Develop Yourself

#122 - Self Taught vs Coding Bootcamp: Surprising takeaways from Levy, a current bootcamper

25 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We hear a lot of success stories about bootcamp grads AFTER they’ve landed their first role. What about those who are in the middle of learning to c...

#121 - Am I Gonna Get Fired? The 4 Biggest Mistakes in my Developer Career

21 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Maybe I've fooled you.To be transparent, I've screwed up a lot over the years as a developer.I’ve blown up production a few times. I delet...

#120 - Data Structures and Algorithms for Beginners

18 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Learning data structures and algorithms (DSA) isn't JUST a smart interview skill, it will boost your confidence as a software engineer, give you ...

#119 - A Practical Guide to Freelancing as a Developer with Matt Cascardi

13 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

How much do you really need to know to start freelancing?What should you charge?How do you get your first client?Matt Cascardi, my friend and former m...

#118 - Your Junior Developer Interview Guide

08 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Interviews are weird. Software interviews are weirder. This is your guide to go from the recruiter call through the the technical screen and how to ne...

#117 - AI and the Job Market for Developers: Is Coding Still Worth It?

04 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Will AI replace coders?Is it still worth learning to code?I am optimistic about our future but things have changed. The future will belong to those wh...

#116 - Why Don't Coding Bootcamps Teach This? A beginners guide to writing tests.

29 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Knowing how to write unit tests will make you a better, more hire-able developer. Few bootcamps teach this for some reason and since I like you, I mad...

#115 - From Marketer to FinTech Pro and Hot Takes on Learning to Code with Parsity Grad Ryan Passer

26 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, Ryan shares his opinions and advice for up and coming developers including:his journey from marketer to Parsity.io to full stack soft...

#114 - Maybe You Are an Impostor and Maybe That's Not So Bad

22 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

You ever get that feeling that maybe you're not good enough? I know I have. Sometimes, it's not all in your head. At some point, when you&a...

#113 - Code Challenge King John Crickett Breaks Down How to Level Up as an Engineer

19 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

John Crickett is the code challenge king. He is author of the popular Code Challenge Newsletter and one of the few tech influencers on LinkedIn and X ...

#112 - How I 5x'ed my salary as a developer: 3 lessons I stole from my rich developer friend

14 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Yeah I know, money isn't everything. But it's something right? I've been broke and not-so-broke. I prefer not being broke any day of th...

#111 - Musician to Software Engineer: Nathan Drake Shares His Odd Journey to Coding and How He Got Hired Fast

12 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

I  spoke with Nathan Drake, a ​Parsity​ graduate and software engineer at Paylocity. He came into our program with some basic programming knowled...

#110 - I spoke to 500 developers from all around the world - here are 4 takeaways

05 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

About a year ago an event happened that gave me a very unique perspective on the web dev world: Kyle Simpson, world famous JS developer reposted me. M...

#109 - From Teacher to Software Engineer to Teacher? David Rogers Breaks Down How He Taught Himself to Code and Land a Job

29 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This week, I interviewed David Rogers, a teacher turned software engineer. He now mentors others and breaks down difficult JS concepts unlike many can...

#108 - The Caterpillar Learning Method to Learn Fast AF

22 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The caterpillar learning method to the rescue.I've switched tech stacks 3 times so far in my career. More like 5 if you count the contract jobs I...

#107 - How Zubin went from 37 Year Old Lawyer to Software Engineer at Google and the Reality of Changing Careers into Tech

15 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Zubin Pratap didn't hold back in this episode. He breaks down how he went from lawyer to Software Engineer at Google to BlockChain developer to m...

#106 - The 3 Worst Things About Being a Software Engineer

08 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Listen, becoming a software engineer is not a decision to make lightly. Along with the ability to work remotely and the potential to make multiple 6 f...

#105 - The 2024 Tech Stack and What You Need to Study to Keep Up to Date in the New Year

02 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode I break down the only 3 things I think you should be adding to your toolbelt as a developer in 2024 and because I like you, here'...

