveals what's the similarities between learning to code and hiking Camino de Santiago, as well as her approach to learning and finding a job as a new developer. You'll find out how to utilize your soft skills, what to do if you don't know the answer to a question on a technical interview, and what to do during your first week on the job. Alex and Silvia also discuss goal setting, and why it's not a good idea to give your 100% every day. 🔗 Connect with Silvia 👩🏻💼 Linkedin 🐦 Twitter 🌐 Website 👩🚀 Github 🧰 Resources mentioned Scrimba's Frontend Career Path Learn Reeact for Free Scrimba's Discord community Mock Junior Front End Web Developer Interview with Mike Chen and Silvia ⭐️ 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 they can thank you personally for tuning in 🙏
How To Learn To Code From the Free Content on YouTube, With Jessica Chen
🎙 About the episodeMeet Jess Chan 🇺🇸! Jess's YouTube channel, Coder Coder, has almost 400,000 subscribers at the time of recording. She's a web developer turned educator, and when she's not teaching her subscribers JavaScript and CSS, she's working on her first course. This episode is about learning, YouTube, and learning on YouTube!In this show, you'll learn how to evaluate a course and quickly decide if you can trust a YouTube tutorial. Jess and Alex talk about how YouTube evolved over the years and why it might be an underrated place to meet other developers. You'll hear about Jess's long and meandering road to coding and learn why it's okay if you don't become a full-time developer in just three months. Finally, Jess will reveal, once and for all, what's the best camera for YouTubers. 🔗 Connect with Jess 📹 YouTube 🐦 Twitter 🌐 Website 📸 Instagram ⏰ Timestamps On Coder Coder, and why Jess loves web development (and enjoys teaching it) (01:33) Why you should remember what's it like to be a beginner at something before teaching it (03:33) Can you teach problem-solving on YouTube? (04:55) How Jess went from Pre-Med to photography to becoming a developer and, finally, an educator (06:24) Why it's okay if you don't become a full-time developer in three months (07:51) On becoming a developer in the era before bootcamps (09:33) Can you judge the current state of the industry from YouTube comments? (12:41) How would Jess approach cracking her first coding interview today? (13:22) Why you should look for other people's job interview experiences on YouTube and how the YouTube landscape has changed over the years (14:33) On Jess's YouTube content, the barrier to entry, and the democratization of educational content (16:51) Should new developers make their own YouTube channels? Can you learn soft skills on YouTube? (19:20) Hard skills vs. soft skills - what's more important when it comes to getting your first junior dev job? (21:04) They say you should "be so good they can't ignore you." What does this mean? (22:51) There are a lot of content creators on YouTube. How can you know who to trust? (24:51) Jess's new course on responsive web design, and can you learn without a mentor (30:21) Can you combine resources while learning? (33:25) Quick-fire questions: mechanical keyboards, music for coding, best social networks for developers, and best cameras for YouTube 🧰 Resources mentioned Jessica's YouTube channel: Coder Coder Jessica's new responsive web development course ⭐️ 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 they can thank you personally for tuning in 🙏
Talent Alone Is Not Enough: How Theo Changed Careers at 49 and Landed a Paid Web Dev Apprenticeship
🎙 About the episodeMeet Theo Ntogiakos 🇬🇧! Theo has just switched careers at the age of 49! Recently, he landed a paid apprenticeship and is currently attending a coding bootcamp. But before that, he learned on Scrimba - he joined a coding challenge in February and became an active member of our community. Although he always did something with computers, he used to think he could never become a front-end developer. Well, he was wrong! And that's why he's here.In this episode, Theo shares details about a path that led him here, as well as his approach to learning. You'll find out what's it like to attend a bootcamp and how it compares to Scrimba's learning platform, as well as what kinds of opportunities to keep an eye out for if you're a new developer and live in the UK. Theo also talks about motivation, self-doubt, and whether he could've shifted gears earlier. He and Alex also discuss the importance of wanting to become a developer for the right reasons.