

Develop Yourself
Brian Jenney
To change careers and land your first job as a Software Engineer, you need more than just great software development skills - you need to develop yourself. Welcome to the podcast that helps you develop your skills, your habits, your network and more, all in hopes of becoming a thriving Software Engineer.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Aug 7, 2025 • 13min
#263 - They're Lying to You About AI Productivity: Hype vs Reality for Coders
Maybe I'm just coping.Maybe.I’ve been pretty vocal about the over-hype of AI coding tools and I always get the same responses from AI bros:“YoU gOtta PrOmpt bEtteR!”“This iz a skillz issue dawg”“I’m using [x] and it works perfectly”“I’m a super duper senior architect and I’ve replaced my entire team with AI agents. You’re coping.”I’d be lying if I said I didn’t doubt myself.Maybe they’re right, maybe I’m just not using these tools correctly.Let’s take a look at some big fax and small fax to understand where the truth ends and the hype begins.Sources: TrueUp Software Engineering Job Trends (June 2025)Business Insider: Google engineers just 10% more productive with AI (June 2025)Computerworld: Minimal productivity gains from AI chatbots TechRepublic: IBM Study on AI ROI (2025)https://metr.org/blog/2025-07-10-early-2025-ai-experienced-os-dev-study/Send us a textShameless Plugs 🧑💻 Free 5 day email course to go from HTML to AI 🤔 Got a question you want answered on the pod? Drop it here Apply for 1 of 12 spots at Parsity - Learn to build complex software with AI integrations. AI Bootcamp - for software developers who want to be the expert on their team when it comes to AI

Aug 4, 2025 • 35min
#262 - 12 Months to Hired: A No-Fluff Roadmap to Becoming a Software Developer
In this insightful discussion, the hosts lay out a pragmatic 12-month roadmap for aspiring software developers. They emphasize mastering in-demand technologies like React and Node, while warning against pitfalls like over-relying on certification. Effective networking strategies are highlighted, particularly in leveraging existing contacts. The importance of meaningful projects is underscored, and there's advice on gaining initial experience with smaller companies. Dive into system design insights and discover key books that can enhance your career prospects!

Jul 31, 2025 • 18min
#261 - I Used to Suck at Coding Interviews. Then I Started Doing These 4 Things
A former developer shares their harrowing experience of panic during a senior role interview. They reveal four transformative strategies that turned their interview performance around, boosting their salary fourfold. The discussion emphasizes the importance of preparing both technically and behaviorally, and the value of storytelling in interviews. Techniques for managing interview anxiety, like self-recording, are highlighted to help candidates stay calm under pressure. Ultimately, it's about overcoming embarrassment and building confidence to succeed.

Jul 28, 2025 • 24min
#260 - From Lead Engineer at MongoDB to Fashion Tech: On Hiring, Remote Teams, and Start-Up Life
Explore an unconventional career journey from cybersecurity to fashion tech. The discussion highlights the importance of hands-on experience over traditional paths and the challenges of transitioning to leadership in startups. Discover insights on managing remote teams and fostering a supportive culture. Learn how AI enhances efficiency in various industries, particularly fashion, and the need for understanding workflows before implementing tech solutions. This conversation reveals what engineering careers can truly entail.

Jul 25, 2025 • 19min
Office Hours: Answering Your Coding Questions EP 3
Are junior developers facing an uphill battle in a changing tech landscape? Discover practical strategies to enhance employability while navigating the software job market. Learn how to build a robust MERN stack app with a systematic approach that prioritizes essential features. Plus, hear inspiring stories of personal growth and transformation in the coding world, emphasizing the significance of applying knowledge beyond just completing tutorials. It's a deep dive into the evolving world of software engineering!

Jul 24, 2025 • 20min
#259 - The Minimum Effective Dose of JavaScript You Need to Learn
JavaScript can be a challenge, but essential for aspiring developers. Practical experience is key—hands-on projects help reinforce learning. A specific form handling project is introduced to guide beginners on their journey. Effective learning techniques prioritize project-based experiences over passive reading. Short videos enhance understanding and keep you engaged. Embrace challenges to move forward in your coding skills!

Jul 21, 2025 • 17min
#258 - Should You Use AI While Learning to Code? A Senior Developer’s Take
A junior developer who got hired at a startup used AI non-stop to keep up.It worked for weeks until he crashed and burned.He'd built a house of cards that he couldn't keep up. The AI tools went in doom loops or just added more sloppy code that his team wouldn't accept.Turns out they hired a prompt engineer instead of a coder.We're in uncharted territory my friends.You can't just NOT use AI but when should you start? How much is too much?Let's explore a path to learning code with AI that won't make you another prompt engineer.PS - If you're already a software developer, I'm working with a few people to crush their next interview. Apply here.Send us a textShameless Plugs 🧑💻 Free 5 day email course to go from HTML to AI 🤔 Got a question you want answered on the pod? Drop it here Apply for 1 of 12 spots at Parsity - Learn to build complex software with AI integrations. AI Bootcamp - for software developers who want to be the expert on their team when it comes to AI

Jul 17, 2025 • 21min
#257 - Career Landmines: Three Developer Traps to Avoid
Discover three crucial traps that aspiring developers often encounter. Learn why over-reliance on frameworks can hinder your growth. Uncover the surprising truths behind stereotypes in the tech world. Find out how essential communication skills can transform your career from isolation to collaboration. Lastly, explore the importance of foundational knowledge and continuous skill enhancement in navigating the ever-evolving software landscape.

Jul 14, 2025 • 37min
#256 - The Rise of the Product Minded Engineer
Matt Watson, who led VIN Solutions to a $150 million exit and now helps startups build effective engineering teams, shares insights on developing a product-minded approach. He highlights why many developers struggle to launch products and the growing role of AI in assessing coding quality. Emphasizing customer empathy, he explains how understanding real problems is key to success. He also discusses navigating business dynamics and the importance of industry knowledge for impactful SaaS development.

Jul 10, 2025 • 13min
#255 - Your First Open Source Project: A Weekend with Kyle Simpson’s Code
This episode introduces a weekend project that will give you authentic experience working with existing code—a crucial skill that most tutorials and coding platforms simply don't teach. Using Kyle Simpson's YouPeriod GitHub repository, you'll learn to navigate a codebase written by someone else, which is exactly what you'll do in your first development job. This particular project is perfect for beginners because it uses fundamental web technologies (HTML, CSS, and vanilla JavaScript) rather than complex frameworks like React or TypeScript.Here's the Github repo: https://github.com/getify/youperiod.appThis weekend project will teach you more about real development work than weeks of guided exercises. If you're completely new to JavaScript, check out our Dev30 program at dev30.xyz, where you can learn the fundamentals and beyond.Send us a textShameless Plugs 🧑💻 Free 5 day email course to go from HTML to AI 🤔 Got a question you want answered on the pod? Drop it here Apply for 1 of 12 spots at Parsity - Learn to build complex software with AI integrations. AI Bootcamp - for software developers who want to be the expert on their team when it comes to AI


