Chat With Hackers

Matt Eland is a software engineering instructor at Tech Elevator’s programming Bootcamp in Columbus, Ohio. Prior to becoming an instructor, Matt had about 20 years of experience as a software engineer and a software engineering manager at companies, such as Verizon Business, TeamDynamix, and MoveHQ. In their spare time, Matt also loves to speak and write about Data Science, Artificial Intelligence, and Machine Learning on their YouTube channel and Accessible AI blog.

In this episode, we talk about data science, get into more detail on what machine learning models are and how to train them, discuss the role of ethics in building these smart systems, how one can start a career transition into data science roles, and what projects and networking tips and tricks you can use to garner the attention of hiring managers.

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Steve Chen is currently a software engineer in test at Framebridge, a founder of New York Code and Coffee, and a co-founder of DC Coffee and Code communities. Steve is transitioning to become the Head of Developer Relations at a start-up, Openbase. In their free time, Steve likes fly fishing, hiking, and talking to the participants of the 100Devs agency.

In this episode, we talk about Steve’s journey from a food delivery driver and a cashier to working in developer relations, the importance of community for career growth, what it takes to get into developer relations, and the programming languages that aspiring software engineers should learn in order to stay competitive in the job market.

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Scott Sanford is a senior software engineer at the technology company Mediafly. Scott is a multi-faceted person who has extensive experience with React, TypeScript, Angular, AngularJS, C#, and .NET. Scott is a 2X AWS Certification holder. Outside of his work, Scott loves to help novice software engineers and is on track to reach his goal of having 100 coffee chats within 100 days.

In this episode, we talk about the importance of communication during the hiring process, why paying attention to the fundamentals of the programming languages is crucial for software engineers, what certificates may help you get a tech job, and how to behave as a new employee at your new tech company.

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Noel Covarrubias is a Software Engineer in the Microsoft Leap Apprenticeship Program. Noel is a self-taught coder who started coding during the COVID-19 pandemic. Noel immigrated from Mexico to the US when they were 18 years old. Before switching careers, Noel worked at the Amazon warehouse. Noel’s captivating story shows that anything is possible if you combine hard work and passion.

In this episode, we talk about the importance of networking during the hiring process, the projects and steps they took to get into Microsoft Leap Apprenticeship Program, their daily routine, and why spending your time doing Data Structure and Algorithm (DSA) challenges will be beneficial while interviewing for tech companies.

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Osman Masood is a Software Development Manager at Amazon. Osman’s career also includes other prominent companies, such as Apple, Microsoft, and Uber. Osman’s duties currently include but are not limited to helping his team to achieve their goals, complete their goals, keep them happy at the company, and assist them with their career progress.

In this episode, we talk about the hiring processes at Amazon and other FAANG companies, the importance of doing daily coding challenges, and how software engineers should behave during their first days at their new jobs.

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Gabor Peter Pfalzer is a software engineer at Venn Apps in London, UK. Gabor, previously, worked as a Japanese teacher and took the roles of bartender, bar manager, and bar supervisor. After self-learning software engineering and web development, Gabor was able to impress his future employer with the projects in his portfolio.
In this episode, we talk about the influence our past experiences have on shaping our story that will benefit us during job hunting, how your portfolio should be well-designed, and how to create an inflow of messages from hiring managers and recruiters on social media.

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Lorenzo Pieri is a Head of Development at AVR Tech and an up-and-coming tech advocate. Lorenzo’s love of video games started his lifelong journey of becoming a software engineer and shaped his views on the future of the industry.

In this episode, we talk about imposter syndrome and how to overcome it. Lorenzo shares his recommended resources for aspiring software engineers and his opinion on why starting your career as a freelance developer might not be the best solution for you.

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