#104 - LinkedIn Unleashed: How Shy Coders Can Network Like Pros and Get Hired

26 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Let's dive into a practical LinkedIn strategy to attract the right people through your posts:Step 1: Be anti-cringe. Posting platitudes is an eas...

#103 - The 4-Step Process for Debugging JavaScript Applications and How it Got Me Promoted

18 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Debugging may be one of the most underrated technical skills as a developer. It is one of the major differences between a junior and senior developer....

#102 - Erik Andersen the World's Happiest Engineer Gets Real About Jobs, Bootcamps and Getting Hired

11 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Erik Andersen, the World's Happiest Engineer did not hold back when I asked him what he felt about coding bootcamps. 😅Erik is an amazing and k...

#101 - The Kyle Simpson Episode

04 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

So last week I wrote to Kyle Simpson, world famous JavaScript developer and author of the incredibly popular You Don't Know JS series.I asked if ...

#100 - The 3 Types of Interviews You WILL Encounter as a Developer and How to Beat Them

27 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's podcast you're going to learn the 3 types of interviews you WILL encounter as a developer on the job market and how to beat t...

#99 - Fitness Debugged: A Software Developer's Diet and Exercise Breakdown

20 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This week's podcast is a bit different... I only know 2 things fairly well: 1. Coding and 2. Getting in shapeI've only shared my advice on ...

#98 - Your Roadmap from Zero to Software Engineer in 2024

13 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's podcast, Brian explores how you should approach becoming a web developer in 2024.What you should learn. How you should learn it. W...

#97 - How Much JavaScript is Enough? Here's What You Need to Know and Why You'll Never Know it All

06 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Check out this week's podcast where I expose the not-so-secret TC39 committee and how much JavaScript you need to know before moving on to a fram...

#96 - Passing the Podcast Baton:  Aaron and Peter's Farewell (kinda)

02 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Some big changes are happening at Parsity and the podcast! Aaron and Peter will be pursuing other endeavors and Brian Jenney, who you've heard ho...

#95 - Worst Developer on the Team

23 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Join this week's returning guest host Brian Jenney as he tells you all about his experience being the worst software developer on a team. He goes...

#94 - The Value of Vanilla JavaScript

16 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, Peter discusses the value of vanilla JavaScript. In particular, we talk about the importance of learning the foundations of JavaScrip...

#93 - Bootcamp Grad Success and Failure Stories from the Last 10 Years with Aaron and Peter

09 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Join Aaron and Peter for their catchup episode as they share success stories, failure stories, and stories in-between from their 10+ years of bootcamp...

#92 - Tutorial Hell, Poor Time Management and More with Expert Brian Jenney

02 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This week we are excited to have Brian Jenney back on the podcast, this time in the interview chair. Aaron wanted to dive more into Brian's story...

#91 - From Addict to Software Engineer with Engineering Manager Brian Jenney

25 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This week we have a special guest episode, hosted by Brian Jenney, Engineering Manager at Clorox.Brian is an incredible teacher, passionate about soft...

#90 - Continuous Learning and Automation Expertise with Grant Hushek of Hampton

18 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Grant Hushek of Hampton joins the pod this week to talk about how he got his job, what it looks like to be the automations expert at a company, how to...

#89 - A Complete Beginners Guide to Git and Github

11 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Join Aaron this week as he dives into the introduction of Git and Github, which is perfect for anyone new to coding and programming. Learn the context...

#88 - Reviewing a New React Framework (Remix.run)

04 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Join Peter this week as he shares his experience using the React framework Remix.With the React team officially recommending the use of React framewor...

#87 - Buying Businesses and Learning Mindset from the Florida Gators

29 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Catch up with co-hosts Aaron and Peter as they chat about a few topics they are interested in when it comes to entering the tech world as a software e...

#86 - How to 10X Your Career with Leverage 

21 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Join Aaron this week as he discusses how you can 10X, or leverage, your career as a software engineer.Ever wonder how some people are doing more, have...

#85 - A Theory on Software Developer Career Growth

14 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Join Peter in this episode as he details a pattern he's noticed at every engineering job he's had. It's a story about how the best engi...

