Working In Tech

This week on "Working In Tech", I'll be chatting with Arit, a Software Engineer at PayPal who transitioned to tech from a non-tech background. Arit became a software engineer at 38, after being a homemaker with 2 kids for 6+ years and a public-health analyst before that. At PayPal, she's helping drive the adoption of the company's financial products. Arit is active in the Tech community, supporting those who are pivoting careers to software engineering, particularly Black women and mothers. CONNECT WITH ME: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/juwonthetechie/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/JuwonTheTechie Threads: https://www.threads.net/@juwonthetechie IG: https://www.instagram.com/juwonthetechie/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juwon-io/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@juwonthetechie CONNECT WITH ARIT: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aritdeveloper/ Blog: https://www.arit.dev/ CHAPTERS 0:00 - Intro 1:22 - Why Tech? 5:19 - Motivation to Learn Coding 8:24 - Staying Positive and Persistent 17:30 - Getting The First Role 23:55 - Dealing with Rejection 29:10 - Choosing A Tech Stack to Learn 33:25 - Top 3 Skills 46:30 - Importance of the First Role 54:14 - Presenting Tech to Non-Tech Audiences 57:10 - Importance of Networking 1:00:10 - Building Your Communication Skills 1:04:42 - Final Words 1:06:33 - Conclusion

On this episode, we chat with Neda Sefati, a #ProductManager, UX Designer, Customer Success, and #TechSupport Specialist who has infused technology with humanity through her 15+ years of diverse tech industry experience. With expertise spanning IT, telecom, EdTech, consulting, and video-on-demand at startups and large companies, Neda lives at the intersection of tech and empathy. She specializes in product management, UI/UX design, and customer support. Through over 6,000 customer interviews, Neda has mastered understanding unique needs to create tailored solutions focused on users. Guided by principles of team empowerment, embracing uncertainty, and balancing inputs/outputs, she leads with tech approaches rooted in human connection. Tune in as Neda shares her journey, advice on elevating products with compassion, leading with resilience, and insights on bringing strategic vision to life. This episode provides product managers an inside look at fusing innovation with heart and soul. Connect with me: Facebook:   / juwonthetechie   Twitter:   / juwonthetechie   Threads: https://www.threads.net/@juwonthetechie IG:   / juwonthetechie   LinkedIn:   / juwon-io   Tiktok:   / juwonthetechie   Connect with Neda: LinkedIn:   / nedasefati   CHAPTERS 0:00 - Intro 3:02 - Why Tech? 4:15 - Professional Background 6:12 - Landing the First Role 8:00 - Why Startups? 9:18 - Most Rewarding Experience 15:45 - Strategic Career Moves 25:45 - Investing in Others 27:55 - Patience, Grit, and Persistence 37:43 - UX Experience 38:51 - Elements of a Great Survey 43:09 - Balancing Business and Technical Constraints 46:10 - Communicating Design to Non-designers 52:10 - Coding in UX Design 54:55 - Picking a Career 1:04:17 - Conclusion

This week on Working in Tech, we will chat with Jasmine Ohen, a Programs and Community Architect empowering women entrepreneurs. With over 6 years of experience founding startups and supporting fellow innovators, Jasmine spearheads strategic planning and programs for digitalundivided - a nonprofit fueling economic growth for Black and Latina female founders. Previously a professional dancer, Jasmine brings a creative lens to solving complex challenges and inspiring women to turn passions into profits. Her work has gained widespread recognition, including a 2023 Women Entrepreneur of the Year nomination. On the show, Jasmine shares her journey, from entrepreneurship to program management. #ProgramManager #WorkingInTech #founder Connect with me: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/juwonthetechie/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/JuwonTheTechie Threads: https://www.threads.net/@juwonthetechie IG: https://www.instagram.com/juwonthetechie/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juwon-io/ Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@juwonthetechie Connect with Jasmine: Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasmineohen/ Website: https://www.jasmineohen.com/ CHAPTERS 0:00 - Intro 1:33 - Career Inspiration 3:18 - Growing Together In Marriage and Career 5:00 - From Dance to Tech 13:28 - Entrepreneurship Experience 19:05 - Impostor Syndrome 22:06 - Networking 28:24 - Skills 37:32 - Courses & Certifications 39:45 - Slowing Down 44:20 - Biggest Advice for Newbies 50:46 - Biggest Mistake 56:00 - A Decade From Now 59:28 - Finding A Support System 1:03:19 - Conclusion

