Today, I talk with Steve from A Life Engineered ( @ALifeEngineered ) — a software engineering YouTuber with over 170,000+ subscribers who quit his job at Amazon after nearly 18 years to help others in their career journeys. We dive deep into how the field is evolving, what most engineers get wrong about interviews, and how to actually use AI as a superpower (instead of seeing it as a threat). If you’re a CS student, career switcher, or anyone trying to land a top-tier software engineering job, this episode of the Software Engineering Accelerator Podcast is a must-listen. Hope you enjoy!

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I’m Aman Manazir, a career coach and software engineer. I interned at companies like Amazon, Shopify, and HP in college, and the day I graduated I landed a $168,000/year* full-time software engineering job. I help you make it as a computer science student and get your dream job offer.

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⏱️ Timestamps:

0:00 - How Steve Went From Drop Out to Dean’s List

5:54 - What Motivates Personal Change?

12:19 - The Value Of Your Interview Mindset

23:00 - What The Future of Coding Interviews Looks Like

33:52 - Is AI Killing Software Engineering?

39:00 - How Do I Leverage AI Tools To Become A Software Engineer?

44:55 - What Is The True Value Of A Computer Science Degree?

52:58 - Is Getting a College Degree Necessary To Achieve My Goals?

58:12 - The Biggest Mistake Software Engineers Make In Halting Their Careers

1:05:03 - Job Hopping Vs. Rooting At One Company