Elixir Wizards

From Developer to Director of Engineering with Estelle DeBlois

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Today we are joined by the Director of Engineering at DockYard, Estelle DeBlois! Estelle speaks to us about the transition she made from an engineer into her current management role, her introduction to Elixir and the BEAM, her background in computer science and so much more. The bulk of this enlightening conversation is spent thinking about what it takes to make the sort of jump that Estelle did, and the skills and infrastructure that can aid team members in successful changes. Estelle speaks on what it was like to give up hands-on coding, the resources that helped her learn about managing a team, and the systems at DockYard that she believes are its biggest strengths. Turning to this season's theme, Estelle shares her thoughts on the BEAM and its so-called magic, explaining why she is reluctant to use that word when talking about things that you may not fully understand yet, and what magic means to her. To round off this episode, we have a mini-interview with Tyler Clemens, who works as a Senior Software Engineer at Jackpocket, and we get to hear a little about his journey with Elixir and how it is used with the app. So for all this and then some, listen in!

Key Points From This Episode:

  • Estelle's history at DockYard and her move from developer to director of engineering!
  • Thoughts on the most important characteristics and skills for leadership positions.
  • How to make the steps into higher roles at healthy times and avoid rushing the process.
  • Estelle's first forays into programming; early interest in computers and studies in computer science.
  • How to create more rounded education in preparation for a career in programming.
  • Estelle's first programming job out of college, working with Java as an intern.
  • Joining DockYard and Estelle's introduction and transition into working in Elixir.
  • The value of internships; Estelle weighs in on this contentious issue!
  • The learning curve for Elixir and Estelle's immediate attraction to the elegant strengths of the language.
  • Support from DockYard for the transition that Estelle made into her role as a director.
  • Why Estelle recommends The Manager's Path to anyone interested in engineering management.
  • How the company uses 'DockYard Fridays' to work on other, exciting, internal projects!
  • Getting deeper under the hood and accessing more of the magic of the BEAM!
  • Estelle and DockYard's approach to training and mentorship for Elixir education.
  • Common sticking points for learning Elixir!
  • The magic of Elixir; Estelle's opinions on whether we should consider the BEAM magical.
  • The exciting explorations and questions that DockYard is asking about how Elixir is being used by different companies.
  • Today's mini-feature interview with Tyler Clemens from Jackpocket!
  • Tyler's education, first programming language, and thoughts on the perks and challenges of working in Elixir.
  • What Tyler does at Jackpocket and the service that the app offers its users.
  • Recommendations for Elixir resources, and onboarding and training strategies.
  • Tyler's passion for photography and the parallel career he could imagine.
  • Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

    SmartLogic — https://smartlogic.io/

    Elixir Wizards Conference — smr.tl/conf-podcast
    Estelle DeBlois on Twitter — https://twitter.com/edeblois
    DockYard — https://dockyard.com/
    Brian Cardarella — https://www.linkedin.com/in/briancardarella
    Mount Holyoke College — https://www.mtholyoke.edu/
    Camille Fournier — https://www.linkedin.com/in/camille-fournier-9011812
    Lara Hogan — https://larahogan.me/
    The Manager's Path — https://www.amazon.com/Managers-Path-Leaders-Navigating-Growth/dp/1491973897
    The BEAM Book — https://github.com/happi/theBeamBook
    Tyler Clemens — https://www.linkedin.com/in/tylerclemens
    Jackpocket — https://jackpocket.com/
    Elixir in Action — https://www.amazon.com/Elixir-Action-Sa%C5%A1a-Juri-cacute/dp/161729201X
    Elixir School — https://elixirschool.com/en/

    Special Guest: Estelle DeBlois.

    ...more
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    Elixir WizardsBy SmartLogic LLC
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