SWE Accelerator Podcast

Aman Manazir
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Aman Manazir is a software engineer who's worked at companies like Amazon and Shopify. In the Software Engineering Accelerator Podcast, he interviews successful engineers to break down strategies and tools they used to land their dream jobs. In addition, Aman focuses on helping listeners improve their lives through topics in entrepreneurship, self-improvement, and technology.

  1. 4 DAYS AGO

    The Girl Who Did Everything Wrong and Still Landed Big Tech

    From a village in Pakistan to Microsoft engineer and chapter one of the LinkedIn CEO's book, Ume's path broke every rule.She dropped her CS degree, scored a 12% on an exam, and still landed 7 internships without a single personal project. In this episode she and Aman break down toxic CS culture, why GPA doesn't matter, how LinkedIn got her a Cisco internship she never applied for, and why soft skills are now the only real edge you have in tech. Computer science students, new grads, and software engineers…want to land your dream software engineering job or internship? Click here 👉https://www.amanmanazir.com/coaching/?utm_source=transistor&utm_medium=podcasts_description&utm_campaign=Ume_BigTech&video=70xW2JHE59U 🚀 Get my free Software Engineering Crash Course – https://www.amanmanazir.com/7dayengineer 🎧 Listen to all episodes of the Software Engineering Accelerator Podcast on YouTube: youtube.com/AmanManazir Listen to our new podcast, @TheEntropyShow: https://youtu.be/MDJQXbXPngg?si=vQqITmNzy3fhfcV1 I’m Aman Manazir, a career coach and software engineer. I interned at companies like Amazon, Shopify, and HP in college, and the day I graduated I landed a $168,000/year* full-time software engineering job. I help you make it as a computer science student & software engineer and get your dream job offer. 📄 Get my free resume template – https://www.amanmanazir.com/resume 🧠 Get my free LeetCode Roadmap – https://www.amanmanazir.com/leetcode 💌 Free weekly productivity insights/advice – https://amanmanazir.com/newsletter 📕 All my free Notion templates – https://www.amanmanazir.com/notion 📝 Sign up for Notion – https://affiliate.notion.so/2nh3pjr6l5l6 📷 Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/amanmanazir/ 🐦 Twitter – https://twitter.com/amanmanazir 👉 Ume's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/umxe?igsh=MWtwcGtzYzl3MnN6OQ==👉 Ume's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/umehabiba?utm_source=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=member_ios — ⏱️ Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction01:20 Growing Up in Pakistan, Dreaming of New York03:21 No Roadmap, No Playbook, Just Grit03:42 The CS Teacher Who Changed Everything05:01 Imposter Syndrome Every Single Day07:09 Why She Dropped Her CS Degree10:33 Toxic CS Culture Is Real13:33 Why CS Students Turn on Each Other16:16 Gatekeeping Kills Careers, Openness Creates Them19:06 12% on an Exam, 7 Internships Anyway19:21 How to Build a Non-Linear Career23:38 GPA Is Overrated, Here's the Truth25:13 No Personal Projects, Still Got Microsoft29:39 Unpaid Internships: When They're Worth It31:53 How to Sell Any Experience on a Resume33:34 Soft Skills Are the New Hard Skills38:34 AI Democratizes Hard Skills, So What's Left39:28 How a Recruiter Slid Into Her DMs42:24 What Is an Employee Creator at Microsoft43:43 AI Won't Kill Tech, It'll Create New Jobs46:46 Why You Should Still Learn to Code49:57 How to Build Your Personal Brand Early50:11 LinkedIn Is More Underrated Than You Think54:52 Where to Find Ume Online

