Coding Chats episode 62 - John Crickett engages in a deep conversation with James about personal branding, building in public, and the challenges of launching a product. James shares his journey of using LinkedIn to build his personal brand, emphasizing the importance of transparency and community feedback in his projects. He recounts how his social network gained 20,000 users in the first 24 hours due to his public approach, which not only helped him secure jobs but also fostered a sense of community around his work.

The discussion also touches on the significance of mental health awareness and the need for open conversations in the workplace, particularly in the tech industry.As they delve into James's latest project, Bearly Fit, they explore the balance between creating a minimum viable product and ensuring quality. James reflects on the expectations that come with building in public and how he has navigated the challenges of app development while maintaining a connection with his audience. The conversation wraps up with insights on the role of AI in coding and the importance of mentoring junior developers, highlighting the need for a supportive environment in tech.

Chapters

00:00 The Power of Personal Branding

06:35 Agility in Development: Lessons Learned

18:29 Building in Public: Success and Challenges

26:08 Streaming and Job Search: A Double-Edged Sword

35:36 The Importance of Mentoring New Developers

40:22 Building in Public: The Journey of Barely Fit

52:58 Challenges and Expectations in App Development

58:54 Leveraging AI in Development

01:05:39 Final Thoughts and Future Plans

01:06:06 Exploring Related Content

James's Links:

https://linktr.ee/mahybe

https://bearly.fit

John's Links:

John's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johncrickett/

John’s YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@johncrickett

John's Twitter: https://x.com/johncrickett

John's Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/johncrickett.bsky.social

Check out John's software engineering related newsletters: Coding Challenges: https://codingchallenges.substack.com/ which shares real-world project ideas that you can use to level up your coding skills.

Developing Skills: https://read.developingskills.fyi/ covering everything from system design to soft skills, helping them progress their career from junior to staff+ or for those that want onto a management track.

Takeaways

Building in public can lead to unexpected success.

Transparency in struggles fosters community support.

Personal branding is crucial for career advancement.

Quality matters in app development, especially when building in public.

Mentoring junior developers is an investment in the future.

Coding Chats episode 61 - John Crickett interviews Austen about his new book and the significance of behavioural interviews in the hiring process, especially in today's competitive job market. Austen shares insights on what interviewers look for, how to tailor preparation for specific companies, and the importance of storytelling in interviews. He emphasizes the impact of AI on the interview process and discusses how candidates can effectively present their experiences, particularly in conflict resolution scenarios. The conversation also covers the different expectations for candidates at various career stages and the importance of preparation and practice in mastering behavioural interviews.

Chapters

00:00 The Importance of Behavioral Interviews

02:43 What Interviewers Look For

05:32 Understanding Company Expectations

07:48 Austen's Background and Expertise

09:59 The Impact of AI on Interviews

12:10 Behavioral Interviews Beyond Big Tech

14:11 Crafting Your Introduction

18:55 Selecting Stories for Interviews

24:32 Creating Compelling Interview Stories

28:38 The Difference Between Junior and Senior Engineers

29:50 Crafting Compelling Stories for Interviews

31:28 Timing and Length of Stories in Interviews

33:34 Selecting the Right Story for the Interview

37:05 The Importance of Scope and Relevance in Storytelling

37:52 Using the Menu Technique for Story Selection

40:37 Enhancing Conflict Resolution Stories

43:48 The Drama in Conflict Resolution

48:12 Improving Conflict Resolution Narratives

55:00 The Role of Escalation in Conflict Resolution

58:11 The Big Three Questions in Behavioral Interviews

59:54 Understanding Interview Dynamics

01:03:08 The Importance of Asking Questions

01:06:56 Feedback Loops in Behavioral Interviews

01:12:04 Navigating Different Career Stages

01:17:52 Adapting Stories for Different Organizations

01:23:02 Leveraging Personal Projects in Interviews

01:24:41 Key Takeaways for Interview Success

Austen's Links:

https://thebehavioral.substack.com/

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0G6CM9T87

John's Links:

John's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johncrickett/

John’s YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@johncrickett

John's Twitter: https://x.com/johncrickett

John's Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/johncrickett.bsky.social

Check out John's software engineering related newsletters: Coding Challenges: https://codingchallenges.substack.com/ which shares real-world project ideas that you can use to level up your coding skills.

Developing Skills: https://read.developingskills.fyi/ covering everything from system design to soft skills, helping them progress their career from junior to staff+ or for those that want onto a management track.

Takeaways

Behavioral interviews are crucial for differentiating candidates in a competitive job market.

Understanding what interviewers are looking for can significantly improve your chances of success.

Tailoring your preparation to the specific company and role is essential.

Your past experiences and stories are likely more valuable than you think.

Practice and preparation are key to performing well in interviews.

Coding Chats episode 60 - John Crickett and Paul discuss the transformative impact of AI on software engineering, exploring topics such as spec-driven development, the importance of small batches, and the challenges of requirements gathering. They delve into the evolving role of AI tools, the need for effective communication, and the balance between productivity and code quality. The discussion also touches on the future of AI in development, the significance of ownership in coding, and the potential for specialized AI agents to enhance workflows. Paul shares valuable tips for leveraging AI in software engineering, emphasizing the importance of joy, working in small units, and maintaining humility in the face of rapid technological change.

Chapters

00:00 AI in Software Engineering: A New Era

03:36 The Revelation of Prompt-Driven Development

06:08 Spec-Driven Development vs. Waterfall

09:16 The Importance of Small Batches in AI Development

12:05 Ownership and Responsibility in AI-Generated Code

14:57 The Challenges of Outsourcing and Communication in Software Development

20:15 The Future of Programming and Communication

23:38 AI Tools and Upstream Bottlenecks

27:18 Understanding JetBrains' AI Integration

31:40 User Experience and AI Interaction

35:42 Opinionated Workflows in Software Development

37:24 Finding Joy in AI-Assisted Engineering

Paul's Links:https://buildermethods.com/agent-os

John's Links:

John's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johncrickett/

John’s YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@johncrickett

John's Twitter: https://x.com/johncrickett

John's Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/johncrickett.bsky.social

Check out John's software engineering related newsletters: Coding Challenges: https://codingchallenges.substack.com/ which shares real-world project ideas that you can use to level up your coding skills.

Developing Skills: https://read.developingskills.fyi/ covering everything from system design to soft skills, helping them progress their career from junior to staff+ or for those that want onto a management track.

Takeaways

AI is revolutionizing software engineering practices.

Spec-driven development formalizes the way we instruct AI agents.

Small batches improve productivity and maintain context.

Ownership of code is crucial for long-term success.

Quality of code generated by AI is more important than quantity.

Effective communication is key in AI-assisted development.

Specialized AI agents will enhance the development process.

JetBrains is evolving its tools to integrate AI effectively.

Developers should find joy in their work, even with AI assistance.

Humility is essential as we navigate the future of AI in programming.