Getting into IT with Grant

Join Grant in this must-listen episode as he unravels the dynamic and often turbulent world of Artificial Intelligence. From the boardroom dramas at OpenAI to the intricate details of President Biden's groundbreaking Executive Order, Grant dives deep into the AI revolution that's reshaping our world. Discover the inside scoop on OpenAI's leadership shake-ups and Microsoft's pivotal role, and why these changes matter to you. The heart of this episode lies in a compelling, detailed analysis of the Executive Order on AI. Uncover its potential to revolutionize innovation, competition, and collaboration in AI. This episode isn't just for tech enthusiasts; it's a call to anyone curious about the future shaped by AI. The engaging narrative and insightful analysis will leave you pondering the implications of AI in our lives, the workplace, and the global stage.   Sponsored by: Rooted Concepts Inc. https://codewarden.ai

In this episode, Grant dives deep into the revolutionary realm of Large Language Models (LLMs) like ChatGPT, exploring their transformative role in solving complex issues in natural language processing and their burgeoning application in diverse domains. With AI's innovative ability to comprehend and generate multiple languages and even code, the integration and utilization of LLMs are forging new paths, redefining traditional concepts of coding, and propelling the emergence of prompt engineering.   Sponsored by: Rooted Concepts Inc. https://codewarden.ai

Ben Whately is the CSO and co-founder of Memrise.  A psychologist by education, with a Masters in Experimental Psychology from Oxford where he focused on neural networks and computational modelling of human learning, Ben has spent the last 15 years looking at ways to learn and teach languages. While studying psychology, he formed a theory for why this is, and founded the startup company Memrise in order to bring that theory into reality. He believes that people fundamentally learn languages to connect with other people or because they are enamored of the culture of that language, and Memrise strives to embody this experience of connection. Ben is also a prolific angel investor, investing in and advising more than 50 companies in the UK startup ecosystem, with a focus on Al, machine learning and climate tech. In this episode, we talk a lot about how the brain learns a new language as well as Ben's experience founding and growing a startup company. --- Get started with Memrise: https://www.memrise.com

Steve Toy is the CEO of Memrise, a language platform that uses spaced repetition of flashcards to increase the rate of learning, combined with a GPT3-powered "AI Language partner" that allows learners to practice human-like conversations.  In this episode, Steve and I discuss how Memrise operated throughout the pandemic, the use of technology as a platform for running a language learning company, and how ChatGPT, GPT 3.5, and AI in general is impacting the tech landscape. --- Get started with Memrise: https://www.memrise.com

James Jones is an IT leader and the founder of the QOL Group, a non-profit organization providing support for the disabled.  He is a highly motivational speaker and I was blessed to be able to record an episode with him. In this episode, James talks about his journey of getting into IT, the importance of emotional intelligence as a manager and leader, and shares experiences from the industry that have left an impact on him both personally and professionally.  We discuss what good leadership looks like, as well as how to be an ally to a diverse workforce, being supportive of people with different backgrounds from ourselves. No matter your background, there's something we can all learn from James! --- Connect with James on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-jones-m-jur-mim-mis-csm-sa-0231a47 Support QOL Group at: https://qolgroup.net

Building a web, or internet, scale application is no small feat.  Yes, anybody can get something running in the cloud quickly these days, but that doesn't make it good!  If you want to build a good internet scale application, listen and learn what it takes. We'll discuss the three pillars of scalable applications: maintainability, reliability, and availability.  And we'll talk about SRE, DBRE, and Security in the context of scaling compute and databases at a global scale. This episode is intended to give you a perspective on why internet scale applications are so expensive, and what it takes to build and maintain them. ----- The Gab case study System Design Interview Study Course

Dustin Warner is a Lead Member of the Technical Staff (LMTS) at Salesforce.  He has been leading hugely impactful, high potential next generation software development on their platform and he was gracious enough to spend some time with me and let me ask a few questions. In this episode we talk about his career and how he got to the position he's in.  We also discuss the ins and outs of platform development, not just on the Salesforce platform but across a few different ecosystems like SharePoint and ServiceNow as well.  There are pros and cons to running your business on a platform, and we debate those while also getting into his thoughts on how AI will potentially impact the work and lives of platform admins and devs as its capabilities evolve. Whether you are new to tech, or a seasoned executive, there is value in what Dustin has to say so listen to his words of wisdom! --- Connect with Dustin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dustin-warner-127bb44a/ Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2rzeI9jiuw

