SpeakingSoftware

Industry Insight; with Melica Moshiri, Founder of SkillTorch. This episode's guest shines a light on the current state of the market, and what a candidate can do to increase their chances of getting hired. If you've been laid off or currently looking for a new role, this episode is not to be missed!

Many software engineers over-optimize their study and interview prep for DSA Platforms like Leetcode/HackerRank, and while they are fantastic learning tool - they're not a good indicator of a real-world developer. A developer's Leetcode or HackerRank score often has little to do with their ability to deliver in a commercial environment, and indeed over-focusing on DSA platforms can mean a considerable skill-gap when it comes to working in a business and capping your employability. In this episode we discuss the missing pieces that DSA Platforms don't give you, and how you can learn them!

A big part of my work is mentoring, guidance and career advice, and amongst the many different things that I get asked, the one I get asked most is: What is the 1 single thing you recommend that I can do that will have the biggest effect on my career? The answer? Start a learner log!

There are very real and very fixable reasons why many technology professionals don't see advancement or good/frequent salary bumps. I've seen many talented developers who have become stuck in their careers. And it sucks! These people were exceptional coders but just couldn't make any traction up the career ladder. The worst part is that they weren't even sure why; despite their hard work and talent. It's not a mystery though folks! In this episode we’ll walk through my top 5 reasons why, and how to get passed them. Show notes and script available here: https://www.speakingsoftwareshow.com/episodes/s3e6-why-youre-not-advancing-in-your-career

In the first part of our series on Industry Insights, we're joined by Steve Orrin; the Federal CTO of Intel Corporation. Together we talk about the changing financial and technological landscape, and what a Developer can do do stay ahead of the curve! Show notes and script available here: https://www.speakingsoftwareshow.com/episodes/s3e5-industry-insight-changing-landscape-with-steve-orrin

In this episode we take a look at the Top5 Technical Mistakes that Junior Developers make. Mistakes are fantastic, and an essential part of the learning process! However there are some mistakes that Junior Developers make that hinder their career, and can be incredibly difficult to recover from. We’ll discuss those here, as well as how to remedy them so you can level up and become a stronger software engineer! Show notes and script available here: https://www.speakingsoftwareshow.com/episodes/s3e4-the-top-5-technical-mistakes-that-junior-developers-make

In this episode we talk about Integration vs Impersonation, and how to not to screw up starting a new job! Have you ever felt that you had to change to fit in with your new coworkers, or boss? Or ever gotten up a 6am on a weekend to play golf or go hiking in order to impress, or blend in with, your peers? If so, this episode is for you! Show notes and script available here: https://www.speakingsoftwareshow.com/episodes/s3e3-turning-up-as-yourself

Nearly anyone you talk to in technology will agree that tech-hiring is broken. There are many reasons for this, probably the most controversial is the usage of DSA-style problems to test a candidates technical ability. Today we'll talk about what DSA tests do, and don't, cover. We'll also discuss a better approach, that's a new twist on an existing method... Show notes and script available here: https://www.speakingsoftwareshow.com/episodes/s3e2-dsa-tests-are-ineffective-theres-a-better-way-to-do-tech-hiring

Bit of an unexpected hiatus, but we're back with a bang! What's the bang? It's a book that I wrote, called "Your Dream Developer Job". Today I'd like to talk about my first internationally published book. It's about everything you need to position yourself as the ideal candidate for your perfect role in the tech industry. It is now available worldwide; in Paperback, Kindle and DRM-Free eBook formats. You’ll find it on the show’s website https://www.speakingsoftwareshow.com/yourdreamdeveloperjob, or you can search for it on your local variant of Amazon, like here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BSDTVNK8 Show notes and script available here: https://www.speakingsoftwareshow.com/episodes/s3e1-your-dream-developer-job

In this episode we talk about what makes a Senior Developer.  It is Experience?  Is it Merit?  Is it Office politics?  The answer to each of these can easily be both ‘yes’ and ‘no’. Let's dive in! Show notes and script available here: https://www.speakingsoftwareshow.com/episodes/s2e7-what-makes-a-senior-developer

