"It's Not Just You!" This is one of our most powerful episodes yet.

🔥 Real advice. Real experience. Real value. Hit that like & subscribe button to support more episodes like this!

Follow our guest cohosts!
Jeremy Parker:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jrobinparker/

Pariss Chandler:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/pariss-chandler/
Black Tech Pipeline: https://blacktechpipeline.com/

Leah Thompson:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/leahtcodes
https://x.com/leahtcodes
https://twitch.tv/leahtcodes/

Yoo Jin (Yoon) Bae:
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/bae-yoojin/

Zac Wilson:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/zachery-wilson-792bb01b5/
https://seedgeni.us

NEW SITE https://www.programmingpodcast.com/

Stay in Touch:
📧 Have ideas or questions for the show? Or are you a business that wants to talk business?
Email us at [email protected]!

Danny Thompson
https://x.com/DThompsonDev
https://www.linkedin.com/in/DThompsonDev
www.DThompsonDev.com

Leon Noel
https://x.com/leonnoel
https://www.linkedin.com/in/leonnoel/
https://100devs.org/

📧 Have ideas or questions for the show? Or are you a business that wants to talk business?
Email us at [email protected]!

In this episode of The Programming Podcast, Danny Thompson and Leon Noel are joined by an all-star panel of developers who broke into tech from completely non-traditional paths. From wax specialists and restaurant managers to teachers and project managers, this group didn’t just survive—they thrived.

We get raw, real, and ridiculously honest:

The lowest moments in their journey

Why failing interviews was the best thing that ever happened

How to navigate the AI wave without getting left behind

The truth about DevRel, layoffs, and today’s job market

How networking, community, and building in public changed everything

If you're learning to code, changing careers, or struggling to break into tech—this episode is for you. You'll walk away with not just hope, but a blueprint.

🔥 Subscribe to The Programming Podcast for more real talk like this.
🎧 Available on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you listen.

⏱️ YouTube Chapters
0:00   The Truth About Breaking into Tech 
1:14   Meet the Co-Hosts & Guests 
3:21   How Everyone Got Into Tech 
13:14  “Rock Bottom” Moments That Changed Everything 
25:01  What They Wish They Learned Earlier (Hint: Testing & Fundamentals) 
30:46  How AI Is Changing Tech Careers (And What to Do About It) 
32:23  Smart Ways to Upskill with AI 
39:17  Mental Health, Burnout, and Bad Weeks in Tech 
45:47  How to Actually Break Into Tech in 2025 
48:53  The Power of Networking & Building in Public 
51:05  Unexpected Job Wins Through Community 
54:00  Real Talk: The Market Has Changed (And Won’t Go Back) 
58:45  Are You Ready for the New Reality of Tech Hiring? 
1:04:00  “You Just Bombed Your Interview”—What We’d Say on the Bus 
1:11:55  Final Stories, Motivation, and Getting That Bread