ChatGPT is beginning to consume my news feed.  Everywhere I look I see blog posts written by AI paired with AI generated images made by DALL-E, all headlining in news articles from the mainstream media which are probably also reviewed or distributed by AI!  It's Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning everywhere we turn! The rise of AI isn't bothering me as much as the trend of attributing *actual intelligence* to these robots.  In this episode, we'll discuss what is going on under the hood of ChatGPT.  We'll dive into neural networks and the various training mechanisms that are used, as well as looking at ChatGPT specifically and how it was constructed. Along with these tools comes a lot of creative ways to use them, which we'll take a look at as well, so buckle up!  We're going to surround ourselves with robots and take a peek inside. --- Additional resources that are mentioned in this episode: 3Blue1Brown - But what is a neural network? | Chapter 1, Deep learning https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aircAruvnKk   The history of chatbots https://onlim.com/en/the-history-of-chatbots/

Okta was recently breached and some stuff was stolen by a hacker group!  Is this the end of Okta as a security provider?  You'll have to listen to find out what happened, how software exploits can work, and how to protect yourself (and your code) against them.

There are a lot of programming languages out there, so what's the difference between them and why would I choose to use one over another?  In this episode, I review the top 5 most used programming languages of 2022.  This will help clear up when these languages should be used, what they're useful for, and why they even exist in the first place!  I will talk about: Python Java Javascript C# (C-Sharp) C and C++ (C Plus Plus) I've personally written a lot of code in these languages, so you won't just get a textbook knowledge from this episode.  You're going to get a whole lot of my personal opinion as well!

The world is watching Twitter become a brand new company under the leadership of Elon Musk, and in this episode I dive into the details of what has been going on!  The situation is changing from day to day, so by the time you listen to this episode new information may be available, but as of 11/22/2022 this is the story.   This episode isn't just a "current events about Twitter" episode, though.  It also takes a look at Mastodon, one of the up and coming challengers to Twitter.  I have an account, have generated a fair amount of content on that platform, and share my experience with the ecosystem also known as the Fediverse (aka federated universe).  Mastodon is a distributed social media platform and is very interesting in its own right, even without all the craziness going on a Twitter.

My condolences to Uber on their recent hack (Sept 2022), but this does provide a great opportunity to highlight poor security practices, and share steps that companies can take so they don't fall victim to the same exploits as Uber.  In this episode we'll talk about security, as if it's an onion, do a step-by-step analysis of the Uber hack, and consider just how devastating this situation could have been if a real, malicious hacker had did exactly what this 18 year old did.

When you build a software application or product, you don't just start writing code and hope for the best!  Your code runs on a platform, typically accesses a database, and displays data to a user - all of these functions should be isolated and organized into a tech stack.  Defining your tech stack should be one of the very first things you do, even before you write your first line of code.  Let's dig into this topic, talk about the tech stack in general and then actually define one!  We'll be using a budgeting application as our example and deciding what technologies to use in each layer of the stack.

If you feel stuck in your engineering career and are trying to break out into a different subdiscipline, then this episode is for you!  How exactly can you switch from being a Software Developer to being a Machine Learning Engineer?  Or from a Site Reliability Engineer to a Web Developer?  In this episode we will discuss how to make that transition, and how to best reflect on your current position to see why you want to transition in the first place. ----- As discussed in the podcast, last month's episode was an article posted on my website.  Check it out here: Trunk Based Development and Continuous Integration

You work in tech and you want to be paid more money.  Great, so what's your pitch? Have you thought about what time of day to approach your manager?  What about setting up a new meeting or using an existing one?  How about how much money to ask for?  In this episode, I dive into these topics and more so that you can craft the perfect interaction with your manager! Do not wander into your conversation, come up with a strategy for telling your manager just how much value you deliver to the team.  Your value is what determines your pay, so think about it.  As an added bonus, I even role-play this scenario and pretend I'm asking my boss for a raise.  If you do this well, it may pay off big for you! ----- Robert Half Talent Solutions: Tech Salary Guides 2022 Extraneous factors in judicial decisions: PNAS Other resources on researching your market value: Levels.fyi Glassdoor.com Blind

In this episode, we'll start by separating out Agile from DevOps, and then bringing in CI/CD pipelines.  We'll also discuss DevSecOps and some of the best practices in engineering that a developer can adopt. We'll also give an overview of what a CI/CD pipeline looks like, what a pipeline stage is, what a pipeline's purpose is, and how it is related to DevOps.  As a bonus, I talk about tools for Static Code Analysis (SCA) and Static Application Security Testing (SAST)!  We'll also touch on Test Driven Development (TDD).  ----- Accelerate: The Science of Lean Software and DevOps: Building and Scaling High Performing Technology Organizations Storytime with Dad Podcast

