In this third and final episode of our "Standing Out as a Developer" mini-series, we dive deep with founding engineer and Criclang creator Manthan Gupta into the art of continuous learning while juggling a day job. With AI reshaping the industry and technical skills becoming obsolete faster than ever, this episode is a masterclass on staying ahead of the curve.In this episode:

- Why junior engineer roles are decreasing with AI advancement

- The "algorithm hacking" strategy for curating your learning feed

- Building a learning funnel.

- The single word that can transform your upskilling approach

- Research papers as your secret weapon for cutting-edge insights

- How to approach mentors the right way (and avoid generic advice)

- Project-based learning lessons from building Criclang in 20 days

- Why you need to stop relying on your job for knowledge growthchapters

00:00 In this episode

01:03 Breaking Prod intro

01:27 The upskilling crisis in AI era

03:05 AI impact on junior engineers

03:37 "Deer in headlight" moment

08:21 Algorithm hacking masterclass

09:13 Curating your feed for tech discovery

10:01 The learning funnel strategy

11:05 The power of asking "WHY"

12:02 International interview insights

12:46 Research papers: The hidden hack

14:03 How to approach research papers

15:09 Reading books the right way

16:16 Project-based learning approach

16:55 Criclang: 20-day programming language

18:13 Breaking the "it's too hard" mindset

18:25 Swift Mac app project example

20:26 Finding the right mentors

21:01 Mentor misconceptions

21:29 How to approach mentors correctly

22:24 Showing up and building reputation

23:04 AI tools lowering learning barriers

24:03 Final advice: Stop relying on your job

24:25 Asking "WHY" as a superpowerManthan's Socials

- Twitter https://twitter.com/manthanguptaa

- GitHub https://github.com/manthanguptaa

- CricLang https://manthanguptaa.in/posts/criclang/

- Website https://manthanguptaa.in/Manthan's latest AI Project -

https://manthanguptaa.in/posts/water/Vivek's Socials

- Twitter https://twitter.com/viveknigam_

- Instagram https://www.instagram.com/viveknigam3003

- Website and blogs https://www.viveknigam.io/About Breaking Prod

Breaking Prod is the no-fluff tech podcast where curious builders break down real-world systems—and themselves—to rebuild smarter, stronger, and more human. It's a home for anyone who's building, breaking, or just figuring it out.