General

Why is It so HARD to Break Into Tech with Jason Torres

Published Oct 8, 2024

Updated Oct 8, 2024

1 min read

Tracy Lee and Rob Ocel chat with Jason Torres about the challenges of breaking into tech, especially for self-taught and underrepresented developers. Jason shares his journey from a 15-year career in the film industry to pursuing software development, discussing the emotional and financial hurdles involved. They also discuss the importance of networking, finding a niche rather than mastering everything, and the impact of the tech downturn on junior developers.

Chapters

Introduction and Tech Career Journeys (00:00 - 02:30)
The Struggles of Breaking Into Tech (02:31 - 06:00)
Jason’s Career Pivot from Film to Tech (06:01 - 10:30)
The Importance of Networking and Community (10:31 - 15:00)
Specializing vs. Being a Generalist in Tech (15:01 - 20:00)
Finding Your Path in Tech (20:01 - 25:30)
Dealing with Imposter Syndrome and Belonging (25:31 - 30:00)
Final Thoughts and Tips for Breaking Into Tech (30:01 - 33:00)
Closing Remarks and Tech Talk Humor (33:01 - End)

Follow Jason Torres on Social Media Twitter: https://x.com/TasonJorres Linkeidn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thejasontorres/

Sponsored by Wix Studio: https://www.wix.com/studio

This Dot is a consultancy dedicated to guiding companies through their modernization and digital transformation journeys. Specializing in replatforming, modernizing, and launching new initiatives, we stand out by taking true ownership of your engineering projects.

We love helping teams with projects that have missed their deadlines or helping keep your strategic digital initiatives on course. Check out our case studies and our clients that trust us with their engineering.

Are Product Roles Going Away? with Maggie Pint

Maggie Pint, Engineering Manager at Istari, discusses the trend for companies to focus on streamlining their processes and reducing complexity to deliver products faster and more efficiently versus spending time on innovation this past year. This trend has led to the convergence (maybe consolidation) of product management and engineering roles, where engineers are not only responsible for building the product but also for shaping its strategic direction. Maggie and Tracy discuss whether this is good for the business, or something that should be more concerning to watch out for. Maggie talks about design in the product role and emphasizes the significance of design beyond aesthetics. It's not just about making things look pretty; it's about understanding user needs and creating intuitive experiences. User research skills and customer engagement are becoming essential for engineers, as they need to build products that truly resonate with their target audience. They talk about companies like Airbnb and Apple are leading the way in this regard and the successful integration of design thinking into their engineering processes, resulting in innovative and user-friendly products. By involving engineers in the entire product development lifecycle, from ideation to delivery, these companies are able to create seamless experiences that delight their customers. Download this episode and listen now!...

Mar 6, 2024

1 min

Software EngineeringSoftware Engineer

How a First Reddit Engineer Builds Strong Engineering Cultures with Jeremy Edberg

In this episode of the Leadership Exchange, host Tracy Lee welcomes Jeremy Edberg, CEO of DeVos and former first employee at Reddit, to discuss leadership, engineering culture, and team building. They review Jeremy's career journey from Reddit to Netflix and beyond, sharing insights on scaling engineering teams, the impact of culture on development practices, and hiring strategies. Jeremy reflects on the evolution of his management style, emphasizing the importance of human connection in leadership, while also sharing lessons learned from his time at companies with strong engineering cultures. Chapters - 00:00 - Introduction and Guest Welcome - 00:48 - Jeremy’s Background and Career Journey - 01:51 - Introduction to DeVos and Its Founders - 02:30 - Throwback: Reddit Meetups and "Chad Berg" Chanting - 03:05 - Rebuilding the Reddit Engineering Team - 05:16 - Challenges of Scaling and Maintaining Reddit's Culture - 07:08 - The Role of Code in Driving Team Culture - 08:14 - Differences in Team Dynamics at Reddit and Netflix - 09:07 - Working at Netflix vs. Cloudflare - 09:38 - The "Sports Team, Not a Family" Philosophy at Netflix - 11:21 - Understanding the Keeper Test at Netflix - 14:27 - Evolving Netflix's Culture to Support Diversity and Inclusion - 16:05 - Misconceptions About Netflix's Work Environment - 17:17 - Work-Life Balance at Netflix: High Performance in a Chill Setting - 20:28 - Key Elements of a Good Engineering Culture - 23:09 - How Jeremy's Leadership Style Has Evolved - 24:34 - Advice for Building Successful Engineering Teams - 25:26 - Closing Remarks and Sponsor Thanks - 26:13 - Where to Follow Jeremy Online Follow Jeremy Edberg Twitter: https://x.com/jedberg Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jedberg/ Sponsored by Wix Studio: wix.com/studio...