🔗 Connect with Theo👨🏻💼 LinkedIn⏰ Timestamps Theo's journey into web development (it's a long and winding path!) (01:33) Theo's coding background (it includes Pascal!) (02:48) Why Theo wanted to change careers (05:29) On self-doubt (06:13) Was it challenging to change careers later in life? Plus, the perks of a coding apprenticeship (06:41) How Theo landed a paid apprenticeship after only six months of learning to code... and discovered Scrimba along the way (08:42) Scrimba's coding challenges (11:02) UK developer bootcamps (11:56) How to get an apprenticeship as a web developer in the United Kingdom (14:27) Is salary enough of a reason for a career change? (19:23) What do employers want to see in a candidate? (21:33) Slow and steady wins the race (25:17) How does Scrimba compare to a boot camp? (27:49) If you're a self-taught developer, do this! (29:10) Theo's deep dive into Scrimba (30:51) Let's talk pricing: how much does Scrimba cost compared to a coding bootcamp? And what are the differences between the two? (32:18) 🧰 Resources Mentioned YT Video: Where to Find Developer Job Openings When You Have No Experience The Front-End Career Path ⭐️ 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 they can thank you personally for tuning in 🙏
What Are Company Values… and Why You Should Know Your Own, with Dave Mayer
🎙 About the episodeMeet Dave Mayer 🇺🇸! Dave is a founder and CEO of Technical Integrity, a boutique recruiting firm famous for its culture-first approach. TI has worked with big companies like Twitter, as well as many mid-size startups. In this episode, you'll get a glimpse into the other side of recruiting. Dave explains his culture-first approach and why it benefits both you and the employer. You'll learn why it's important to know your values and how to make sure you find a company that aligns with them. Dave explains why you shouldn't feel desperate if you don't get a job in a company that was your first choice and how to probe into a company's values without sounding disrespectful. From the recruiter side, Dave reveals how looking for a culture fit can backfire and why it's much better to look for a "culture add."Dave and Alex also talk about recessions (Dave has lived and worked through three of them already!) and how to stay focused on what's truly important. 🔗 Connect with Dave 🐦 Twitter 🌐 Website 👨🏻💼 LinkedIn 🧰 Resources Mentioned Blog post: The Best Engineering Team Values Statement We've Ever Seen Simon Sinek's "Start With Why" Ted talk ⭐️ 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 they can thank you personally for tuning in 🙏
Take a Chance, Even If Things Sound Weird and You Don't Feel Ready: How Wemerson Got Back Into Tech, Learned to Code, and Landed a Dream Job in a Web3 Startup
🎙 About the episodeMeet Wemerson Queiroz 🇧🇷! Wemerson never thought he was going to become a developer. He started studying computer science, dropped out, and spent ten years working in sales because he wanted to earn money immediately. Ten years later, he realized he was unhappy (after all, money is not everything), learned to code, and got his first developer job in no time!What got him back into IT was Blockchain, so he first started learning Solidity before realizing he should first learn the basics. Shortly after, those basics got him a job at a startup working with Blockchain technology! In this episode, you'll learn how far HTML, CSS, and Javascript can get you and how important it is to follow your passion. You'll also hear about Wemerson's unusual interview process and why taking a chance can sometimes pay off.🔗 Connect with Wemerson 👨🏻💼 LinkedIn 🌐 Website 👩🚀 GitHub 🐦 Twitter 🧰 Resources mentioned The Frontend Developer Career Path Learn React for free! ⭐️ Leave a ReviewIf you enjoy this episode, please leave a 5-star review here and let us know 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 they can thank you personally for tuning in 🙏
How to Create a Web Dev Portfolio That Both HR and Other Developers Will Love, with Josh Comeau
🎙 About the episodeMeet Josh W. Comeau 🇨🇦! Josh is a developer, indie hacker, educator, and author. He worked in some companies you might have heard of (including, but not limited to, DigitalOcean, Gatsby, and Khan Academy). He also wrote a book on how to build an effective web dev portfolio. In this episode, we're answering that and many other questions! Spoiler alert: all the advice is actionable.You'll learn why you need to have a portfolio, how to make one, and is there a formula that works. Josh will teach you how to steal a design for your portfolio website and not get caught and how to develop an eye for design in the long run. Plus: why everybody needs junior developers and how to create an exciting portfolio project even if you don't have any niche interests to base them on. Josh and Alex also discuss handy tools you can use, writing cover letters, and hiring biases in the industry. 