Chan with a Plan Max Chan

EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan with a Plan, Max Speaks with Xue Hua, software engineer in tech and Chief Tech Officer at Boba Talks.During this conversation Xue discusses her journey to getting her job in tech, overcoming obstacles, and preparing for tech company interviews.
QUOTES FROM XUE
“You'll feel like you're doing everything right, but you're still not landing an offer. It really depends on your learning style. Programming is an iterative process, so they just gave me the project. I didn't have to ask. I wasn't expecting it, and it was a big decision.”
“It really depends on your learning style. I've had people learn from books. I've had people learn from Udemy videos. I've had people learn from practicing it.”
“They saw that on my resume I had that freelance thing and that really set me apart from the other candidates because they had a problem with their current website or their current management system, and they needed somebody who understood how to make websites or applications. So that really helped me stand apart.”
 
TIMESTAMPS
[01:12] Xue’s educational background
[04:39] Difficulties in learning multiple coding languages
[07:38] Resources for learning to code
[09:56] Using internships and co-ops to help your career path
[11:22] Preparing for first interviews
[13:28] Gaining additional experience through projects in your job
[16:20] Learning lessons when overcoming job search obstacles
[19:07] Lacking the experience needed
[20:35] Improving interview skills
[24:45] Pivoting in your career
[28:48] Tips for getting into top tech companies
[33:37] Balancing offers while you wait for others
[36:42] Culture shock
[41:59] One big career challenge Xue had to overcame
 
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
Xue Hua on Social Media:LinkedIn

Chan With A Plan
Max Chan on Social Media

EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan with a Plan, Max discusses 7 signs that you’re about to get fired, ranging from changes in your workload and responsibilities to negative feedback from your manager.
By identifying these warning signs, Max aims to empower listeners with the knowledge and awareness to take proactive steps to safeguard their employment and career prospects. 
TIMESTAMPS
[00:43] Getting laid off vs Getting fired
[01:31] Formal warnings
[02:06] Not getting new tasks or responsibilities
[02:38] Being asked to train someone for your position
[03:25] Manager is documenting your mistakes and performance issues
[03:50] Manager puts you under a microscope
[04:19] Getting targets that are impossible to hit
[04:42] You get denied a bonus or salary increase
[05:33] Summary
 
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
Chan With A Plan
Max Chan on Social Media

EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan with a Plan, Max Speaks with Mikey Styles, entrepreneur, barber, and creative director at Status Barbershop.In this conversation Mikey discusses his entrepreneurial journey, how he got into being a barber, and he gives us a look into the hair business.
QUOTES FROM MIKEY
“It was a big process. It started as a hobby. Like I said earlier, do the right thing from the beginning. If you want to talk a lot, if you want to relax, if you want to kind of just chill, you go to a specific barber to enjoy yourself. What I would say is when people leave, it's because the barber shop was toxic.”
“My industry is hair care, barbering, beauty, making men feel like themselves. Confident. Take over the world vibes.”
“I have a strategy for anyone that has a problem with walk-ins because, there's obviously no one to take care of them. Hire someone that doesn't have a lot of clientele and that's willing to be in the business and understand this is predominantly what you're going to do in the business is when you get started there's a lot of kids cuts. That's what I did. That's what I know a lot of barbers.”
 
TIMESTAMPS
[02:07] Insights to owning a business
[03:12] Finding his career as a barber
[08:58] Navigating COVID
[14:40] Location, location, location
[17:10] Business traffic
[21:40] Balding and losing hair, how to approach difficult conversations
[26:01] Hiring processes
[28:50] Coming up with a business name
[31:55] Pivoting in the market
[37:58] Running the show for himself
[43:25] What makes new barbers quit
[47:02] Brand building strategies
[52:33] Over delivering
[56:10] Pay structure
[01:00:43] Future business goals
[01:04:15] One big career challenge
 
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
Mikey Styles on Social Media:
Instagram
LinkedIn

Chan With A Plan
Max Chan on Social Media

EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan with a Plan, Max discusses about working with toxic coworkers. Key points he discusses in this episode are 7 common behaviors of toxic coworkers and 7 strategies to deal with toxic coworkers.
TIMESTAMPS
[00:38] Can’t choose who you work with
[01:13] Constantly gossiping
[01:19] Refusing to take responsibility
[01:31] Taking credit for work of others
[01:40] Always negative
[01:46] Overly critical
[01:53] Too demanding
[02:00] Passive-aggressive behavior
[02:55] Avoid gossiping
[03:10] Less time spent with these individuals
[03:36] Document negative incidents
[03:53] Don’t take it personally
[04:17] Stay calm
[04:31] Confront the toxic person
[05:04] Keep a positive attitude
 
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
Chan With A Plan
Max Chan on Social Media

EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan with a Plan, Max Speaks with Chrisa Z Boyce, Executive Coach and Consultant.In this conversation Chrisa discusses how to improve your relationship with time and get more done.
QUOTES FROM CHRISA
“Keeping in mind that there is a spiritual or emotional component to that. So really being in charge of your energy going into something begrudgingly is just going to make the experience suck for you, not just for everybody else.”
“People usually perceive time as if time is their enemy. I do believe I work better under pressure. We tend to not disappoint other people. We all need certain steps to our day, especially when you are starting off in a new relationship, giving yourself an incentive. Human beings don't really understand the impact of their behavior, like, get over it.”
“What ends up happening is because human beings are social animals and we don't want to let other people down and we care about not being embarrassed or humiliated or looking bad, or failing in some way, we tend to not want to disappoint other people. So, procrastinators, we'll get everything in at the 11th hour, especially if we're working on a team or working with colleagues. We're not going to disappoint our colleague and not get something in.”
 
TIMESTAMPS
[01:27] Chrisa’s journey
[03:51] Bad relationships with time
[06:07] Staying motivated with distant deadlines
[12:20] Set good time boundaries
[14:34] Prioritizing your time
[17:09] Pleasing others versus doing things for you
[20:47] Balancing the pleasurable versus non pleasurable tasks
[25:22] Ditching the scarcity mindset
[31:09] See results from your new habits
[35:51] Relationship with time past and present
[40:55] Overcoming career change fear
[43:29] Take away piece of advice to make the move
[46:16] Chrisa’s big career challenge and how she overcame
 
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
Chrisa Z Boyce on Social Media:
Website
LinkedIn

Chan With A Plan
Max Chan on Social Media

EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan with a Plan, Max discusses about job applications for entry level positions, stating why they aren't really entry level. Key points he discusses in this episode are the truth about “entry level” jobs, 7 reasons why entry level jobs aren’t truly entry level, and how to better your chances to get that first entry level job and begin your career in your desired field. 
TIMESTAMPS
[00:38] Max’s job search reality
[01:55] Job market competition
[02:29] Industry knowledge
[02:59] Technology skills
[03:43] Previous work shows strong work ethic
[04:15] Company culture
[05:00] Reducing training costs
[05:43] Reducing risk
[06:20] Summary
 
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
Chan With A Plan
Max Chan on Social Media