If you write software, you are probably collaborating with other developers.  If you are collaborating, then you probably need to isolate your code and then merge it together when you're done.  So what are some of the best-practices for managing this? My favorite is trunk-based development, but that name probably doesn't mean what you think it means!  In this episode, we dive into branching strategies and trunk-based development.  We also touch on test automation, CI/CD pipelines, agility, and DevOps practices.  We'll also talk about anti-patterns or "worst practices" that some companies adopt because they are risk averse.  Ironically, many of today's software delivery practices increase risk rather than decrease it! Hear my take and compare it to your own, then Tweet me (@tweetsofgrant) and tell me where our views differ! ----- Accelerate: The Science of Lean Software and DevOps: Building and Scaling High Performing Technology Organizations Google's Guidebook on Trunk-Based Development Other Visualizations of Trunk-Based Development

I have, unfortunately, dealt with plenty of narcissists in the workplace throughout my career.  Although these encounters are rare, they do happen, they are dangerous people, and when you confront them you need to be prepared for what you're getting into.  Narcissists are not like other people, so you must enter their world (temporarily) if you are going to come out of the engagement intact. In this episode, we discuss narcissism, the two types of narcissist, patterns of abuse (including the DARVO pattern of manipulation and gaslighting), as well as a real life story of me having to manage one of these types of individual.  Yes, bad managers need to be (and sometimes get!) removed from positions of authority. Please join me on this weird journey through personality disorders in the corporate world! ---- I am launching a Patreon as well!  I want to continue producing the content you care about, help you network with one another, and even have guests from the industry on the podcast to discuss their own experience.  By supporting the podcast, you will help it expand and do more good in the world. When you sign up, you will be able to join my discord server, get some swag, AND through the end of May Gold Patrons will get a 30 minute 1-on-1 video or phone call with me to discuss career coaching or any topic of their choice. https://grantdryden.com/patreon

Someone wrote to me recently about working very hard and finally getting their dream job, only to discover that they hated it!  That sucks and I know many of us have been there before in our own careers.  It would be a tragedy to throw away a high paying, promising career if the reason why we hated it was something that we could control.  In this episode, I read their message and then respond with what I think is really going on.  I don't think this person hated their job, but I do think they hated the environment that they were doing their job in.  Once you hear their predicament, tell me: what do you think they should do?

If you've ever wanted to do game dev, hear the story of how I published my first video game, Bonsai.  We'll review the core concept of the game, the process of building it and the choices of technology, and the distribution of it on Steam.  It was fun, but wasn't all rose colored! Here is a link to Bonsai on Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/444160/Bonsai/

As you write software, you are going to make mistakes.  These mistakes, or bugs and defects, have to be fixed while you continue to make your product better and build new features.  So how can you make sure you're making enough progress on your product while addressing all the of the bugs that are bound to pop up? First, we'll begin by classifying bugs, features, and technical debt.  Then, we'll be able to talk about how much time should be devoted to these types of work, and finally top it off with some tips and tricks on how to prioritize these things relative to one another. You don't have to be Agile to follow along, but I'd highly recommend it!  Having a backlog of work defined will make the prioritization much easier.

Before we can talk about how to lead a software development team, we have to talk about leadership as a discipline.  We'll look to George Washington, Napoleon Bonaparte, Captain David Marquet, and General Stanley McChrystal for good examples of how to organize groups of people to achieve a goal in a rapidly changing landscape. We will then extend these examples into business and finally into information technology and engineering.  By the end of this episode, we will have talked about the value of decentralized command and how to lead a modern software development team to achieve goals and become high performing. ---- Our Sponsor: Electronic Specifier Insights Podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/electronic-specifier-insights/id1508314202 ---- Additional Resources: David Marquet, Turn the Ship Around! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OqmdLcyES_Q Team of Teams https://www.amazon.com/Team-Teams-Rules-Engagement-Complex/dp/1591847486 Jocko Willink's Extreme Ownership Muster https://echelonfront.com/muster/

Did you know that Southwest Airlines can fly internationally?  I was the technical lead on their international flights program, and in this episode I share a little bit about the behind-the-scenes technical issues associated with that new business offering.  I dig into one problem in particular: how to modify a 20-year-old flight dispatch system to accurately identify new mission types based on an aircraft's equipment. And, a big thank you to our sponsors: https://simpletranscribe.com

One of the more common questions I get is "what's the difference between software engineer and software developer?"  Well, here's the answer!  We'll discuss what engineering is first, then dive into the specifics that set apart a software engineer from a developer, and we'll even discuss how software architecture fits into the mix.  For good measure, we'll have to touch on Agile and DevOps, but we'll mostly stick to software engineering as defined by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and how the software development lifecycle relates to all of this.  We've got lots to cover to explain the difference!

What makes a resume effective?  No, not what font or layout to use, but HOW to convey WHAT information so that you get an interview!  The goal of the resume is to get a call back after all, that's where its purpose ends.  The best resume in the world won't get you the job, but it can give you an opportunity to shine in front of the hiring manager. So, hear some perspective on what a job requisition is and what the purpose of a resume is.  Then, top it all off with a real review of a resume from a Cybersecurity applicant for an entry-level position.  By the end of this episode, you should have a clear goal and method for producing a killer resume to land your next job!

