Develop Yourself

What separates successful tech career changers from those who struggle?

After switching careers into tech at 31 following years of addiction, and mentoring hundreds of aspiring developers, I've noticed some odd patterns and traits of those who make it vs those who don't.

This episode is not meant to discourage you. I hope it gives you a practical idea of some skills you can develop and ultimately, whether you should consider this career path.

I'd love to know your take as well - leave a comment or email me at [email protected]

Send us a text

Shameless 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

We cover:

• Why even smart, driven people need help when learning to code
• What ADHD looks like as a software engineer—and how she manages it
• How burnout hit hard after landing the job
• Why public speaking became a surprising superpower
• Getting hired without ever doing a technical interview
• Her honest take on AI tools, TypeScript, LinkedIn vs. Twitter, and more

If you’re an adult switching careers, neurodivergent, or just wondering if bootcamps still work—this conversation is for you.

👉 Connect with Mindi:

📬 Code Out Loud on Substack

💼 Mindi on LinkedIn

Send us a text

Shameless 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

Think you need a CS degree to get hired? That bootcamps are scams? That AI is making developers obsolete? 

In this episode, I share some very hot takes on what it really takes to break into tech — and why most of what you’ve been told is dead wrong. 

I talk about the rise and fall of bootcamps, the myth of guaranteed outcomes, why advice from FAANG engineers probably doesn’t apply to you, and why can hate JavaScript but you still must learn it.

Send us a text

Shameless 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

A listener, Andrew, was kind enough to send me his resume, LinkedIn and GitHub profile for me to roast.

Overall - he did a good job BUT there are some issues I would fix that I've seen in many of the hundreds of resumes I've seen over the years as an engineering manager or while helping to hire other developers at companies where I worked.

You can watch here: https://youtu.be/k0_6grxbhXc

Send us a text

Shameless 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

Laly Bar-Ilan has been working in AI and natural language processing for over two decades—long before it was trendy. She’s now the Chief Scientist at Bit, where she’s helping build composable, AI-first developer tools that might just replace most of the coding we do today.

In this episode, we talk about what staying ahead actually looks like for developers in an AI-driven world. Laly shares what skills are becoming obsolete, what new ones are emerging (RAG, agents, prompt engineering), and why “vibe coding” alone won’t cut it.

If you’re wondering how to future-proof your dev career—or whether learning to code still matters—this conversation will give you both clarity and direction.

Connect with Laly here: Laly's Linkedin

Check out Bit to build composable software in the cloud here.

Send us a text

Shameless 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

 The job market in 2025 feels broken—and you’re not imagining it. AI-generated spam is clogging recruiter inboxes, resumes are becoming less relevant, and LinkedIn is more influencer platform than job board.  

In this episode, I break down why things feel so hard right now (for everyone—not just developers), and give you a practical, modern strategy to stand out and actually get hired: 

✅ What to do instead of blasting resumes 

✅ How to play the LinkedIn game without becoming a cringe poster 

✅ Old-school tactics that still work (and new tools I recommend) 

If you’re stuck, overwhelmed, or just tired of bad advice from people who’ve never written code for a living—this one’s for you. 

Send us a text

Shameless 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

No one said it would be easy.

If you're having trouble learning JS, you're not alone.

I nearly quit coding when I had to learn JS. 

I even considered trying to become an email developer (yes, this was a thing). Fast forward 10 years later and I've made a career with JS and even teach it to others.

I want you to have a much better experience.

We will explore the 3 stages of learning JS to take you from 0 to ready to learn ReactJS with practical, actionable steps and the projects and resources you can use to learn.

Send us a text

Shameless 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

Ever feel like learning to code is impossible with your packed schedule?

You're not alone. 

Ten years ago, I was juggling parenting two kids, working full-time with a brutal Bay Area commute, and driving Lyft on the side just to make ends meet. Finding time seemed impossible—until I discovered three game-changing strategies that transformed my journey.

No fluff - just practical stuff you can start doing now.

PS.

Here's a really solid web dev roadmap I found on Reddit that you might find  useful. Link

Send us a text

Shameless 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

Have you ever sent a message into the void? That's exactly what's been happening to listeners who've tried to contact me through Buzzsprout's messaging system.

From a father in Dayton balancing family responsibilities while trying to break into tech, to aspiring developers wondering if JavaScript is still worth learning in 2025, these messages touch on real struggles and practical concerns. 

I share personal insights about my own journey learning to code while supporting a family and offer actionable advice for making career transitions with limited time.

Please keep the questions coming!

Send us a text

Shameless 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

The rise of AI coding tools has fundamentally changed how people learn programming, creating a concerning trend: developers who can produce impressive-looking applications without understanding how they work.

What makes a developer truly valuable? Contrary to popular belief, it's not the ability to rapidly generate new code. A revealing LinkedIn survey showed 73% of experienced developers spend most of their time reading existing code rather than writing it. The real value comes from engineering judgment – knowing which approach to take and understanding why certain solutions work better than others.

"The entire act of keystrokes is not what the value in software engineering is." 

Instead, it's about developing the mental models that let you reason through complex systems.

"If you don't know what this code is doing, then why is it in the codebase? And why is your name on it?"

Send us a text

Shameless 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