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Everyone has a dream. But sometimes there’s a gap between where we are and where we want to be. True, there are some people who can bridge that gap easily, on their own, but all of us need a little help at some point. A little boost. An accountability partner. A Snooze Squad. In each episode, the Snooze Squad will strategize an action plan for people to face their fears. Guests will transform their own perception of their potential and walk away a few inches closer to who they want to become ...
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Amber argues that the biggest problem facing new developers isn’t coding ability…
It’s lack of real experience, and an over-reliance on feel-good advice that doesn’t translate into hireability.
We dig into:
- Why contributing to real, medium-complexity open-source projects is the fastest path to becoming job-ready
- Why most juniors aren’t actually hireable yet — and how to fix that
- How toxic positivity on LinkedIn is misleading beginners
- Why “passion” means nothing if it isn’t backed by proof-of-work
- The kinds of projects and habits that actually impress hiring managers
- The mindset shift every junior dev must make to survive today’s market
- What Amber wishes she knew as a brand-new developer
- How to stand out when 30,000 other bootcamp grads are competing for the same jobs
If you’re early in your software career — or mentoring someone who is — this conversation will challenge your assumptions, push you out of the fluff zone, and give you a clear, actionable roadmap to becoming the type of junior developer who actually gets hired.
Resources Mentioned in This Episode
Open Source Projects & Communities:
- Dance-Chives Prototype (Amber’s breakdancing app project): https://github.com/BenTheChi/dance-chives-prototype
- Build In Public community: https://buildinpublic.com/
- Gridiron Survivor project: https://github.com/LetsGetTechnical/gridiron-survivor
Mentorship:
- ADPList (free mentorship sessions): https://adplist.org/
Connect With Amber:
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Chapters
1. Welcome And Episode Setup (00:00:00)
2. Amber’s Nontraditional Path (00:00:27)
3. What Email Development Really Is (00:00:48)
4. Realizing Skills Gaps And Intentional Growth (00:02:08)
5. Open Source The Right Way (00:02:24)
6. Showing Work Vs Saying Passion (00:04:09)
7. 2020 vs Now: Market Reality (00:05:46)
8. What Juniors Must Do Post‑Boot Camp (00:07:20)
9. Quality Portfolios And Honest Feedback (00:09:20)
10. Rethinking LinkedIn And Proof Of Work (00:11:42)
11. Spicy Take: Not Everyone Is Hireable Yet (00:13:27)
12. What Juniors Obsess About Unnecessarily (00:16:13)
13. Fundamentals Beat Framework FOMO (00:19:30)
14. Market Bar Rising And Final Thoughts (00:22:05)
15. Closing And Next Steps (00:26:55)
300 episodes
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