🔗 Connect with Josh 👨🏻💼 LinkedIn 🌐 Blog + Website 🐦 Twitter ⏰ Timestamps Josh's trajectory from development to education (01:09) Why Josh wrote a book on web developer portfolios (02:12) Don't put skill bars on your website! What do they even mean?! (04:40) Who should you cater your portfolio to, and how to do it? There are two main target audiences. (06:16) How does a portfolio compare to a LinkedIn profile or a resume? (10:53) Why everybody needs to hire juniors (12:41) Can you get away with not having a portfolio? (14:40) What to do if you're a developer but not good at design? (16:00) Why minimal design could be better (21:53) Can you use a template? (23:45) What should you put on your portfolio website (25:46) How to present your projects (29:49) How to choose your projects... and write about them (31:10) How to write a good cover letter (34:58) How to approach looking for a job (39:07) Hiring biases in the industry (40:56) 🧰 Resources mentioned Josh's book, Building an Effective Dev Portfolio (it's FREE!) xScope PixelSnap Fontpair ⭐️ Leave a ReviewIf you enjoy this episode, please leave a 5-star review here and let us know 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 they can thank you personally for tuning in 🙏
Interview Your Interviewers and Find Somebody Who Believes in Your Skills: How Jonathan Became a Developer in Three Months
🎙 About the episodeMeet Johnathan Gauthier 🇨🇦! Johnathan volunteered when the company where he worked needed somebody to figure out how to turn a Figma design into a website. The rest is history.After quitting that job, Johnathan gave himself three months to properly learn front-end development and get his first developer job. And he succeeded! In this interview, he shares how. Yes, Jonathan was pulling long hours, but there's more to it!Jonathan talks about his way of learning and why knowing how to approach a problem is better than knowing the exact method of solving it. You'll also learn why it's good to find a mentor - and how to find one! Lastly, Jonathan shares his approach to looking for a job online and why it's important to interview your interviewer. Believe it or not, the latter can make or break your interview process! 🔗 Connect with Johnathan 👨🏻💼 LinkedIn 🐦 Twitter 🤖 Pancarte#2314 on the Scrimba Discord ⏰ Timestamps Jonathan's journey into coding by way of learning to translate designs in Figma into a website + his introduction to Scrimba (01:59) How Jonathan quit his job and had only three months to learn to code and get a job in front-end (04:14) What's manual QA, and was that a helpful background to a new developer? (05:41) Learn the approach, not the method (06:29) How Jonathan decided to switch careers(07:27) Why you should apply when others think you're ready (08:53) Jonathan's study plan (10:21) How can you study both properly and fast? (11:41) The importance of taking breaks (14:10) How Jonathan found a mentor and why are mentors important (15:10) Jonathan's approach to finding his first developer job: LinkedIn, Angel.co, and messaging recruiters directly (17:43) How to optimize your LinkedIn profile (19:16) Jonathan's interview process (21:22) How to interview your interviewers and why that gives you an advantage (22:15) What skills should a junior developer have? (24:44) How Jonathan got his job offer (27:13) Jonathan's new company + Do you have to know Agile? (28:21) How to ask questions as a junior (29:38) Closing advice: don't stress about feeling ready; remember to take breaks, and come up with personal projects! (31:18) On notetaking (32:12) 🧰 Resources mentioned Jonathan's LinkedIn profile The Frontend Developer Career Path HTML and CSS crash course with Kevin Powell ProgrammingBuddies() on Reddit No Whiteboard Angel.co ⭐️ Leave a ReviewIf you enjoy this episode, please leave a 5-star review here and let us know 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 they can thank you personally for tuning in 🙏
Nadia Zhuk: Anybody Can Code, and Your Background Doesn't Define You
🎙 About the episodeMeet Nadia Zhuk 🇧🇾! 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, gatekeeping within the industry, and what are the critical but often overlooked factors in choosing what to learn. 🔗 Connect with Nadia 👨🏻💼 LinkedIn 🌐 Dev.to 🐦 Twitter 📹 YouTube ⏰ Timestamps Nadia's journey into coding and move to Poland (01:41) Can you learn to code with no computer education whatsoever? (06:48) Why Nadia chose the self-taught route (08:16) How and why Nadia chose to learn Ruby (11:17) What influences your choice of a programming language (13:33) How to choose your first coding language if you're not technical (14:43) What to do (and what not to do) if you're learning to code on your own (17:03) Is coding creative? (23:17) The biggest stereotypes about being a programmer... and why they're wrong Can anyone learn to code? (28:26) Gatekeeping in the industry - and gatekeeping that's self-imposed (29:50) Quick-fire questions: favorite programming language, JavaScript, frameworks, chatbots, caffeinated beverages, London, and cats! (32:54) 🧰 Resources mentioned Nadia's book, Crossing the Rubycon: How to Learn to Code and Build a Programming Career Women Who Code ⭐️ Leave a ReviewIf you enjoy this episode, please leave a 5-star review here and let us know 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 they can thank you personally for tuning in 🙏