#84 - How to Leverage Radical Accountability to Achieve Life-Changing Goals

31 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This week, join Aaron as he discusses radical accountability and how you can accomplish all of your goals by using an accountability partner.Over the ...

#83 - All About Automation

17 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Join Peter as he tackles an automation grab-bag includingHow much code do you need to learn to automate tasks at your job? The magic of Puppeteer.jsE...

#82 - Creating a Side Business by Growing on LinkedIn and Building an AI Automation Agency

02 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Join Aaron and Peter in their monthly catchup as they discuss a variety of topics in this episode, including:Creating systems for building an audience...

#81 - The Best Way to Get Promoted as a Software Engineer (Replay)

27 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

After you've had your first engineering job for a while, you may start wondering about how to take the next step in your career. The thing is, ap...

#80 - How to Go From Newbie to Job Ready This Year

19 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Join Aaron this week as he goes back to the basics and teaches you how to go from a code newbie to a software engineer within this next year. Whether ...

#79 - The Best Strategy for Learning to Code (Replay)

12 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

If you're listening to this episode, you probably want to learn to code. But, you might be overwhelmed and wondering how to learn or where to sta...

#78 - Job Searching Advice with Career Expert Megan Dias

05 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Join Aaron and Megan Dias, Parsity's Career Services Coach, as they talk about the current job state for engineers and her strategies for landing...

#77 - The Future of Software Engineering with AI, Building Systems and Internal Tooling, & Sprint and Rest in Work

22 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Join Aaron and Peter in their monthly catchup as they discuss a variety of topics in this episode, including:AI and how it could affect your future in...

#76 - How to Bulletproof Your Mind While Learning to Code

15 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This week Aaron talks about how investing in your mindset is one of the best things you can do as you learn to code and get into the workforce as a so...

#75 - The Mindset Coding Gives You

08 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Today we're talking about the most valuable thing that learning to code has given me. It isn't a career, a well-paid job, or really anything...

#74 - How to Find and Complete Side Projects (Replay)

24 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Building your own projects is the single best way to improve and reinforce your development skills. But, often, it's hard to know what to build o...

#73 - The Beginner's Guide to Understanding React

17 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Join Aaron this week as he discusses React in detail. Learn the overview of what it is, the complete background of how it came about, and it's ba...

#72 - New Projects & Code School Transparency

10 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this month's catchup, Aaron and Peter discuss their thoughts on the tech market, delegation, and transparency behind coding school statistics....

#71 - What Does It Mean to Be a "Senior" Engineer?

03 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We often hear about varying levels of seniority in engineering. Seniority is often reflected in job titles such as associate, mid-level, and senior. B...

#70 - From Software Engineer to Successful Tech Startup Founder with Brian Dainton

25 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, listen to Aaron interview his first engineering boss, Emmy-award winner Brian Dainton. Brian is not only a successful entrepreneur, b...

#69 - How to Become a Freelance Software Engineer

20 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Most people who learn to code picture themselves working as a software engineer for a company. However, that doesn't always have to be the case. ...

#68 - How to Prepare for Coding Bootcamp

13 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This week, Aaron will teach you just how to best prepare for a coding bootcamp.Featuring 6 steps, he will break down how helpful it can be to:1. Learn...

#67 - Work Updates, Achieving Goals & Transformative Learning Experiences

07 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this month's catchup episode with Aaron and Peter, hear them chat about their most transformative learning experiences, as well as their updat...

#66 - Reflections on a Year as a Freelance Web Developer

27 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

If you've been following along with Peter and Aaron's monthly update episodes, then you're probably aware that Peter left full-time sof...

#65 - Tech Jobs with Will Sanders of Recruiting from Scratch

20 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Will Sanders is the founder of “Recruiting from Scratch”, a talent firm that specialized in placing software engineers in “Series A” and “Se...

#64 - How to Communicate as a Software Engineer

13 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Communication is an underrated but essential skill for software engineers because most software development is done in a team environment.   In this...

#63 - How to Focus When Learning to Code (Replay)

06 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The #1 thing that is preventing you from learning to code is your inability to focus.Join us in this episode of Develop Yourself as we walk through pr...

