Layoff University, Vol. 2: Progress Made, Lessons Learned
Reflections from my first month of unemployment
Layoff University, Vol. 1: Learning, Building, and Dreaming
Introducing my layoff bucket list
So, I got laid off.
Thoughts about my time at LinkedIn coming to an end.
Thoughts on ATmosphereConf as an ATProto Newbie
We really can just build things
Don't offload your cognitive skills
For better or worse, we've entered the age of AI. It's everywhere - the Superbowl*, the Pentagon*, and likely your workplace, too. In the company where I work, leadership has announced the need to be "AI-native" and 10x our productivity with agents. For which goal will we 10x our productivity? I'm not quite sure yet. But, wherever we're going, we're using AI to get there faster.
On context catchup
One behavior change that has decreased my burnout risk: when someone asks for help, i now place the burden of explanation on the asker instead of taking it on myself.
Learning to build without motivation
building when you don't got the juice
Career Cheat Codes for Junior Software Engineers
Last month, I celebrated my one-year anniversary as a software engineer! I still remember when this career was an impossible dream. Today, I consider myself to be a highly capable engineer, and have grown so much over the past year.
On having writer's block
Or, writing when I have nothing to write about
On depth and velocity
Next month will be my one-year anniversary as a software engineer. I'm working on a blog post that describes various "cheat codes" I've learned that have accelerated my growth as a software engineer. But, in the meantime, I wanted to share some wisdom I learned this week.
The Sirens of Titan: A Book Review
I’m at a point in my life where I’m hyper-focused on the person I am, and the person I want to be. Perhaps I’m climbing Maslov’s Hierarchy of Needs. Perhaps, after decades of operating in survival mode, I finally have the psychological safety to ask, What is my place in this world?
On layoffs and career resiliency
This week, my employer laid off hundreds of workers across multiple business areas, including engineering in particular. While I have not been directly impacted, I had to say goodbye to a teammate I’ve enjoyed working with.
Reflections on my first week as a software engineer
I'm now a bonafide software engineer!
Career advice from a former writer that landed an engineering role in Big Tech
Last month, I graduated from Oregon State University's Computer Science post-bacc program, and will begin my first role as a software engineer at (a subsidiary of) one of The Big 5 companies in tech.
Challenging experiences are a blessing.
At the moment, I'm halfway through my third software engineering internship. And, for reasons I won't get into here, it's by far the most challenging internship I've ever experienced. Crying tears of frustration, and spending hours near-midnight poring over code are not infrequent occurrences.
My process for preparing for technical interviews
Algorithmic technical interviews are, without a doubt, the most-hated part of the software engineering hiring process. And, with good reason.
How I got a return offer from my first software engineering internship
In the summer of 2021, I completed a remote internship with Intuit, the company I dreamed of working with when starting my tech career.
Coding Bootcamp or Computer Science Post-Bacc?
I received a question from an aspiring software engineer on choosing a post-bacc computer science degree versus going to a coding bootcamp.