Benjamin Bloxsom

😒These things make me itch.... Nested subqueries that could have been written as a CTE. Lowercase SQL keywords (it's just wrong). Backlogged JIRA tickets. Interviews filled with HackerRank and LeetCode problems. Job descriptions without salary ranges. Shellfish. -----------‐---------------- What makes you itch or break out in hives? Comment below! Repost ♻️ Follow ➕️ #dataengineering #datascience #softwareengineering #techhumor #jobsearch #programming

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Things to consider if you're debating on doing a BootCamp: - Bootcamps are designed to give you a LOT of information in a short period of time. The reality is that it's intense, stressful, and very fast-paced. I would recommend stepping back and being realistic about how much time and energy you can commit. ^^^ Little side note, my cohort is down to less than HALF of the original number that started out - most of which dropped out wayyy past the refund point. That's thousands of dollars down the drain. - Developer life is NOT for everyone. How much time have you already spent learning how to code? Does the IDEA sound exciting? That's great, but before you spend lots of money on something you might end up hating, take some time to check out some tutorials or free resources first (freeCodeCamp is an excellent one) - What is the BootCamp "promising" to do? Is it "guaranteeing" you'll land a job or your money back? I would be wary. It's a tough market, and even if it wasn't, it leaves a bad taste in my mouth to see a business make that kind of claim. - If you're going to go the BootCamp route - I highly encourage you to be as public about your journey on here as possible. Too many BC grads I've spoken to waited to build their LinkedIn until after they graduated, and that's honestly a huge mistake. I don't care if you're learning the basics of HTML, start posting about it. Start building connections. - Does the BootCamp offer support? How hands-on will the teachers be? What happens if you get totally stuck on an assignment? Will there be group projects? Pay attention to reviews, and reach out to alumni from a specific BootCamp to ask about their experiences first-hand. #tech #bootcamp #juniordev #womenintech #devlife #swe #softwareengineer #coding

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Recruiters/ decision makers in my network, this questions for yall. How much does a 4- year degree for software engineering matter these days? Think of this from the perspective of someone that was looking to transition into a software dev role. Is a 4 year degree required? or would you recommend an intense bootcamp (or the like) that lasts a year with that gives the person a portfolio to show off at the end. Would love to hear your thoughts and reasoning behind this. Or alternatives that may not be apparent. Edit: this is not a “let’s do away with education” post, just asking for a friend more than anything. 😆

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Trying to get your first job in tech? THIS is how you should be showing off your projects and work! For the cohorts we just ran, I used one teams work in a very quickly put together demonstration. Using clips from what they created and adding a few of my own to paint the idea of what this should look like. This was done in 15 minutes but can absolutely be refined. The idea is to get you away from just describing an app but to focus more on what you did to bring it to life! Remember, you aren't just memorizing syntax, you are a problem solver! Demonstrate those skills! #coding #code #programming #softwareengineering

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Agreed 💯. I personally feel some of the data engineering interviews we give have one or a combination of these problems: - Outdated boring questions, focus on legacy tools which have been replaced by great open source much faster tech. One of my personal favourites is “please write bubble sort algo using c sharp” 😮 - Underestimating soft skills, willingness and adaptibility. This is key to an ever evolving technological landscape. What is new now will be old in a few months. Will you hire for that or spend time and cost in training? - Being too tool specific. Fundamentals never change. Almost everything can be found on Google or done through GenAI. Lets learn to utilise it and benefit from it.

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🚨 Thoughts on the tech job market 🚨 Since starting in tech, I can’t recall seeing many true junior positions. Instead, I see postings that require a master’s degree and 3–5 years of experience—for roles offering $60–70k. And guess what? They still get 1,000+ applicants. The result? A cycle of ATS games, inflated resumes, and roles that go unfilled over and over again. Both sides—candidates and companies—seem caught in a system that’s broken. Instead of focusing on genuine relationships and matching real potential to opportunities, it feels like everyone is playing a game with no winners. For 2025, I’m over it. No more mass applying. I’d rather have meaningful conversations with people, whether over coffee or a phone call, and discuss my experience authentically. Real connections > fake networking. The market needs a reset, and I’m rooting for more transparency, equity, and genuine connections in this industry. 💡 What’s your take? Have you seen this trend too? #CareerGrowth #BreakingTheCycle #TechHiring #TransparencyInTech #MeaningfulConnections

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🎃 Happy Halloween from the Northcoders office! The real scare? Only 4 weeks left in my data engineering bootcamp, and the last 3 are all about putting my skills to the test on a final project! 👻 It’s been a journey filled with SQL, Python, AWS and data pipelines, and now it’s time to bring it all together in a project that showcases everything I’ve learned. Feeling a mix of excitement and chills as I get ready to tackle this last challenge! #DataEngineering #BootcampJourney #CareerChange