    56 min

  2. 3 APR

    #1 Tech Influencer Exposes the Brutal Truth About the 2026 Job Market

    He got an Amazon internship before he even took data structures. Here's how. Sajjaad Khader — Georgia Tech BS + MS by age 20, former Amazon and Splunk engineer, and the guy who interviewed Satya Nadella — breaks down exactly how to break into top tech in 2026. From freshman internships to LinkedIn referrals to the future of software engineering interviews, this one is packed. Computer science students, new grads, and software engineers…want to land your dream software engineering job or internship? Click here 👉 https://www.amanmanazir.com/coaching/?utm_source=transistor&utm_medium=podcasts_description&utm_campaign=Sajjaad_TechInfluencer&video=nccemvR4-RE 🚀 Get my free Software Engineering Crash Course – https://www.amanmanazir.com/7dayengineer 🎧 Listen to all episodes of the Software Engineering Accelerator Podcast on YouTube: youtube.com/AmanManazir Listen to our new podcast, @TheEntropyShow: https://youtu.be/MDJQXbXPngg?si=vQqITmNzy3fhfcV1 I’m Aman Manazir, a career coach and software engineer. I interned at companies like Amazon, Shopify, and HP in college, and the day I graduated I landed a $168,000/year* full-time software engineering job. I help you make it as a computer science student & software engineer and get your dream job offer. 📄 Get my free resume template – https://www.amanmanazir.com/resume 🧠 Get my free LeetCode Roadmap – https://www.amanmanazir.com/leetcode 💌 Free weekly productivity insights/advice – https://amanmanazir.com/newsletter 📕 All my free Notion templates – https://www.amanmanazir.com/notion 📝 Sign up for Notion – https://affiliate.notion.so/2nh3pjr6l5l6 📷 Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/amanmanazir/ 🐦 Twitter – https://twitter.com/amanmanazir 👉 Sajjaad's YouTube: https://youtube.com/@sajjaadkhader?si=LDGGahtZatodYJM6 👉 Sajjaad's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sajjaad.khader?igsh=MTJyOHY0bGhtd21iZA== 👉 Sajjaad's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sajjaad-khader?utm_source=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=member_ios  — ⏱️ Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction01:55 Getting Amazon Before Taking DSA03:29 Can Freshmen Get Internships Today?04:45 How To Position Yourself To Get Hired05:58 Find Problems, Solve Them, Post Online07:50 The Degree Equals Job Lie Is Dead09:25  The Reapplying Hack That Actually Works10:05 How Amazon Set Everything Else Up12:08 Finishing A BS And MS By Age 2014:25 Should You Delay Graduation For Experience?18:50 Masters vs Grinding LeetCode Full Time21:00 The TA Strategy That Pays For Your Masters25:50 Leading MSA And PSA At Georgia Tech26:34 Software Engineering Accelerator 27:27 How To Actually Crush Your Internship 29:10 How To Ask Smart Questions Without Annoying People31:55 The Playbook For Getting A Return Offer33:58 The LinkedIn Networking Strategy That Gets Referrals37:30 Why LinkedIn Is Non-Negotiable For CS Students40:22 What Projects Actually Get You Hired42:47 Hackathons vs Startups vs Generic Projects44:30 Software Engineers Are Becoming Software Managers49:05 Free Resource for Software Engineers49:35 Should You Build AI Or Just Use It?50:40 How Sajjad Interviewed Satya Nadella54:20 What Reid Hoffman Said About Young Engineers56:03 Is San Francisco Actually Worth It?59:17 Are CS Students Cooked In 2026?1:01:10 Is Computer Science Still Worth It?1:03:57 How To Learn To Code From Scratch1:06:11 How To Actually Learn DSA1:07:30 Is LeetCode Dead? What Comes Next?1:09:18 Why Companies Still Use LeetCode1:10:27 The Future Of Software Engineering Interviews

    1hr 14min

  3. 23 MAR

    Apple PM: The Secret Playbook to Get Hired in 2026!

