Arjun Mohammed: Why computer science, working at Microsoft, creating your own company, and how to stay relevant and use LLMs to your advantage.

AI Generated Show Notes:

Summary

In the conversation, Arjun Mohammed discusses the challenges of competing against larger companies as a startup and the importance of creative thinking and differentiation. He highlights that skills like marketing and understanding the customer are often more important than technical expertise. Arjun also mentions the significance of knowing the customer's day-to-day and finding effective forms of communication. These small details, when combined, contribute to a successful product.

Keywords

startup, competition, resources, creative thinking, differentiation, marketing, understanding the customer, communication

Takeaways

Competing against larger companies as a startup requires creative thinking and differentiation.

Skills like marketing and understanding the customer are often more important than technical expertise.

Knowing the customer's day-to-day and finding effective forms of communication are crucial.

Small details and considerations can make a significant impact on the success of a product.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Arjun's Role at Microsoft

05:19 Software Engineering and Backend Development

08:54 The Importance of Soft Skills in Software Engineering

15:01 Perks and Potential for Coasting at Big Tech Companies

20:09 Exploring Startups and Creating Solutions

37:27 Learning from Mentors and Experiences in Internships and Startups

43:40 Learning How to Sell in the Tech Industry

45:14 The Flexibility of a Computer Science Degree

48:28 Studying Computer Engineering and Computer Science at Waterloo

54:00 The Influence of Degree Titles and the Importance of Experience

01:03:02 The Impact of AI Tools in Various Fields

01:07:37 New Chapter

01:07:54 The Role of LLMs in Job Execution and Efficiency

01:10:38 The Significance of Clean Code in Software Engineering