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I still remember the first resume I ever submitted. The excitement of applying for my dream job was quickly overshadowed by the silence that followed. No calls, no emails—just radio silence. It was disheartening. I felt like my resume was being lost in a sea of applications. The Start My journey began with a simple realization: I needed a strategy. I couldn't just submit a generic resume and hope for the best. So, I sought advice from mentors, read countless articles, and scrutinized successful resumes. But the real turning point was when I decided to break down my resume-building process into manageable steps. 1. Understand the Job Description: I started by thoroughly reading job descriptions and noting the key skills and qualifications employers were looking for. This helped me tailor my resume to match each specific role. 2. Highlight Relevant Experience: Next, I focused on showcasing my most relevant experiences. Instead of listing every job I've ever had, I highlighted roles and projects that directly aligned with the job I was applying for. 3. Quantify Achievements: Numbers speak louder than words. I made it a point to include quantifiable achievements in my resume. For example, "Increased sales by 20%" or "Reduced processing time by 15%." The Middle As I grew more comfortable with the basics, I started to refine and polish my resume further. This phase was all about making my resume stand out and resonate with recruiters. 1. Craft a Compelling Summary: The summary at the top of my resume became my elevator pitch. In a few sentences, I highlighted my key skills, experiences, and what made me a unique candidate. 2. Use Action Verbs: I replaced passive language with strong action verbs. Words like "led," "developed," "implemented," and "optimized" made my accomplishments more impactful. 3. Optimize for ATS: Many companies use Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) to filter resumes. I learned to include relevant keywords from the job description to ensure my resume passed through these systems. The End (But Really Just the Beginning) After weeks of dedication, late nights, and countless revisions, something amazing happened—I started to get responses. Recruiters were calling, interviews were being scheduled, and I felt like I had finally cracked the code. 1. Seek Feedback: Before submitting my resume, I sought feedback from mentors and peers. Their insights helped me catch any errors and improve clarity. 2. Continuous Improvement: The job market is dynamic, so I made it a point to regularly update my resume with new skills, experiences, and achievements. 3. Personal Branding: Beyond the resume, I worked on my LinkedIn profile, created a personal website, and started a blog to showcase my expertise and passion. Looking back, the journey from overlooked to outstanding wasn’t easy, but it was incredibly rewarding.

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Interview questions are obsolete. I could fail any of you in the world on them. I'm busy doing a huge update downloading my tech brain to my public Knowledge-Base GitHub repo... It's crazy how much just core knowledge there is... My new interview style for the last few years is discussion-based competence interviewing - seeing what sorts of things people did and how they did them.

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So many people are discouraging new people trying to enter tech. -It’s a lot of “getting certs will get you nowhere. Tech influencers are making everyone delusional. There are no jobs out there for high school-level programmers. Just because you can make the Netflix landing page doesn't mean you'll get anywhere.” -These are all things I've been told or seen on social media. There is much judgment of people exploring a space totally new to them while doing something very natural: trying to find the quickest inroads to change their lives. -Can we be kinder and more helpful to newbies in tech? If you feel like their view isn’t realistic, offer them some insight rather than using language that is harsh and attacking. -I am working on certs to establish my knowledge base in the cloud, and hopefully, this will help me understand what knowledge gaps I have to fill. Maybe this will allow me to get an entry-level job quickly, maybe it will take some time. I don’t know. I’m a newbie! Help me or don’t. Be kind either way. #tech #certifications #blacktech #entrylevel #jobsearch #womenintech #azure #aws #cloud #cloudengineer #cloudcomputing #nicetonewbies #bekind

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2 simple steps that saved me $100+ per month (Took less than 10 minutes) 1. Called my homeowners insurance provider 2. Increased my deductible amount Higher deductible = lower monthly premium Many people have a lower deductible than they’d file a claim for. Example: You have a $500 deductible But you would never file a claim for $500 Raise the deductible amount to something you would be willing to pay. —————— I share a tip like this in my weekly newsletter. Sign up if you’re looking for ways to grow your wealth https://buff.ly/4dUlXL4

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Best job in the world? Backup NFL quarterback. Get paid like a rockstar to maybe work a couple times a year (ideally). Barring that, I say software engineer. It's chill (unless prod is down) you get paid well I, personally, enjoy the work enough that I do it for fun sometimes on my free time it's important (your contributions can usually be tied pretty directly to business income) Why wouldn't I think it's the second best job in the world? Is that worth the effort required to get your first software job? Only you can answer that question. #software #juniordeveloper

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The way I got into tech still works in the 2024 job market: 1. Get customer service XP in retail & learn dev skills 2. Apply to a non-coding job at a tech company (e.g., Customer Support) 3. Move to a coding role internally or look elsewhere It's less glamorous, but effective.

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this is insightful focus on what you can control and what you can't control let it be ..

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