    Nina had an MIT CS degree, a growing online presence, and still called her job hunt the most stressful time of her life. In this episode she breaks down consulting burnout, back to back rejections, and how she finally landed at Apple as a PM — plus exactly how a software engineer can make the same pivot. Computer science students, new grads, and software engineers…want to land your dream software engineering job or internship? Click here 👉 https://www.amanmanazir.com/coaching/?utm_source=transistor&utm_medium=podcasts_description&utm_campaign=NinaAppleSWE&video=-BYuU6Q6hWc 🚀 Get my free Software Engineering Crash Course – https://www.amanmanazir.com/7dayengineer 🎧 Listen to all episodes of the Software Engineering Accelerator Podcast on YouTube: youtube.com/AmanManazir Listen to our new podcast, @TheEntropyShow: https://youtu.be/MDJQXbXPngg?si=vQqITmNzy3fhfcV1 I’m Aman Manazir, a career coach and software engineer. I interned at companies like Amazon, Shopify, and HP in college, and the day I graduated I landed a $168,000/year* full-time software engineering job. I help you make it as a computer science student & software engineer and get your dream job offer. 📄 Get my free resume template – https://www.amanmanazir.com/resume 🧠 Get my free LeetCode Roadmap – https://www.amanmanazir.com/leetcode 💌 Free weekly productivity insights/advice – https://amanmanazir.com/newsletter 📕 All my free Notion templates – https://www.amanmanazir.com/notion 📝 Sign up for Notion – https://affiliate.notion.so/2nh3pjr6l5l6 📷 Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/amanmanazir/ 🐦 Twitter – https://twitter.com/amanmanazir 👉 Nina's YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@nnxwang👉 Nina's Podcast: https://youtube.com/@hotyoungurbanprofessionalspod?si=Qr-SxYRLux83Iyj_ — ⏱️ Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction02:03 The Most Stressful Job Hunt Of Her Life04:15 Sneaking Interviews While Fully Employed07:32 Growing Up With No Real Passions09:50 The Rhythmic Gymnastics Era12:26 What Sports Actually Taught Her13:53 The MIT Career Fair That Changed Everything17:00 What MIT Culture Is Really Like19:06 Imposter Syndrome At The World's Best School20:49 Building Your Own Category Of One24:30 Why She Chose A Hybrid Major27:00 Should You Do A Hybrid Major29:13 Software Engineering Accelerator31:41 The Consulting vs PM Decision34:09 The Brutal Truth About Consulting36:26 When The Client Owns Your Time38:48 The Two Mice Parable40:28 So What's Even The Point Of Consulting43:04 The Prestige Trap45:59 When She Knew She'd Picked The Wrong Path47:12 Pivot Now Or Tough It Out49:20 What Rejection Actually Teaches You1:01:00 How The Apple Opportunity Appeared1:03:00 Manufacturing Confidence In Interviews1:08:50  Product vs Project vs Program Manager1:13:50 Are You Cut Out to Be a PM1:20:39 What She'd Tell Her Freshman Self1:23:39 Outro

    1hr 24min

  4. 15 MAR

    The Quant Historian: Quant Is Dying! This Is What’s Next

    Most people have never heard of him. But he's built something that trades 24/7, got backed by YC and PG Angel, and walked away from one of the most secretive industries on earth to do it. Annanay pulls back the curtain on quant trading, the firms nobody talks about, why the golden era is ending, and exactly where the smartest people are moving next. If you're building a career in tech — this is required listening. Computer science students, new grads, and software engineers…want to land your dream software engineering job or internship? Click here 👉 https://www.amanmanazir.com/coaching/?utm_source=transistor&utm_medium=podcasts_description&utm_campaign=Annanay_Quant&video=Yasib76zRjE 🚀 Get my free Software Engineering Crash Course – https://www.amanmanazir.com/7dayengineer 🎧 Listen to all episodes of the Software Engineering Accelerator Podcast on YouTube: youtube.com/AmanManazir Listen to our new podcast, @TheEntropyShow: https://youtu.be/MDJQXbXPngg?si=vQqITmNzy3fhfcV1 I’m Aman Manazir, a career coach and software engineer. I interned at companies like Amazon, Shopify, and HP in college, and the day I graduated I landed a $168,000/year* full-time software engineering job. I help you make it as a computer science student & software engineer and get your dream job offer. 📄 Get my free resume template – https://www.amanmanazir.com/resume 🧠 Get my free LeetCode Roadmap – https://www.amanmanazir.com/leetcode 💌 Free weekly productivity insights/advice – https://amanmanazir.com/newsletter 📕 All my free Notion templates – https://www.amanmanazir.com/notion 📝 Sign up for Notion – https://affiliate.notion.so/2nh3pjr6l5l6 📷 Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/amanmanazir/ 🐦 Twitter – https://twitter.com/amanmanazir 👉 Annanay's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annanay-kapila?utm_source=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=member_ios — ⏱️ Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction01:35 UK vs US Ambition Culture03:20 Why Americans Embrace Risk09:30 Pulling Back the Quant Curtain13:25 HFT, Market Making, Quant Defined16:31 Software Engineering Accelerator17:23 History of Trading Explained22:50 Firms That Shaped the Industry27:35 Why Quant Upside Has Faded33:00 Signs an Industry Is Peaking40:08 Robotics Is the Next Wave44:04 Quantum Tech and Crypto's Future47:51 Free Resource to Kickstart Engineering Journey48:23 Advice for Young CS Grads52:11 Losing Half a Million in 50ms52:38 Lessons From a Costly Bug1:00:24The Prestige Trap in Tech1:03:26 The SF Secondary Playbook1:06:30 Will the VC Bubble Last1:07:49 How to Actually Get Into YC1:11:24 What Would I Tell My Younger Self1:16:11 Outro