#62 - Job Market Update, Philosophy of Work & Money and More

30 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In their monthly catch up, Aaron and Peter discuss:Layoffs and our updated thoughts around bootcamp grads, the tech economy and job search.How we each...

#61 - Four Portfolio Projects to Get Hired

23 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Building your own projects is the best way to learn new technologies, and it also happens to be a great way to prove to employers that you have engine...

#60 - Treat Learning to Code Like a Video Game

09 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We mention often that the best coding bootcamp students embrace the process of learning to code over the results of their code. Now, we have a mental ...

#59 - How To Achieve Your 10 Year Goals in 1 Year

26 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

My people don’t keep their New Years resolutions. Instead, let’s set massive goals for 2023 that we actually achieve, and let’s achieve them tog...

#58 - How to Negotiate a Software Engineer Salary

19 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We talk a lot about how to become a software engineer in terms of your skills. Today, we focus on navigating the process of actually securing a job.  ...

#57 - Stop Learning and Start Taking Action

12 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In their monthly catch up, Aaron and Peter discuss:The demise of Aaron’s business, devMintThe current state of the economy and bootcamp gradsPlannin...

#56 - Recent Layoffs and Job Searching for Bootcamp Grads

05 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

 What do all the recent tech layoffs mean for Coding Bootcamp Grads? In this episode, Aaron will dive in and give an analysis of how you should think...

#55 - Cohost Peter's Origin Story

28 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

If you listen to this podcast frequently, you may wonder who we are and how we became software engineers.  In this episode one of your cohosts, Peter...

#54 - Experience is Everything with Elben Shira of Airtable

21 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Elben Shira is a seasoned Staff-level Software Engineer currently working at Airtable. In this episode he shares his experiences working with juniors ...

#53 - Are Coding Bootcamps Worth It?

14 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, we examine the question of whether or not coding bootcamps are "worth it."In order to answer this question, we'll firs...

#52 - Hitting 10k Monthly Downloads, Work/Life Balance and More

07 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Hosts Aaron & Peter gather for their monthly catch-up episode where they talk about:Hitting 10k monthly podcast downloadsDesigning our work around...

#51 - How to Become a Designer with Paul Kim of Dropbox

31 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We’re always talking about how to become a Software Engineer, but what about other tech jobs, like product design? It is easier to become a designer...

#50 - Two Mindsets When Learning to Code

24 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, we examine two differing mindsets that one can take when learning to code. They're both valid, but they'll each influence y...

#49 - A Complete Guide to Learning JavaScript

17 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This week, we’re looking back at one of our most popular podcast episodes, “A Complete Guide to Learning JavaScript”.Here’s what this episode ...

#48 - The Best Thing About Learning to Code

10 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Today we're talking about the most valuable thing that learning to code has given me. It isn't a career, a well-paid job, or really anything...

#47 - Goal Setting, Productivity & More

04 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Hosts Aaron & Peter gather for their monthly catch-up episode where they talk about:An update on Peter’s contracting work (he quit his job sever...

#46- How to Learn a New Codebase, Quickly

26 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

One of the most intimated parts of being a Software Engineer, at any level, is onboarding to a new team and having to learn a new codebase.In this epi...

#45 - How Much Are Software Engineers Paid?

19 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Today, we discuss software engineer salaries. In particular, I talk about some of my engineering salaries, factors that influence your pay, and what r...

#44 - Vanilla JavaScript and Entrepreneurship with Chris Ferdinandi of Go Make Things

05 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, we speak with Chris Ferdinandi. Chris helps people learn vanilla JavaScript at gomakethings.com, and believes there’s a simpler, mo...

#43 - The Economy and Junior Devs, Process Over Results and Catch Up with Peter and Aaron

29 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Every few weeks, we (Aaron and Peter) do an episode where we catch up, talk about what we’re each doing and what we’re learning.On this episode we...

#42 - Acquiring and Growing a SaaS with Jake Gaba of Indifferent Broccoli

22 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, we speak with Jake Gaba. Jake is a student at Stanford’s Graduate School of Business, and the owner of Indifferent Broccoli, a vide...