Everybody feels undercompensated at some point in their career, but asking for a raise isn't as simple as busting into your manager's office and telling them you deserve more money!  In this episode, I explain how to do market research and put together a solid strategy for winning over your manager and showing the other stakeholders in your career what value you bring to the table.  You heard that right, your manager isn't the only person you need to consider, so let's discuss how to be successful at handling this conversation as well as what to do if you tried hard but your raise is still denied.

Hear first hand what it's like to work on Top Secret, classified programs as an engineer.  Is this work as interesting as it sounds, or is it surprisingly boring!?  I'll share my experience and tell what I'm authorized to tell so you can gain an insight into what it is actually like to work on a Top Secret program.  Maybe you'll decide this is the life for you and go apply!  Most of the episode focuses on the BAMS program and my work on the Electronic Intelligence (ELINT) systems of the Global Hawk.  If you have no idea what it's like to work for a defense company on embedded systems and secret programs, then here's your chance to learn!

I've been hearing a lot of complaints about LeetCode, but don't let the things you read online get you down!  Take control of your interview by preparing and understanding what is going on when you write code and submit it for review.  Your score isn't what it seems and you're not as bad off, or stuck in an automated system, as it feels. I did not use LeetCode in my interviews when I recorded this episode, but I do know a lot about the tool, have used it, and have also used competitors like HackerRank professionally.  I share my thoughts with you in this episode on the interview process, as well as some tips for getting your head in the interview game so you have an edge on the competition.

DevOps has finally emerged onto the scene in IT and Engineering and has quickly become a bad word!  In this episode, we discuss how it's not a fad, is actually very straightforward, and is something your team can easily take on with the right support from your company's leaders.  Listen to the common pitfalls and anti-patterns associated with combining Development and Operations, and hear how you can overcome them while finding the right approach for your team.

What comes next in your career after Senior Engineer or Senior Developer?  For some people it is Manager, for others it is Architect - don't get to Senior Dev without knowing what the rest of your career path looks like!  I share a little bit about what management is in this episode as well as my own reasons for going into it instead of remaining a software developer.  Your reasons are your own, so hear my story and reflect on your own situation!

You can become a Senior Engineer in as little as 2 years after college, learn how I did it! Being a Senior comes with it's own career risks and not everybody should climb the career ladder to this level so quickly. If you're not motivated by job titles but are motivated by compensation instead, a different path may be better for you. I discuss both in this episode and give advice to my younger self, a college grad, or a self-taught developer who is just starting out on in their career.

College did not prepare me to be a software developer like I thought it would! I still think my college degree was valuable, but a self-taught developer can be just as effective as a college educated one. There are also many skills and tricks you learn from working at a job or an internship that you don't learn at a university. Like, are Big O notation or asymptotic analysis of algorithms something that's used a lot in the field, or just terms people use to sound smart? I'll get to the real stuff in this episode and tell you exactly what you should focus on as you learn how to be a software engineer.

I read a real question from someone in the field wondering whether or not they should accept a job offer for a position they feel unqualified for. Does this person have imposter syndrome or are they really unqualified? Is the position really too good to be true or are their expectations off the mark? These are just a few things we dive into in this episode. Listen to my opinion then tell me: what do you think they should do?

Is it better to be a fish in a small pond, or a small fish in a big pond? There are tradeoffs, advantages, and disadvantages to consider when working at small, medium, and large sized companies. Pick where you go wisely and don't work at a FAANG for name recognition alone. Small companies give you freedom at the cost of career structure, and large companies generally provide the opposite. Don't go chasing a fancy career title or a company to name-drop on your resume thinking that it will accelerate your career. Instead, find a career at a company where you are happy and find fulfillment. Being engaged in your work will accelerate your career much faster than your technical pedigree.

Getting a software developer or engineering interview is not rocket science if you understand what a job posting really means! Set yourself up to impress the hiring team by following a few easy steps to land that interview and convince the hiring manager that you're as awesome of a developer as you say you are! Small companies and large companies work very differently from one another, but one thing that stays the same is somebody or some piece of software pre-scanning and filtering resumes before they go to the hiring manager. There are ways that you can fast-track your application through this filtering process and get the manager to review your resume.

You don't need a college degree to be a professional software developer, there are many paths a person can take! Find out how to navigate these many career choices and become the *right* type of software engineer or technologist. You may be looking into a college degree in science or engineering, or want to go to a 6-month boot camp, or you may be completely self-taught. Find out if any of these routes will be detrimental to you long-term in building a successful career for yourself as a developer at top tech companies.