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Wes Bos

Wes Bos

XL5G3 Full Stack JavaScript Developer. Creator of really good web development courses. BBQ enthusiast.

Scott Tolinski

Scott Tolinski

Web Developer, NX2V1, Creator of Level Up Tuts, Bboy, Robotops Crew and Youtuber

Playing: 058: Advice For Beginners - Tech Skills, Applying for Jobs, Focus, Imposter Syndrome + More

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Jul 18th, 2018

Advice For Beginners - Tech Skills, Applying for Jobs, Focus, Imposter Syndrome + More

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Scott and Wes give their best advice for beginners, including tech skills, applying for jobs, focus, imposter syndrome, and more...

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Show Notes

4:46 - Advice for gaining new skills

  • Patience and momentum are key
  • You likely won’t get anywhere significant in two months
  • Think about where you want to be in five years
  • Start small
  • Start with was excites you and let that drive your exploration
  • Start writing code ASAP. Don't worry about the right way, just get started.

17:15 - Advice for applying to jobs

  • Apply for everything. Failing an interview is no big deal.
  • Each interview is an opportunity to gain experience
  • Putting yourself out there is huge - one blog post, YouTube video, or open source project will put you miles ahead
  • Have an entrepreneurial mindset - you can negotiate money, hardware, vacation time, flexible schedule, etc. Don’t just google “average salary”
  • Negotiate salaries and perks.

29:32 - Advice for knowing what to focus on

  • What gets you jazzed? Find something cool and figure out how to recreate it.
  • Find a problem and figure out how to solve it - build real things.
  • Don’t focus on tech - tech is just a tool.

38:32 - Advice for impostor syndrome

  • Listen to this podcast! ;)
  • Almost everyone has it.
  • Don’t worry about other people’s progress.
  • You don't need to know how to do everything, but you should be able to figure out how to learn.

46:45 - Misc advice

  • Evaluate things for yourself - don't blindly follow the loudest voices on the internet
  • Focus on soft skills as well - time management, communication
  • Get a mentor
  • Health and Hobbies - don't let yourself burnout

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