This week, we chat with Olatunde Badmus, a passionate tech leader dedicated to helping professionals thrive. As a Senior Technical PM at Oracle, Olatunde draws from his diverse leadership experience, including founding the National Nigerian Student Association as a student He holds an Executive MBA, Master's in Computer Science, and certifications including PMP, Scrum Master, and Scrum Coach. On this episode, Olatunde unpacks his journey to tech leadership - from honing technical expertise to spearheading teams. He shares real-world advice on excelling as a program manager, empowering emerging talent, and lessons learned from his varied roles driving change. Tune into this edition of the stream as Olatunde reveals tangible tips to guide your career growth in tech! Connect with me: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/juwonthetechie/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/JuwonTheTechie Threads: https://www.threads.net/@juwonthetechie IG: https://www.instagram.com/juwonthetechie/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juwon-io/ Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@juwonthetechie CHAPTERS 0:00 - Intro 1:28 - Why Tech? 4:58 - Early Difficulties 6:18 - Landing the First Job & Interview Tips 14:03 - Networking 17:24 - Necessary Skills 22:44 - Salary Progression 23:50 - Certifications 28:00 - Biggest Mistake 30:52 - Adapting to New Roles 34:15 - Starting All Over Again 39:04 - Importance of Mentorship 46:00 - PMP Requirements 47:29 - Entering Mentorship Circles 53:12 - Handling Resistance to Change 57:00 - Finding Success With Communication 1:00:06 - Landing A Role Without Experience 1:03:35 - Conclusion

Our guest Chenae Erkerd (RecruiterCousin) pivoted into recruiting after earning degrees in law. After getting her start in healthcare recruiting, she broke into tech recruiting specializing in placing software engineers, product managers, and cybersecurity experts. Along her journey, Chenae has picked up invaluable tips for jobseekers looking to catch the eye of recruiters and hiring managers. With her recruiting experience and 100k+ LinkedIn followers, she has helped over 140 people secure interviews and job offers with life-changing salary increases. Chenae aims to motivate and inspire our community through her spoken word poetry and published books. Connect with me: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/juwonthetechie/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/JuwonTheTechie Threads: https://www.threads.net/@juwonthetechie IG: https://www.instagram.com/juwonthetechie/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juwon-io/ Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@juwonthetechie Chapters 0:00 - Introduction 1:18 - Why Tech? 6:42 - Getting the First Role 8:22 - Learning Technical Recruitment / Resources 15:55 - Mentorship and Empathy in Recruitment 20:38 - Interview Prep 25:08 - Early Career Challenges 30:25 - Biggest Reward 32:07 - Salary Progression 34:45 - Skills Needed 39:00 - Chenae’s Work as RecruiterCousin 44:37 - Success Stories 49:53 - Chenae’s Typical Day 52:45 - Unconventional Recruitment Strategies 55:38 - Balancing Tech Skills and Fit 56:49 - Reaching out to Recruiters 1:00:22 - Conclusion

This week we chat with Victor Bolofinde, a Senior Software Engineer specializing in big data infrastructure and engineering. He has been at Apple since 2022, he previously excelled at Marqeta and Visa, significantly contributing to software and infrastructure initiatives. Beginning at Osprey Zenith in Nigeria, he brings a rich Java and Spark focused background optimizing Hadoop and AWS environments. Resources: Educative.io - https://www.educative.io/ AlgoMonster - https://algo.monster/ Follow me guys: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/juwonthetechie/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/JuwonTheTechie Threads: https://www.threads.net/@juwonthetechie IG: https://www.instagram.com/juwonthetechie/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juwon-io/ Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@juwonthetechie CHAPTERS Intro - 0:00 Who is Victor Bolofinde? - 0:36 Why Tech? - 1:59 App Dev.t and Data Engineering - 4:50 From Nigeria to the U.S - 8:20 Overcoming the Learning Curve - 10:55 Resources - 14:11 Job Application Process - 16:40 The Importance of the First Role - 25:31 Doing It Without a Degree - 27:58 Salary Progression - 30:39 Salary Negotiation Strategies - 35:43 Importance of Certs - 38:13 Most Valuable Lesson - 40:35 Answering Technical Interview Questions - 42:24 Work Life Balance - 45:44 How to Build Portfolios - 47:40 How to Learn AWS and Spark - 48:51 Biggest Mistake - 51:01 Adapting to a Rapidly Changing Industry - 54:34 Starting All Over Again - 56:16 Conclusion - 1:01:57

