All Episodes
Nov. 22, 2020
Le Wagon Coding Bootcamp Review In 2020 - “Le Wagon is focused primarily on entrepreneurs”
I got to talk with some coding bootcamp graduates that graduated from Le Wagon, a highly rated coding bootcamp on Course Report. This one was very interesting, especially given that the classes are hosted primarily out of the United States. Up until now, I've focused on coding bootcamps that resided mainly in the US. Also, this coding bootcamp redefined what a full-stack developer can truly be, which REALLY made me re-think a couple of things. If me butchering a french name for an hour straight…
Nov. 16, 2020
Why and How Developers Can Learn More About UX, Accessibility, and Design
I'm a full-stack developer that is terrible with design, and I'm slowly learning more about UX and accessibility each year. I can't tell you how valuable it's been to start dipping my toes in the UX world, and how much of a better developer it's made me. So, I invited 3 people with UX/design backgrounds to talk about why it's important for developers to at least get comfortable with the fundamentals and the steps you can take to start getting more knowledgeable in these areas.
Nov. 8, 2020
3 VPs Of Engineering Share Advice For Developers
I initially invited 3 VPs of Engineering on to talk about how to improve software engineer retention on teams. Ultimately, they ended up sharing great advice for developers wanting to grow. We also dove into hot topics like the pros and cons of white board interviews; WFH policies during COVID-19; and requests for salary raises. I really think this was a great podcast episode that has tons of useful advice for developers trying to grow. Let me know what you think!
Nov. 2, 2020
Thinkful Coding Bootcamp Review In 2020
I invited 3 graduates on to talk about their experience at Thinkful. We dove into the application process, curriculum, instructors, and job assistance. One thing that was really surprising to hear was the extremely high dropout rate (76%) in Gage's cohort. We definitely covered the good and the bad for this coding bootcamp.
Oct. 23, 2020
Devmountain Coding Bootcamp Review In 2020
I invited a few Devmountain graduates on to talk about the coding bootcamp. We dove into what their experience was like and if it provided the education and support needed to become professional developers. It sounds like they ended up moving basecamp so that students didn't have any pre-work going into the bootcamp. This brings a variety of skill levels into a coding bootcamp. Was this a good idea for Devmountain? You better believe I dove further into this topic.
Oct. 21, 2020
App Academy Coding Bootcamp Review In 2020
I invited a few App Academy graduates on to talk about the coding bootcamp. We dove into what their experience was like and if it provided the education and support needed to become professional developers. We dove into some really interesting tangents that I absolutely loved. For example, are some coding bootcamps predatory? If so, what does that look like?
Oct. 12, 2020
Flatiron Coding Bootcamp Review In 2020
I invited a few Flatiron graduates on to talk about the coding bootcamp. We dove into what their experience was like and if it provided the education and support needed to become professional developers.
Oct. 7, 2020
Hack Reactor Coding Bootcamp Review In 2020
I invited a few Hack Reactor graduates on to talk about the coding bootcamp. We dove into what their experience was like and if it provided the education and support needed to become professional developers.
Sept. 28, 2020
Coding Dojo Coding Bootcamp Review In 2020
I invited Coding Dojo graduates on to talk about the coding bootcamp. We dove into what their experience was like and if it provided the education and support needed to become professional developers.
Sept. 21, 2020
Roadmap To Becoming A Backend Developer
Everyone wants to know the perfect roadmap to becoming a backend developer. In this web development podcast episode, I invited on a senior software engineer, and I think we came up with something very close to that. Nick laid out a thoughtful, step by step roadmap to becoming a backend developer. If he had to become a backend developer all over again, this is exactly how he would do it.
Sept. 7, 2020
General Assembly Coding Bootcamp Review In 2020
I invited a few General Assembly graduates on to talk about the coding bootcamp. We dove into what their experience was like and if it provided the education and support needed to become professional developers.
Aug. 24, 2020
What 2 Brand New Developers Had To Do To Get Their First Developer Job
I invited Emma and Sarah on the podcast to share their experience as brand new developers. We talked about how their new positions have been going, and also their coding journey of finally getting that first position.
Aug. 3, 2020
Fullstack Academy Graduates Talk Web Development
I invited several Fullstack Academy graduates, who are now software engineers, for a round-table discussion, focused on talking about topics that help junior developers. They also happen to have helped me mentor over a thousand junior developers that have come through our developer Meetup. The entry-level market is becoming more saturated, so we made sure to give tons of advice on how to stand out from other applicants and to not get discouraged.
July 20, 2020
Fullstack Academy Review
If you're considering coding bootcamps at this time, this podcast episode is for you! As some of you may know, I graduated from Fullstack Academy years ago. I know what you're thinking. "Will this guy ever shut up about Fullstack Academy?" Yes, yes I will, but just for this episode. Instead I brought on another Fullstack Academy graduate to review it. At the time of recording this episode, he's actually an assistance instructor for the Chicago campus. That means he has up-to-date knowledge of w…
July 13, 2020
Northwestern Coding Bootcamp Review (with Brandon)
I had an open and honest review of Northwestern's coding bootcamp in Chicago, with one of their graduates (Brandon). I've met a lot of their graduates in short durations when they stopped by our web development mentorship Meetup, but this was the first time I really got to dive deep into what the experience was like. I actually worked with Brandon shortly after he graduated, so this was a really fun podcast interview!
June 21, 2020
Tips For Working From Home As A Developer During COVID-19
In 2020, people have been given more opportunities to WFH in light of COVID-19. I have to warn you though - working from home is a different beast. Many people find it hard to be productive at home, and for good reason. I assure you though, just like anything else, you can get better at it and be as productive, if not more then, when you worked in the office. Danny has been working remote for years now and has a ton of advice to share with you!
May 25, 2020
What It's Like Working With Quality Assurance (QA) As A Developer
Often, the last line of defense to make sure your feature meets quality standards before you deploy your code is QA. In this episode, I invited a QA engineer to talk shop. We talked about what it's like to work with QA, and more importantly, what the expectations of both the developer and QA are to have a positive relationship.
May 4, 2020
Podcast Interview With A Rising Female Leader In The Web Development Industry
Neha is a web development manager and a rising female leader in the tech industry. She also grew her JavaScript meetup to over 4000 members! We started off sharing experiences of growing our Meetups, but really ended up having great conversations around things like what aspiring developers can do to nail the interview, and even dove into overcoming the struggles that sometimes come with being a woman in the tech industry.