Mentored Minds
By Sheila Alemany & Sabina Cartacio
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Things You May Not Know About the Promotion Process (with Mark Fajet)
Topics discussed in this episode include:
What the promotion process entails
How to assess yourself to make sure you meet the requirements to move to the next level
How to get your manager and peers on your side to help with your promotions
Some unexpected hurdles you may face during the process
Referenced resources:
Brag documents (document your accomplishments): jvns.ca/blog/brag-documents/
Professional Development Plan template: www.seoptimer.com/blog/professional-development-plan-template/
Is Remote Work in Big Tech Going Away? (Q&A #1)
Sheila and Sabina discuss some questions submitted by the listeners!!
Some of the topics addressed include:
- Existing opportunities exist for post-graduates that couldn’t land an internship during undergrad
- Whether remote work is here to stay
- Total compensation and why you should care about it
- Imposter syndrome
- How to get into a tech career (or specifically machine learning) without the classical computer science training
- How to ask for recommendation letters when all your classes are online
Referenced resources:
- 2022 Major League Hackathons: https://mlh.io/seasons/2022/events
- Levels.fyi: https://www.levels.fyi/
- Coursera: https://www.coursera.org
- Udacity: https://www.udacity.com/
If you have any more questions, feel free to DM us @mentoredminds on Instagram or email us at mentoredmindspodcast@gmail.com!
All the Reasons You Should(n't) Go To Graduate School
Follow us on instagram for more: @mentoredminds
Program Management (Everything You Need To Know!)
Sheila and Sabina chat about all things program management! For those new here, Sabina is one of our podcast co-hosts, and she has been a program manager at Microsoft for the past 2.5 years. In today’s episode, we chat about what the role entails and how it differs from other computer science roles, such as software development engineering and research roles. Check it out if you are interested in exploring what it takes to be a program manager, what their day-to-day life may look like, and how to get the skills necessary for the role!
Using Your Environment to Push Your Growth (with Tara Sibel Demren)
Sheila and Sabina talk with the inspiring Tara Sibel Demren about her journey in the startup circle and how she uses art and those around her to keep her grounded and growing. Specifically, we touch upon entrepreneurship, networking in college, imposter syndrome, using art to help with anxiety and stress, and more!
Tara is currently a co-founder of a solar energy startup called Spriteful but is also an author and artist! If you enjoyed this episode, she goes into more detail in her latest book so make sure to check it out!
Tara’s Art Instagram Page: @tarasibelart
Tara’s NEW BOOK “The Express Lane for Young Adults” (Coming Soon): expresslanebook.com
How to Ace Technical Interviews (with Mark Fajet)
Sheila and Sabina chat with the great Mark Fajet about nailing technical interviews. Specifically, they discuss some of the ambiguity around these interviews, Mark's straightforward approach to them, and helpful resources that helped him to easily and consistently ace software development technical interviews. Mark is currently a software development engineer 2 at Amazon, and in today's episode, we hear his perspective as both a successful interviewee and interviewer.
Resources from today's episode:
- Cracking the Coding Interview book: https://www.crackingthecodinginterview.com
- HackerRank Interview Preparation Kit: https://www.hackerrank.com/interview/interview-preparation-kit
- LeetCode Practice Problems: https://leetcode.com
Leading a Team/Starting a University Program (with Carolina Uribe-Gosselin)
Carolina is a program manager at a top tech company and co-founded a development program for students to explore their passions in tech with topics such as artificial intelligence, virtual reality, website development, robotics, and more! To see more of Carolina's endeavors, check out her store on Instagram @carolinasgifts.
Reverse Mentoring & Finding a Great Mentor (with Rachel Kellam)
Sheila and Sabina talk with the inspiring Rachel Kellam about reverse mentoring and get insight into what to consider when looking for a great mentor. Specifically, they discuss characteristics to look for and actionable steps to find good mentors in your interest area.
Rachel is currently a program manager at top tech company and she started a reverse mentoring program during her time there. Check it out to see how she used the program to increase empathy and inclusion in the workplace and what she has learned about mentorship!
Improving Productivity & Motivation
Sheila and Sabina discuss three main tips they have used to maintain their productivity and increase their overall motivation during these unique COVID-19 times.
Sheila Gets The Fellowship! (NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program)
Sheila and Sabina chat about Sheila's recent good news regarding the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program (NSF GRFP)!
For those that are new here, Sheila is one of our podcast co-hosts and is currently a computer science Ph.D. student at Florida International University. Check it out to hear five great tips that she learned throughout the application process that helped her curate her successful personal statement.
Finding a Great Startup (with Leon Liang)
Sheila and Sabina chat (again) with the great Leon Liang about actionable items that you could take to find a great startup. Specifically, they dive deep into the logistics behind finding a promising startup, benefits, and even evaluating whether a startup is reliable and sustainable.
Leon is currently a senior software engineer at an up-and-coming startup after working at Microsoft as a software engineer for almost three years. Tune in to listen as he shares all the logistics he had to consider before making the change!
Moving from a Large Tech Company to a Startup (with Leon Liang)
Sheila and Sabina talk with the awesome Leon Liang about his experiences moving from a large tech company to a startup company. They discuss some of the things to consider when deciding whether a startup may be suitable for you and the pros/cons of jumping from a large corporation into an innovative startup.
Leon is currently a senior software engineer at Apprentice.io after working at Microsoft as a software engineer for almost three years. Tune in to listen as he shares three major pieces of advice that shaped his own decision to jump to a startup.
Is the Job the Right Fit for You?
Sheila and Sabina talk about things to consider to decide whether a job is a right fit based on topics such as distance, work culture, and compensation, and what are some controllable actions to have the job best suit you.
Time Management (with Yessenia Lopez Reyes)
Sheila and Sabina chat with the wonderful Yessenia Lopez Reyes about managing our time enough to be productive but not go insane! Yessenia is an academic advisor, professor, YouTuber, and Ph.D. student, and she shares her time management tips and tricks to be successful and happy during all her endeavors.
For more great tips from Yessenia, check out her YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/justyessenia
Setting the Right Tone During an Interview
Sheila and Sabina talk about setting the right tone during an interview, whether it is technical or not. In other words, what are some things to consider and potentially do to ensure that your interview has a good positive flow.
Introducing Yourself (Tell Your Story Right)
Sheila and Sabina discuss introducing yourself and telling your story to get the opportunity (jobs, internships, or even fellowships) you are seeking.
Who Are We?
Sheila and Sabina introduce themselves as people and professionals. They also talk about what they are looking forward to with this podcast.