This week we chat with Toye Osasona, an ERP IT Program Director with over 17 years of experience including Big 4 consulting roles. He's led full lifecycle #SAP implementations across supply chain management, order fulfillment, materials management, and more. With deep expertise spanning project inception to post-go-live support, Toye shares a masterclass in managing complex deployments. He holds an Executive MBA in MIS and Big Data Analytics, pursuing a PhD in Business Management. Tune in as Toye reveals his playbook to thrive as an SAP consultant through real-world case studies, mindsets for continuous advancement, and actionable advice to maximize career fulfillment in tech. To Sign-up for his SAP Masterclass, connect with Toye on LinkedIn @: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sapsdibitoyeosasona Follow me guys: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/juwonthetechie/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/JuwonTheTechie Threads: https://www.threads.net/@juwonthetechie IG: https://www.instagram.com/juwonthetechie/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juwon-io/ Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@juwonthetechie Timestamps Intro - 0:00 Why SAP? - 1:45 What Is SAP? - 3:46 Resources - 4:29 Job Application Process - 9:20 Early Career Challenges - 10:50 Asking the Right Questions - 14:12 The Most Rewarding Part of SAP - 15:12 Salary Progression and the Road to Six Figures - 17:27 Pathways into SAP - 19:15 Advice for Transitioning Pros - 23:00 Succeeding in SAP & Skills Necessary - 24:11 Work-Life Balance - 27:22 Courses & Certifications - 28:57 Networking - 30:30 Diversity in SAP - 32:17 Most Important Lesson - 35:17 Starting All Over - 37:08 Timing the Next Move - 40:00 Dealing with Technical Jargon - 41:14 Entry Level Roles - 44:10 Full Life Cycle SAP - 46:38 Motivation to Grow - 49:00 Common Misconceptions about SAP - 51:59 Using SAP in Smaller Companies or Startups - 53:39 Other Solutions in the Salesforce Space - 54:45 Implementing SAP in Smaller Startups - 55:56 Toye’s Training Program - 56:45 Conclusion - 59:24

This week, we chat with passionate #cybersecurity leader Devin Price. With a master's degree and over 8 years securing organizations, Devin currently acts as a Security #TechnicalPM at Microsoft - helping protect billions from emerging threats. Named a top InfoSec Voice by LinkedIn in 2023 and bringing profound expertise spanning vulnerabilities, project leadership, and beyond, Devin aims to educate through articulating technology’s impact. When not collaborating cross-functionally to enable customers, he amplifies cyber perspectives, career pivots and passion projects via "The Talking Tech Podcast" - empowering audiences to own technical transformations. Tune into Devin’s story as we explore his transition from public education to IT. He reveals the keys to accelerating skilled trajectories through authentic relationship building and continuously paying expertise forward. Devin's Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@TheTalkingTechPodcast Connect with me: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/juwonthetechie/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/JuwonTheTechie Threads: https://www.threads.net/@juwonthetechie IG: https://www.instagram.com/juwonthetechie/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juwon-io/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@juwonthetechie Chapters: 0:00 - Introduction 0:30 - Who is Devin Price? 1:47 - Getting Black People in Tech 4:32 - Devin's Journey into Tech 6:32 - Entry-Level Experience 15:01 - Experience & Networking 20:00 - Devin’s Career Path 28:26 - Courses and Certifications 32:11 - Importance of Mentors 42:58 - Cybersecurity Roles 52:07 - Starting All Over 54:13 - Challenging Projects 57:26 - Defining Success 58:54 - Biggest Mistake 1:02:54 - Advice for Newbies 1:04:08 - Conclusion

The #WorkingInTech series pulls back the curtain on the journeys of professionals thriving in tech. We unpack their career stories to turn lessons learned into tips that help you build your own fulfilling tech career path. This week we chat with Jessica Davis, a Customer Success Manager who entered tech after getting her MBA during the pandemic. While overcoming personal challenges like divorce, Jessica successfully transitioned from middle school teacher to tech. She then founded Resume Badge, a platform that has guided over 1,000 job seekers into tech roles in areas like program management, DevOps, and cybersecurity. Jessica teaches best practices for leveraging social media to strategically grow your career. Tune in as we dive into her tips and her own pivot story to uncover lessons that inform transitions into fulfilling tech careers. Follow me @juwonthetechie on all platforms. Timestamps: Intro - 0:00 Education to Tech - 3:30 Job Application Process - 15:20 Salary Progression - 22:51 Skills - 27:04 Advice for Newbies - 30:44 Importance of Certifications - 34:00 Importance of Networking - 36:55 Starting All Over Again - 41:57 A Day in the Life - 45:20 Work-Life Balance - 48:26 Diversity in CSM - 50:30 Difference between CSM and Tech Support - 52:48 Handling Huge Demands - 55:13 Conclusion - 1:01:23

This week on #WorkingInTech, I'll be chatting with Frederick Ohen, a software engineer who transitioned from Pharmacy after graduating from the University of Houston. After realizing his passion for technology, he attended an iOS development boot camp and then relocated to Silicon Valley to get his first major role in tech. He'll be sharing the valuable experience he's gained and his plans to contribute to African startups among other things on the podcast. CHAPTERS