#41 - From Coding Bootcamp Grads to Web3 Founders with Nathan Drake and Doug West

15 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Nathan and Doug just graduated from a coding bootcamp, but instead of grinding it out to find their first Junior Software Engineer position, they star...

#40 - Accessibility Engineering with Maria Lamardo of CVS Health

08 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode we speak with Maria Lamardo. After unexpectedly entering tech, Maria developed a specialty in accessibility engineering and also began...

#39 - How to be Successful in a Coding Bootcamp

25 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

What makes some bootcamp students successful, and others flop? In this episode, we argue that successful students embrace “process over results”.S...

#38 - The Best Way to Get Promoted as a Software Engineer

18 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

After you've had your first engineering job for a while, you may start wondering about how to take the next step in your career. The thing is, ap...

#37 - Taking Out of The Box Risks with Andre Elmoznino Laufer

11 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In today’s episode we’re going to be talking with Andre Elmoznino Laufer who currently works as a Lead Software Engineer in Stockholm, Sweden. And...

#36 - How to Find and Complete Side Projects

04 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Building your own projects is the single best way to improve and reinforce your development skills. But, often, it's hard to know what to build o...

#35 - Never Apply for a Job Again by Building on LinkedIn with Justin Welsh

27 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

3.5 years ago, Justin had never written on LinkedIn, but since then his 1-person business has done nearly $1.5M in revenue, with 98% margins, and he’...

#34 - Building a Lifestyle Business, Surviving the Pandemic, and Getting Energized with Lynne Tye of Key Values

13 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode we speak with Lynne Tye. After pivoting away from a neuroscience PhD, Lynne held a variety of jobs before teaching herself to code and...

#33 - Advice For a Recent Bootcamp Grad with Sara Oros

06 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, we speak with Sara Oros, who JUST graduated from a coding bootcamp and is seeking advice. We help troubleshoot her journey and talk t...

#32 - Learning Strategies, Joining Bebo, and Automating Infrastructure with Johnny Dallas of Zeet

30 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode we speak with Johnny Dallas. Johnny started coding in middle school, got a paid internship and eventually ended up dropping out of hig...

#31 - Fighting Depression: The Best Reason to Become a Software Engineer

23 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, Aaron shares his own story of battling depression and how becoming a Software Engineer has helped his mental health and changed his l...

#30 - Learning to Code, Engineering Job Searches and YouTube with Namanh Kapur of Bolt

16 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, we speak with Namanh Kapur. Namanh is a Rice University CS graduate, a software engineer at Bolt – a fast-growing  fintech startup...

#29 - Contracting, Entrepreneurship, and Updates with Peter & Aaron

09 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Each month, Develop Yourself's co-hosts (Aaron and Peter) will be checking in with each other, in part to talk through how they've each quit...

#28 - Self-Teaching, Freelancing and Productized Services with Stephen Wise of Wise Studio

02 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, we speak with Stephen Wise. Stephen is a freelance web designer and Webflow developer and founder of WiseStudio.In this conversation,...

#27 - Troubleshooting a Bootcamp Grad's Job Search with Michael Garcia

25 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, we speak with Michael Garcia, who is currently learning to code in hopes of landing his first job as a Software Engineer.Michael grad...

#26 - Code Craftsmanship, Learning, and Public Speaking with Jake Dohm of Steadfast Design Firm

18 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, we speak with Jake Dohm. Jake is a web developer and serves as Development Lead at Steadfast Design Firm. Jake also runs local meetup...

#25 - Working on Your Mind: Your Most Powerful Tool

11 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, Aaron walks through what it means to work on your "mind/mindset" as a budding Software Engineer. As we summarize, it ultima...

#24 - Indie Making, Growth Mindset and Finding Balance with Pete Codes of No CS Degree

04 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, we speak with Pete Codes. Pete is the founder of the website NoCSDegree.com, which tells the stories of people who have broken into t...

#23 - Intro to Crypto/Web3 and How Beginner Coders Can Get Involved with Brian Schuster

28 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Obviously, you've heard of  "crypto" and "web3", but can you define them?Do you know what "blockchain" is?Did you ...