The epic conclusion is here! This is part 3 of 3 in our mini-series about dealing with Knowledge Gaps on your Development team. We previously talked about how Knowledge gaps can be the silent killer about your delivery team speed, the quality of their output and of course the trust your clients have in you to deliver promised solutions.  In today’s episode we’ll build upon the last, and talk about continuous actions you can take to mitigate Knowledge Gaps. Show notes and script are available here: https://www.speakingsoftwareshow.com/episodes/s2e6-how-to-handle-knowledge-gaps-on-your-development-team-p3

This is part 2 of a 3-part mini-series on handling knowledge-gaps on your development team. So last time round we went through the 3 types of knowledge gaps a Development team can face, and how each one can be quite a pain in the butt! Now that we’ve identified the problem, we can solve it… In today’s episode we’ll talk about preliminary actions you can take to mitigate Knowledge Gaps. Show notes and script are available here: https://www.speakingsoftwareshow.com/episodes/s2e5-how-to-handle-knowledge-gaps-on-your-development-team-p2

This is part 1 of a 3-part mini-series on handling knowledge-gaps on your development team. When you really REALLY deep dive into the issues that plague your team, the root cause will nearly always raise it’s many heads as the horrible hydra of Knowledge Gaps. In this episode we’re going to discuss their 3 types, before talking about how to tackle them in Parts 2 and 3! Show notes and script are available here: https://www.speakingsoftwareshow.com/episodes/s2e4-how-to-handle-knowledge-gaps-on-your-development-team-p1

Obtaining and maintaining a a healthy balance between your work and your private life can be though! This episode is part 2 of 2, where we dive into some top tips on how to actively maintain your balance, and your sanity! You'll hear great advice like: Setting Boundaries Taking your Breaks The golden rule - if it's not your name above the door - it's not your problem. Show notes and script are available here: https://www.speakingsoftwareshow.com/episodes/s2e3-good-work-life-balance-p2-ybjtw

Obtaining and maintaining a a healthy balance between your work and your private life can be though! This episode is part 1 of 2, where we dive into some top tips on how to actively maintain your balance, and your sanity! You'll hear great advice like: How to recognize the signs of a bad balance How to live a whole life, and not just a work life How getting AWAY from the computer can drastically improve things! Show notes and script are available here: https://www.speakingsoftwareshow.com/episodes/s2e2-good-work-life-balance-p1

After a long hiatus - we're back baby! Announcing the start of Season 2, and looking back to the origins of the Podcast. All of this will set the scene for what's to come in this new season! If you're new here, let me give you a quick rundown: The SpeakingSoftware podcast is dedicated to Soft-skills in technology. Together, we'll talk about: Management Leadership Interviewing & Hiring Mentoring Mental Health Public Speaking You'll find just about everything you need to flourish in your software career.

Spinning out a side-project or laying the foundations of your start-up seem tempting, but with so much biased advice out there it can be hard to understand the reality of the road ahead.  Enter Albert Kozlowski (@albertkoz on twitter), who's been kind enough to both give you and I an unvarnished and honest look into start-up life. Albert is working on his second start-up - Birdslate (https://birdslate.com/) - which is an Asynchronous Video Platform for remote teams that's going to revolutionize how teams communicate. In this episode we discuss: - Going beyond a product and creating a brand/narrative. - The benefits of finding other Founders to join you. - The reality of Building in Public. - Side Project vs Start-up - The benefits of a support network and looking after your Mental Health. - and finally Albert gives some excellent advice that you won't hear anywhere else. Don't miss out! ---------- Show Notes available here: https://www.speakingsoftwareshow.com/episodes/12-insight-into-entrepreneurship-with-albert-kozlowski ---------- Don’t forget to subscribe if you haven’t already! A Rating, Like, Comment or Share will go a long way towards keeping this going and allowing me to bring new content to you. I also offer mock-interviews and soft-skill interview prep – drop me a line via speakingsoftwareshow@gmail.com and we’ll get your sorted! I’d love to discuss your situation and how we can get you into a place of confidence and success.