    1hr 17min

  5. 24 FEB

    Tesla AI Recruiter Exposes Why Most Engineers Will Fail the AI Pivot

    Today I sit down with Ben Chen: a former Tesla AI recruiter who helped build the Optimus robotics team and has seen thousands of engineering applications from the inside. We break down why the job market is cooked for some but wide open for others, how ATS systems actually work, the GPA scam no one talks about, and the exact psychological game most candidates don't know they're losing. If you're a CS student or software engineer trying to land your dream job in 2026, this is a must-listen. Computer science students, new grads, and software engineers who want to work with a former Tesla AI Recruiter to break into AI in 2026 👉 Apply here:  https://www.amanmanazir.com/coaching/?utm_source=transistor&utm_medium=podcasts_description&utm_campaign=TeslaRecruiter_Ben&video=GjH2rbMm7tA 🚨 Enroll by March 15th to join a LIVE workshop where he’ll break down what actually gets you hired in AI — the resume signals that matter, the projects that stand out, and the fastest path to pivot. 🚀 Get my free Software Engineering Crash Course – https://www.amanmanazir.com/7dayengineer 🎧 Listen to all episodes of the Software Engineering Accelerator Podcast on YouTube: youtube.com/AmanManazir Listen to our new podcast, @TheEntropyShow: https://youtu.be/MDJQXbXPngg?si=vQqITmNzy3fhfcV1 I’m Aman Manazir, a career coach and software engineer. I interned at companies like Amazon, Shopify, and HP in college, and the day I graduated I landed a $168,000/year* full-time software engineering job. I help you make it as a computer science student & software engineer and get your dream job offer. 📄 Get my free resume template – https://www.amanmanazir.com/resume 🧠 Get my free LeetCode Roadmap – https://www.amanmanazir.com/leetcode 💌 Free weekly productivity insights/advice – https://amanmanazir.com/newsletter 📕 All my free Notion templates – https://www.amanmanazir.com/notion 📝 Sign up for Notion – https://affiliate.notion.so/2nh3pjr6l5l6 📷 Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/amanmanazir/ 🐦 Twitter – https://twitter.com/amanmanazir — ⏱️ Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction & Tesla Optimus Origin Story05:19 Building the Optimus Team From Scratch06:11 Is the Job Market Actually Cooked?07:46 Why Companies Stopped Training Junior Engineers08:39 How Juniors Can Still Break In10:19 Job Hopping: Meta or Career Killer?13:47 What Universities Don't Teach You17:46 The 3.2 GPA Student Fastest Path18:57 Why GPA Is a Scam21:43 Should You Even Chase a 4.0?22:44 2026 Hiring Summarized in One Sentence24:45 The Truth About ATS & AI Rejection26:28 How Keywords Hurt More Than Help27:23 How to Break Into AI in 2026  (Live Workshop With a Tesla AI Recruiter)34:14 The Psychological Game Candidates Miss36:14 How to Show You Actually Want the Job37:07 Winning a System That Isn't Fair40:55 First Date Mistakes in Interviews41:50 Compensation Conversations That Kill Offers45:05 What a Real AI Pivot Actually Looks Like46:28 Specialists vs Generalists in AI Hiring47:19 Actionable Steps to Break Into AI48:09 What Signals AI Competence to Recruiters48:40 Building a Network From Zero49:45 Best Cold Outreach That Actually Works52:21 What Recruiters Actually Want53:19 Biggest Mistake at the Offer Finish Line55:37 Salary Negotiation Hacks That Work

    58 min

  6. 5 FEB

    AI Agents Expert: How Every Software Engineer Can Make $20k/Month Passively!

