Shows
Develop Yourself#246 - Coding Bootcamps, Burnout, and the Hard Truth About Breaking Into Tech: An Engineering Manager's PerspectiveWhat do engineering leaders really think about bootcamp grads?Why are so many developers so stressed?Is it even worth learning to code in 2025?Michael Greenspan pulls back the curtain on the realities of engineering leadership, interviewing and the state of the industry, drawing from his extensive experience as both a software engineer and engineering manager before becoming a coach for burnt-out tech professionals."Moving into management is a job change," Michael emphasizes, describing how this transition often comes with minimal guidance and significant imposter syndrome. Both Michael and host Brian...2025-06-0927 min
Develop Yourself#243 - The 70% Problem: When AI Coding Falls ShortWhat happens when software engineers rely too heavily on AI-assisted coding tools? Brian and Zubin (an ex-Google engineer) dive deep into what they call "The 70% Problem" – the phenomenon where AI coding tools excel at initial scaffolding but falter when tackling the crucial final 30% of engineering work.Drawing from Addy Osmani's insightful article, these experienced developers share their firsthand experiences with tools like Cursor, ChatGPT, and GitHub Copilot. They explore how AI-assisted coding creates a dangerous illusion of competence while potentially masking fundamental knowledge gaps. As Zubin aptly puts it, giving powerful AI coding tools to inexperienced developers is...2025-05-2934 min
Develop Yourself#234 - Coding Isn’t Enough: 3 Weird Traits That Predict Success in TechWhat separates successful tech career changers from those who struggle?After switching careers into tech at 31 following years of addiction, and mentoring hundreds of aspiring developers, I've noticed some odd patterns and traits of those who make it vs those who don't.This episode is not meant to discourage you. I hope it gives you a practical idea of some skills you can develop and ultimately, whether you should consider this career path.I'd love to know your take as well - leave a comment or email me at brian@parsity.io2025-04-2816 minDevelop Yourself#182 - (Mini-Episode) Level Up Your JavaScript: Simple Tips for Cleaner CodeLet's go over some super practical tips to improve your JavaScript code and look a little less junior.Got suggestions for an upcoming show or a guest I should reach out to? Email me at brian@parsity.io!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 Googl...2024-10-2412 min
Develop Yourself#174 - 4 Projects to Learn the Basics of Javascript (plus a Form Challenge in Show Notes)Before you watch another 100 hour YouTube tutorial, try these 4 side projects which are small enough to do over a weekend and will teach you a hell of a lot about writing JavaScript.In this episode we will explore the concepts you will learn with these projects, how to get started and where to find information to fill in the gaps in your knowledge.Here's the API I mentioned in the show: JSON PlaceholderHere's the Form ChallengeIf you complete the Form Challenge please tag me on IG or LinkedIn. Feel free...2024-09-2621 minDevelop Yourself#166 - Don't Be a Junior DeveloperLet me be clear: junior developers are necessary.They are also risky to hire.Let's explore the economics of hiring juniors, how to de-risk yourself and what the hell "junior" really means.Also - here's my email if you want any targeted advice: brian@parsity.ioInclude your Github and LinkedIn and I'll give you my 3 cents!PS. We have 2 spots left for the last cohort of the year. Join me at Parsity.io if you want to become a software developer...2024-08-2919 min
Develop Yourself#161 - Oops, Did I Do That? Alex Lau and Brian Share Their Biggest Mistakes (and lessons) as Software DevelopersI 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 s...2024-08-1230 min
Develop Yourself#151 - The Secret Strategies of an Interview Champion: Bhupinder Singh aka The Dynamic SinghSpecial guest Bhupinder Singh, an engineering leader and author of 'Interview Champion', shares his decades of experience in tech, from starting coding at 12 to working with Fortune 100 companies.Learn how Bhupinder collected offers like Infinity Stones from top tech companies after getting obsessed with interviewing like a champion. He discusses his new book, the nuances of tech interviews, and offers practical advice for job seekers, especially coding bootcamp graduates. Bhupinder delves into his personal interview experiences, mindset strategies, and the importance of preparation and self-reflection. We get his hot takes on 9-5 vs...2024-07-0846 minDevelop Yourself#138 - Self Taught Developer to Engineering Manager at IBM: Brian Schuster shares lessons for developers on the non-traditional pathIn today’s episode, we chat with another Brian, a founder, mentor, and recurring guest at Parsity. Brian shares his fascinating journey from being a self-taught developer to working as an engineering manager at IBMI asked Brian what he would do if he was a bootcamp grad in today's job market and he has some practical and actionable advice that has worked for him and others he has mentored. Hope you find this helpful!Send us a textShameless Plugs 🧑💻 Join Parsity...2024-05-2050 minDevelop Yourself#116 - Why Don't Coding Bootcamps Teach This? A beginners guide to writing tests.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 made a FREE Unit Testing guide you can grab here. Unit Testing Pro.Having trouble? Shoot me an email at brian@parsity.ioSend 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 here2024-03-0113 minDevelop Yourself#112 - How I 5x'ed my salary as a developer: 3 lessons I stole from my rich developer friendYeah 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 the week.I applied 3 tactics I copied from a much smarter developer who understood the game of money in tech. I share them in this short episode so you don't make the same mistakes I did.Shameless Plugs 👇Parsity 🤓 Learn to Code, Save the World... or at least change careersdev30 🧠 possibly the best way to learn JSBrian's LinkedIn 🤵🏽♂️Send us a textSha...2024-02-1514 minDevelop Yourself#110 - I spoke to 500 developers from all around the world - here are 4 takeawaysAbout 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. My notifications blew tf up, and I got over 500 15-minute calls scheduled. I spent the next year talking to all of these people!I got to help people improve their resumes, fix their LinkedIn profiles and interview approach or just offered an ear to vent. The crazy thing is that after all these calls, I found that most of us are more alike than I could've imagined. We u...2024-02-0516 min