We all know prepping for an Interviewer’s questions is they key to a good interview. Do you know what makes for a GREAT interview though? You firing back with some questions of your own! In this episode, we talk about the who, what, when, where and why, of asking questions during an Interview. I’ll touch upon my 5 top-tips about asking questions so you can show that you are THE PERFECT CANDIDATE for the job! I'll also talk about some very important reasons why you should be asking questions to your interviewer, and how it can benefit you. Don't miss out! Show Notes and full text script available here: https://www.speakingsoftwareshow.com/episodes/11-the-5ws-about-asking-questions-during-interviews ---------- Don’t forget to subscribe if you haven’t already! A Rating, Like, Comment or Share will go a long way towards keeping this going and allowing me to bring new content to you. I also offer mock-interviews and soft-skill interview prep – drop me a line via speakingsoftwareshow@gmail.com and we’ll get your sorted! I’d love to discuss your situation and how we can get you into a place of confidence and success.

Sharing Developer Stories - this time we're talking to the talented Rojhan (Ro) Paydar. A recent graduate from the Juno College bootcamp, Ro is now very well-known in Tech-twitter. Her excellent communication and oration skills have made her stand head-and-shoulders above her peers!  We wanted to share a little about making the Jump from your studies into the Professional World of Development. We dive into topics like: - Translatable skills from your pre-tech employment - Asking for Help and Resources - The prevalence Imposter Syndrome - Setting Boundaries - Building your professional network -------------------- Relevant Links from the show: - Ro on twitter: https://twitter.com/rothecoder - SpeakingSoftware on Twitter: https://twitter.com/SpeakingSoftwa1 - Mozilla Developer Network: https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/ - The Power of Habit: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Power_of_Habit -------------------- Regardless of your age, location, experience or education level - there is a seat for you at the technology table! Interested in getting into the Software Development industry? Get in touch with me via speakingsoftwareshow@gmail.com or DM me on twitter/Instagram.

High energy conversation with an upcoming titan in the Tech industry! I recently interviewed Danny Thompson with a view to reflect upon his meteoric rise through in the world of Software Development. Check out this episode for pearls of wisdom from 2 voices of experience in the industry, as well as some VIGOROUS motivation for those of you who want to start, or have just started, on your Programming Journey! Danny is *the* poster-child for changing your life by learning tech. A few years ago he was frying chicken in a Gas Station, and now he's been invited to speak at Microsoft Events, as well as running Bootcamps, mentoring, multiple podcast & speaking engagements, etc... - all while holding down a steady programming job! Regardless of your age, location, experience or education level - there is a seat for you at the technology table! Interested in getting into the Software Development industry? Get in touch with me via speakingsoftwareshow@gmail.com or DM me on twitter/Instagram.

Everyone in tech talks about Portfolios.  Regardless of whether you're a developer, coder, programmer, or engineer - you're chances of getting anywhere in the industry are practically nil without a body of work to display. Don't fret though - I'm here to help you craft the perfect portfolio. We're going to make sure that you have the right projects in your bag-of-tricks. This ensures that you'll have all the components necessary to make hiring-managers happy to take you on.  My 5 top-tips will take you to *Peak Portfolio* in no time. Don't miss it!

Are you seeing more jobs rejections than you'd like? Maybe you're not even getting to speak to a real person before you've get cast aside? You must be getting stopped by ATS - Applicant Tracking Systems. Not to fear - I've got 5 tantalizing tips that will give your Resume some WHOOMPH so you can bypass the machine check. These tips will give you a much better chance of getting your CV/Resume into the hands of a living human being, and get you one step closer to getting that dream position. One of the tools we talk about is ResumeWorded (https://bit.ly/2DyycR2), and they were kind enough to give a whopping 25% discount code for their Quarterly and Annual Plans. Nice! Just use the code SPEAKINGSOFTWARE at checkout! All Tools that we talk about this episode, and that you should TOTALLY use: (Some of these have free versions/services, but others may carry a cost.) Grammerly: https://www.grammarly.com/grammar-check ResumeWorded: https://bit.ly/2DyycR2 (Affiliate Link)  ZipJob: https://www.zipjob.com/free-review JobScan: https://www.jobscan.co/ I'll explain all about ATS, and these tools above - so you can focus on preparing for interviews, instead of worrying if you'll even get them!