    Today I sit down with Ritesh: a former Capital One engineer who made $180K from side hustles as a CS student—more than his six-figure salary. We break down how he built profitable AI agents, landed a $15K client from one Reddit post, and the exact 30-day blueprint any CS student can follow. We also unpack his Reddit marketing system, the minimal-code tech stack he uses, why he quit after Amazon cut 30K jobs, and whether the AI agents space is a bubble. If you're a software engineer or CS student looking to build recession-proof income before layoffs hit, this is a must-listen. Computer science students, new grads, and software engineers…want to land your dream software engineering job or internship? Click here 👉 https://www.amanmanazir.com/coaching/?utm_source=transistor&utm_medium=podcasts_description&utm_campaign=Ritesh_AIAgent&video=hU83uz1h0z4 🚀 Get my free Software Engineering Crash Course – https://www.amanmanazir.com/7dayengineer 🎧 Listen to all episodes of the Software Engineering Accelerator Podcast on YouTube: youtube.com/AmanManazir Listen to our new podcast, @TheEntropyShow: https://youtu.be/MDJQXbXPngg?si=vQqITmNzy3fhfcV1 I’m Aman Manazir, a career coach and software engineer. I interned at companies like Amazon, Shopify, and HP in college, and the day I graduated I landed a $168,000/year* full-time software engineering job. I help you make it as a computer science student & software engineer and get your dream job offer. 📄 Get my free resume template – https://www.amanmanazir.com/resume 🧠 Get my free LeetCode Roadmap – https://www.amanmanazir.com/leetcode 💌 Free weekly productivity insights/advice – https://amanmanazir.com/newsletter 📕 All my free Notion templates – https://www.amanmanazir.com/notion 📝 Sign up for Notion – https://affiliate.notion.so/2nh3pjr6l5l6 📷 Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/amanmanazir/ 🐦 Twitter – https://twitter.com/amanmanazir 👉 Ritesh's YouTube: https://youtube.com/@rkumarv?si=x69yN285NFW5fNPi👉 Ritesh's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/riteshkv_?igsh=MWdwbG1nYng2ZzdraQ== — ⏱️ Timestamps:00:00 Introduction 01:35 Side Hustles Beat Six Figures03:53 Building YouTube Automation Business04:33 Traditional CS Path at University of Maryland06:16 First Big Contract: $25K Web App07:24 Viral Checkout Bot Video Success09:51 Making Six Figures with Bots10:01Bots vs Agents14:41 Defining Modern AI Agents15:50 Why CS Students Have Huge Advantage17:45 Software Engineering Accelerator18:38 First AI Chatbot Sale: $1,25021:10 Building First Profitable Agent in 30 Days23:33 Friends Laid Off Once or Twice26:35 Amazon Cuts 30K Jobs, Layoffs Worsening27:23 Anyone Can Build Profitable AI Agents30:50 Reddit Marketing: $15K Client One Post33:50 Reddit Strategy: No Calls to Action35:29 Everything You Need to Kickstart Your SWE Career36:00 Common Mistakes on Reddit38:16 Platforms to Learn Automations39:28 Biggest Mistake: Copying Exact Replica41:13 Creating Concepts From Ideas Over Copying42:14 How Much Work Is Actually Passive?43:58 Are We in an AI Bubble?45:44 Entrepreneurship is the Better Route 47:07 Personal Brand = 60-70% of Success49:27 Always Find Out Target Demographic 51:35 Documenting Your Personal Brand 52:51 Why I Left My Six Figure Job55:43 Nine-to-Five Not Safe Anymore56:35 Building Business Alongside Full Time Job57:45 It's All Mindset and Limiting Beliefs59:43 Where to Connect With Ritesh 1:00:00 Outro

    1hr 1min

  7. 21 JAN

    Oracle Senior Software Engineer: The US Job Market is F*cked!

