Mentoring Developers

Mentoring Developers

Helping software developers thrive

Episode 88 – Burton Smith: How To Breakthrough In Tech

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How do you sneak into a career in software development? Surely, you need a Computer Science degree and certifications to land a great job? Not quite – according to Burton Smith.

Burton stumbled into software development but was it a mere coincidence? Listen in as we discuss how he got his start and how new and aspiring developers can handle the myriad curve balls thrown at them.

So what has all that got to do with Albert Einstein? The answer to that riddle is found in Episode 88!

Burton Smith’s Bio:

Burton Smith is a senior software engineer at Bunzl North America where he works with internal business stakeholders and external customers to build digital solutions.

He is the creator of the Clarion style framework for design systems (projectclarion.com) as well as Kickstand UI which is a design system based on web components that can be used everywhere (kickstand-ui.com).

In his free time, he loves spending time with his wife and three daughters, practicing martial arts, jamming on his ukulele, and learning new things (usually about software engineering).

List of topics

We discuss: 

  • What got Burton into the tech industry?
  • A quote that inspired him to change his perspective. 
  • What drew him towards technology?
  • How to apply Einstein’s philosophy in your daily life.
  • What does it take to get better at anything?
  • Why it is important to surround yourself with things related to the tech industry
  • Imposter syndrome is still prevalent in the tech/software industry.
  • How imposter syndrome affects newcomers
  • Why GitHub is a great platform for newbies
  • Why work-life balance is important and how you should find it.
  • How you should communicate with your co-workers.
  • About the upcoming tutorial video.

Burton Smith’s Links:

Thanks for Listening!

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If you found this episode useful, please go ahead and share it with your friends and family. You can also listen directly and give your feedback on the website.

You can subscribe to Mentoring Developers via iTunes, Stitcher Radio, Spotify, or Google Podcasts. 

Episode 87 – Rocky Lhotka: How to be successful in tech

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Discover how Rocky Lhotka got his start as a software developer without a computer and went on to become a tech CTO. In this amazing story of resilience, Rocky shows us the path for the rest of us to follow. What a remarkable story!

Rocky’s Bio:

Rockford Lhotka is CTO at Cognizant Softvision and is the creator of the open-source CSLA .NET development framework. He is the author of numerous books and regularly speaks at major conferences around the world. Rockford is a member of the Microsoft Regional Director and MVP programs. Magenic (https://magenic.com) helps you deliver your digital products to market faster. For more information go to http://lhotka.net.

Episode Highlights and Show Notes:

List of topics

  • Rocky’s origin story – what got him into the software industry?
  • What drives Rocky?
  • What problems do new software developers face?
  • Rocky’s college experience
  • What you need to keep in mind while in college.
  • Internship tips
  • How to build a killer resume while in college
  • What Rocky looks for when hiring new developers
  • What skills you need as a software consultant
  • Type of companies to avoid when looking for a new job
  • Why finding a good mentor and role model is important
  • New technology vs Old Technology
  • Rocky offers additional pointers to new and aspiring developers

Rocky’s Links

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RockyLhotka

Twitter: https://twitter.com/rockylhotka

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rockfordlhotka

Website: https://lhotka.net/

Thanks for Listening!

Do you have some feedback or some advice for us or our audience? Please give us a review on iTunes, Spotify, Google Podcasts, or Stitcher and share your thoughts.

If you found this episode useful, please go ahead and share it with your friends and family. You can also listen directly and give your feedback on the website.

You can subscribe to Mentoring Developers via iTunes, Stitcher Radio, Spotify, or Google Podcasts.