Are you currently trying to figure out how to hire remotely for a new work-from-home position? Maybe you're already experienced at remote hiring, but you feel you're missing an edge? Or maybe you're company is totally new to the Video interview scene and need some tips to get started? I'm here to help! This episode focuses on great Hiring tips for remote positions, and how you can excel at: - Figuring out if this candidates are right for the role, using some new techniques - Impressing the candidate so they know this position and company are worth making the move! As usual, if you've any further questions, or you're looking to modernize your company's remote hiring process, then you can reach me at speakingsoftwareshow@gmail.com

Tech Interviews can be tough. Some are super super heavy on the Tech stuff, and would be difficult for even the most hardcore of Developers; Deep dives into obscure algorithms, odd design patterns and generally just requiring a ton of study beforehand. Other interviews can be quite socially or culturally driven, and this can be even harder given that the majority of developers  – including myself when I was younger -  it’s like our brain is wired for the logical machine stuff, not the squishy people stuff. Worry not though, I’m here to help!  Having been on both sides of the interview desk literally hundreds of times, I’ve amassed a ton of knowledge on what can make or break an interview. We’re going to cover some of my top interview tips, so you can apply to your dream jobs with confidence. Tailor your Answers Prepare Variations Research your Target Speak of what you know Remember that you're speaking to REAL people Act like a professional We'll dive into each one of these in-depth and help you get ready for your next round of Interviews!

You would think it's obvious, right? All is not as it seems though! There's a reason we do what we do, and it might surprise you that it's not just about the craft... I'm going to share a lesson that I learned over 10 year ago, in the hopes you don't make the same mistakes that I did! #SoftwarePodcast #SoftwareDeveloperTips #SoftwareStories

Working from Home can be the sweetest deal! However, once the honeymoon phase fades away, there are challenges that can put your Health and Employment at risk. I've been working from home for over 5 years now, and I have faced those challenges! After a rocky start, I came out on top and I'm ready to share the lessons learned from my mistakes. Follow along with my 6 x Top Tips for staying in the game and you too can succeed at your At-home adventure. It's all about the Optics. It's not about what you see, but what people see of you Let's get Physical baby! You don't have join a Virtual Athletics class, but you do need good posture and to look after your body Mental Health Awareness Remember to look after your own mental health, and try not to be a pain to others! Negotiating your at-home Communication and Interaction Rules You're not in an office - you're at home! Don't treat it like an office scenario Cover your Ass, with the Brass Track you time, and be ready to show your impact and productivity to the decision makers and the people who write the cheques Be Flexible You're no longer commuting - congratulations, you've achieved the ultimate dream! That doesn't mean you can slack off though - working a few extra minutes here and there can show you're still committed to the cause. Get a more detailed explanation of each in the show itself! #SoftwarePodcast #ProAdvice #SoftwareDeveloperTips

This episode is part of our series of Dispelling the Myth There's a lot of information and advice out there on what you need to be a Software Developer, and the majority of it is completely untrue! You don't need to be a Math's genius or some kind of higher-intellect being. ANYONE can write software, and its entirely possible to have a successful career if you're prepared to put in a little a little hard-work and study. We'll cover some real truths about what it takes, and then we'll walk through our own list of DO's and DON'Ts. Don't miss it! #SoftwarePodcast #SoftwareDevelopment

Have you missed or deliberately ignored Red Flags when interviewing, because you REALLY wanted to get the job? Interviewing is like dating - you gotta get out there and look for your special someone, while they are out there looking for you. You gotta suss out what the other person is like BEFORE you shack up or settle down with them. We all know that Tech interviewing can be weird, and that no two interviews can be alike. The Red Flags for bad interviews are pretty universal though. Don't miss them because you're wearing rose-tinted glasses! Keep on eye on these Red Flags so you don't ended up ever landing a bad job again! #SoftwarePodcast #SoftwareInterview

First Impressions count, so I'm told, so I figured I'd start strong with a Who I am and What I'm doing with this Podcast! Software Development is a great career choice - but the Technical stuff can often be the easiest part of the job. If you're not clued in to the soft stuff - Office Politics, Career Guidance, Interview Skills, Managing your time, etc... you might be having a hard time. Worry not though, I'm here to help! We're going to cover all of the tough stuff mentioned above, so you can be a master at the 4 P's: People Projects Planning Politics We're going to get you on the fast-track to the top in NO TIME! #DeveloperAdvice #SoftwarePodcast