    Today I sit down with Shreyas Kulkarni: a Senior Software Engineer at Oracle who came from India and turned his US Master's into a $10K profit instead of debt. We break down how he paid just $12K total through TA hacks, his LinkedIn spam strategy for referrals, and the interview system that got him through 80-100+ interviews at Netflix, Meta, Amazon, and Google—including Meta's brand-new AI coding round. We also unpack the promotion framework that got him to $300-400K by 27, why layoffs are now algorithmic, and whether the US is still worth it for international students in 2025. If you're breaking into tech or navigating the brutal new economy as an international student, this is a must-listen. Computer science students, new grads, and software engineers…want to land your dream software engineering job or internship? Click here 👉  https://www.amanmanazir.com/coaching/?utm_source=transistor&utm_medium=podcasts_description&utm_campaign=Shreyas_Oracle&video=jY9_37WJFt4 🚀 Get my free Software Engineering Crash Course – https://www.amanmanazir.com/7dayengineer 🎧 Listen to all episodes of the Software Engineering Accelerator Podcast on YouTube: youtube.com/AmanManazir Listen to our new podcast, @TheEntropyShow: https://youtu.be/MDJQXbXPngg?si=vQqITmNzy3fhfcV1 I’m Aman Manazir, a career coach and software engineer. I interned at companies like Amazon, Shopify, and HP in college, and the day I graduated I landed a $168,000/year* full-time software engineering job. I help you make it as a computer science student & software engineer and get your dream job offer. 📄 Get my free resume template – https://www.amanmanazir.com/resume 🧠 Get my free LeetCode Roadmap – https://www.amanmanazir.com/leetcode 💌 Free weekly productivity insights/advice – https://amanmanazir.com/newsletter 📕 All my free Notion templates – https://www.amanmanazir.com/notion 📝 Sign up for Notion – https://affiliate.notion.so/2nh3pjr6l5l6 📷 Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/amanmanazir/ 🐦 Twitter – https://twitter.com/amanmanazir — ⏱️ Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction01:30 Why Come to the US for a Master's?03:04 India's Brutal Competition for CS Students05:03 Dream Salary in India: $12K Per Year07:18 Why People Stay in India vs Leave08:34 The Real Cost of US Universities10:58 How I Paid Almost Nothing for My Master's12:23 Why I Chose SJSU Over Brand Name Schools15:54 I Graduated Net Positive With Money Earned17:17 Should You Go Private or Public University?21:22 Getting 5+ Internship Offers: The Strategy22:16 Resume Hacks That Actually Get You Interviews25:22 LeetCode Addiction and Interview Prep Reality26:16 Oracle Internship: $30K in 10 Weeks28:16 Did I Get a Return Offer?28:00 Spoon-Feeding Interviewers What to Write About You31:10 I've Done 80–100+ Tech Interviews31:13 What's Actually Changing in 2025 Interviews34:00 Meta's New AI-Enabled Coding Round Explained36:45 Why I Keep Interviewing Even With a Job39:13 Interview Seasons and Strategic Timing40:00 The New Economy: 15% of Engineers on PIPs42:25 Layoffs Are Algorithmic Now—No One's Safe44:36 7-Day Prep Plan for a Meta Interview45:58 7-Day Free Prep to 10x Your Journey46:29 My LeetCode Addiction Story48:45 LeetCode Tips: Volume Over Quality51:53 LinkedIn Spam Strategy for Getting Referrals54:03 Don't Build Fake Relationships for Referrals57:40 My Current TC at Oracle: $300–400K58:10 How I Got Promoted in Just Two Years1:00:56 Is It Still Worth Coming to the US Today?1:02:52 H-1B Rules and What's Actually Changed1:02:47 Life in the US: Ferraris, Planes, and 10 Countries1:05:40 SF vs New York: Which City Is Better?1:07:10 Why Everyone Moves From SF to New York1:08:15 New York's Energy vs SF's Tech Bubble1:12:33 Outro

    1hr 13min

  8. 17 JAN

    Meta Software Engineer: “Didn't Study CS, Still Made $500k/Year!”

