On this Screaming in the Cloud Replay, Corey is joined by Emma Bostian, an Engineering Manager at Spotify in Stockholm. Emma is also an author, co-host of the Ladybug Podcast, and has a strong following on social media. She goes into the details on her podcast and the varied nature of her and her co-hosts, she also discusses her book Decoding the Technical Interview Process, in which she breaks down the seemingly esoteric nature of interviewing for these highly technical jobs—but her focus is on the frontend. She and Corey discuss the general banality of these interviews and the direction they can, and should, go in to improve. Emma also loves to teach, to add even more to her portfolio! She goes into the five w’s of her work with LinkedIn Learning and Frontend Masters. Emma also has some excellent insights into her sizable Twitter presence. Tune in for Emma’s variegated offerings!

Show Highlights

(0:00) Intro

(0:58) The Duckbill Group sponsor read

(1:31) Hosting the Ladybug Podcast and teaching online courses

(3:13) Why Emma wrote Decoding the Technical Interview Process

(7:01) Corey’s qualms with how people interview in tech

(12:03) Why Corey appreciates Emma's guidance on how to interview

(14:50) Bizarre hiring practices that some interviewers use

(18:20) Passion, work/life balance, and seeking out new employees

(19:41) Turning side projects into revenue streams

(22:23) Seeking out sponsors instead of monetizing your audience 

(26:06) The Duckbill Group sponsor read

(26:49) Balancing customer service with piracy

(29:35) Letting your online following become your resume

(36:01) Where you can find more from Emma

About Emma Bostian

Emma Bostian is an Engineering Manager at Spotify in Stockholm. She is also a co-host of the Ladybug Podcast, author of Decoding The Technical Interview Process, and an instructor at LinkedIn Learning and Frontend Masters.

Links

• Ladybug Podcast: https://www.ladybug.dev
• LinkedIn Learning: https://www.linkedin.com/learning/instructors/emma-bostian
• Frontend Masters: https://frontendmasters.com/teachers/emma-bostian/
• Decoding the Technical Interview Process: https://technicalinterviews.dev
• Emma's Twitter: https://twitter.com/emmabostian

Original Episode

https://www.lastweekinaws.com/podcast/screaming-in-the-cloud/changing-the-way-we-interview-with-emma-bostian/

Sponsor

The Duckbill Group: duckbillgroup.com