Oct 15, 2024

2 mins

Engineering LeadershipSoftware Engineer

Learning Paths for Next.JS Developers with Ankita Kulkarni

In this video, Rob Ocel and co-hosts Tracy Lee, Adam Rackis, and Danny Thompson talk with tech educator Ankita Kulkarni about her journey from engineering leader to full-time educator. Ankita shares insights on teaching Next.js, bridging practical knowledge gaps, and helping developers tackle real-world challenges. They discuss Next.js as a React-based framework, its benefits, and the challenges it presents for beginners. Chapters - Introduction to the Podcast and Guests 00:01 - Meet Ankita Kulkarni, Tech Educator 00:26 - Ankita's Transition to Full-Time Education 01:41 - Teaching Practical Knowledge in Next.js 03:19 - Effective Methods for Teaching Next.js 05:27 - Challenges of Being a Full-Time Educator 07:48 - Balancing Broad and Specific Examples 09:54 - Embracing Mistakes as a Teaching Tool 12:13 - Pair Programming and Mentorship 14:00 - Discussion on Next.js and Framework Adoption 16:48 - Advantages and Challenges of Next.js 18:12 - Choosing the Right Framework for Your Needs 20:35 - Impact of Next.js in React Documentation 22:26 - Learning Paths for New Developers 23:24 - The Rise of Full-Stack Web Development 25:09 - Benefits of Frameworks Abstracting Complexity 26:27 - OpenNext and Deployment Flexibility 28:06 - Ankita's Excitement for New Next.js Features 30:35 - The Future of Next.js Without Vercel 32:16 - Final Thoughts and Where to Find Everyone Online 34:21 Follow Ankita Kulkarni on Social Media Twitter: https://x.com/kulkarniankita9 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@kulkarniankita Sponsored by This Dot: thisdot.co...

Nov 12, 2024

2 mins

NextJSJavaScript

AI Leadership: Data-Driven Decision Making & Avoiding "Analysis Paralysis" with Jerry Reghunadh

In this episode of Leadership Exchange, host Rob Ocel chats with Jerry Reghunadh, Senior Director of Enterprise Architecture at Data Nimbus, about leadership, AI adoption, and data-driven decision-making. Jerry shares his career journey, insights on leveraging tools like ChatGPT and Copilot, and strategies for building effective data pipelines. They explore how companies can avoid "analysis paralysis," adopt AI strategically, and evaluate new technologies to solve real-world problems. Tune in for practical advice on aligning innovation with business goals and staying competitive in a rapidly evolving tech landscape. Chapters 00:00 – Introduction 00:31 – Jerry’s Leadership Journey 02:01 – Discussing AI in Leadership 03:59 – Experimenting with AI Tools 06:24 – Overcoming Analysis Paralysis 09:18 – Importance of Early AI Adoption 13:12 – AI’s Impact on Efficiency 14:30 – Sponsor Message 16:26 – Setting Realistic Goals for AI 19:41 – Data Management and AI 23:09 – Is AI Just a Fad? 27:22 – Testing New Technologies 29:56 – Final Thoughts on AI 30:25 – Connect with Jerry 30:44 – Closing Remarks 31:20 – Outro Follow Jerry on Social Media Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jerrymannel/ Sponsored by This Dot: thisdot.co...

Nov 18, 2024

1 min

AIEngineering Leadership

Let's innovate together!

We're ready to be your trusted technical partners in your digital innovation journey.

Whether it's modernization or custom software solutions, our team of experts can guide you through best practices and how to build scalable, performant software that lasts.

Why is It so HARD to Break Into Tech with Jason Torres

You might also like

Are Product Roles Going Away? with Maggie Pint

How a First Reddit Engineer Builds Strong Engineering Cultures with Jeremy Edberg

Learning Paths for Next.JS Developers with Ankita Kulkarni

AI Leadership: Data-Driven Decision Making & Avoiding "Analysis Paralysis" with Jerry Reghunadh

Let's innovate together!

You might also like

Are Product Roles Going Away? with Maggie Pint

How a First Reddit Engineer Builds Strong Engineering Cultures with Jeremy Edberg

Learning Paths for Next.JS Developers with Ankita Kulkarni

AI Leadership: Data-Driven Decision Making & Avoiding "Analysis Paralysis" with Jerry Reghunadh