    Today I sit down with Ray: a former Meta software engineer who went from pre-med with a failing AP Comp Sci score to making $500K a year. We break down how he landed tech internships without a CS degree, used referrals to get offers from Google, Amazon, and Uber, and built an interview system after getting rejected by Microsoft. We also unpack why you don't need full software skills to get hired at big tech, his LeetCode strategy, and why he walked away from $500K to pursue startups and content in his 20s. If you're breaking into tech or questioning the 9-to-5, this episode is a must-listen. Computer science students, new grads, and software engineers…want to land your dream software engineering job or internship? Click here 👉  https://www.amanmanazir.com/coaching/?utm_source=transistor&utm_medium=podcasts_description&utm_campaign=Rui_MetaSWE&video=h3td0TPxZAc 🚀 Get my free Software Engineering Crash Course – https://www.amanmanazir.com/7dayengineer 🎧 Listen to all episodes of the Software Engineering Accelerator Podcast on YouTube: youtube.com/AmanManazir Listen to our new podcast, @TheEntropyShow: https://youtu.be/MDJQXbXPngg?si=vQqITmNzy3fhfcV1 I’m Aman Manazir, a career coach and software engineer. I interned at companies like Amazon, Shopify, and HP in college, and the day I graduated I landed a $168,000/year* full-time software engineering job. I help you make it as a computer science student & software engineer and get your dream job offer. 📄 Get my free resume template – https://www.amanmanazir.com/resume 🧠 Get my free LeetCode Roadmap – https://www.amanmanazir.com/leetcode 💌 Free weekly productivity insights/advice – https://amanmanazir.com/newsletter 📕 All my free Notion templates – https://www.amanmanazir.com/notion 📝 Sign up for Notion – https://affiliate.notion.so/2nh3pjr6l5l6 📷 Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/amanmanazir/ 🐦 Twitter – https://twitter.com/amanmanazir 👉 Rui's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/raycfu?igsh=MWpvM3JwMDV2dWxhMA==👉 Rui's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fuchengrui?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app — ⏱️ Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction02:15 From Pre-Med to Computer Science05:51 Landing Nordstrom Without CS Background07:23 Exploring Different Career Paths10:59 Getting Quant Trading Internship Offers12:00 Microsoft Rejection to Multiple Offers14:35 Learning from the Microsoft Failure16:16 How to Get Interviews at Top Companies20:12 You Don't Need Full Software Skills21:37 The Power of Stubborn Problem Solving23:27 My LeetCode System and Strategy24:37 Is LeetCode Dying with AI25:18 LeetCode as IQ Test for Engineers28:56 System Design Matters More Than LeetCode29:51 What Recruiters See in Six Seconds32:00 Choosing Meta Over Google and Lyft33:55 Starting Salary at Meta36:17 $52 to $40K in My Bank Account37:04 When Facebook Became Meta40:05 Daily Life Inside Meta42:31 Why Tech Companies Give These Benefits45:14 Free Asset to 10x your Engineering Journey45:42 Meeting Mark Zuckerberg as Intern46:42 How to Get Promoted at Meta50:33 Fast Promotions vs Stuck Engineers51:45 Watching Layoffs Happen Around Me52:50 Seeing AI Used in Interviews56:01 Will There Be Fewer Engineers57:09 Staying Relevant in AI Era59:05 Meta Stock Going to the Moon59:48 Why I Left $500K at Meta1:05:00 The Next Chapter: Startup and Content1:06:40 Where to Find Rui1:07:50 Outro

    1hr 9min
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About

Aman Manazir is a software engineer who's worked at companies like Amazon and Shopify. In the Software Engineering Accelerator Podcast, he interviews successful engineers to break down strategies and tools they used to land their dream jobs. In addition, Aman focuses on helping listeners improve their lives through topics in entrepreneurship, self-improvement, and technology.

Information

  • Creator
    Aman Manazir
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    22
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Aman Manazir
  • Show Website
    SWE Accelerator Podcast

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