Out of Office with Sundas

Sundas Khalid
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Out of Office with Sundas is a tech & AI podcast about how modern technology is built, scaled, and led. Featuring practical lessons from CEOs, founders, executives and technical leaders. Hosted by Sundas Khalid, a former principal data scientist and tech leader at Google and Amazon, the show features conversations with tech & AI executives, CEOs, founders, engineers, scientists, and tech leaders shaping the industry, Topics: AI systems and infrastructure, building and scaling technology, technical leadership, and careers in the AI era.

  1. Aug 28

    How to Get Ahead of 99% Engineers

    In this episode of Out of Office with Sundas, I sat down with Sajjaad Khader to talk about how engineers can stand out and accelerate their careers. We discuss his software engineering salary progression, how he earned two computer science degrees in three years, what separates the top 1% of engineers, and the AI tools developers should know.

    How to Get Ahead of 99% Engineers

  2. Aug 28

    What It Takes to Be a $300K Cloud Engineer

    In this episode of Out of Office with Sundas, I sat down with Linda Haviv to talk about her journey from software engineering to cloud engineering. We discuss the differences between software and cloud roles, what cloud computing actually means, a practical cloud engineer roadmap, and the AI tools developers are using at work.

    What It Takes to Be a $300K Cloud Engineer

  3. Aug 28

    Is a CS Degree Still Worth It? An Ex-Google Engineer Explains

    In this episode of Out of Office with Sundas, I sat down with former Google engineer Delia Lazarescu to discuss whether a computer science degree is still worth it in the age of AI. We talk about life after Google, the value of CS fundamentals, how engineering roles are changing, and the AI tools she uses to work more effectively.

    Is a CS Degree Still Worth It? An Ex-Google Engineer Explains

  4. Aug 28

    Is Big Tech a Trap? Why She Quit Her $200K Software Engineering Job

    In this episode of Out of Office with Sundas, I sat down with Pooja Dutt to talk about why she left her remote $200,000 software engineering job at Microsoft. We discuss burnout, the tradeoffs behind leaving Big Tech, what she learned from applying to 25 jobs, and how engineers can stand out in a difficult job market.

    Is Big Tech a Trap? Why She Quit Her $200K Software Engineering Job

  5. Aug 28

    How She Got $300,000 Software Engineer Job at Google

    In this episode of Out of Office with Sundas, I sat down with Maddy Zhang to talk about her journey to a $300,000 software engineering role at Google, including school, internships, and Leetcode. Maddy also shares how she prepared for coding interviews and uses AI in her day-to-day work.

    How She Got $300,000 Software Engineer Job at Google

  6. Aug 27

    LinkedIn VP: The Career Move to Make Before 2027 (YOUR NEXT MOVE)

    In this episode of Out of Office with Sundas, I sat down with Paolo Provinciali, VP of Marketing at LinkedIn, to discuss what’s really happening inside Big Tech. We talked about ROI, revenue per employee, at different big tech and how that has evolved since the AI became mainstream. It was pretty surprising to see how Netflix's ROI per employee is the highest compared to the rest of the big tech. We also discussed building a career in the age of AI, using data to make better decisions, and why having your own point of view matters. What’s your biggest takeaway from this conversation?

    LinkedIn VP: The Career Move to Make Before 2027 (YOUR NEXT MOVE)

  7. Aug 27

    Snowflake VP: AI Still Can’t Replace Engineers

    In this episode of Out of Office with Sundas, I sat down with Baris Gultekin, VP of AI at, who's been building AI longer than most people knew what it was. He walked me through his time at Google, how he ended up leading AI at Snowflake, and why he thinks what's happening right now is still just the beginning. We talked about how AI is reshaping every job, why judgment matters more than technical skills now, and what it looks like when AI becomes your chief of staff. What are your thoughts on the future of AI?

    Snowflake VP: AI Still Can’t Replace Engineers

  8. Aug 27

    Data Scientist: I was FIRED and STILL made $600K

    In today's episode of Out of Office with Sundas, I sat down with Megan Lieu, an ex data scientist who made $600K last year. She walked me through getting laid off, rushing into the wrong job, burning out hard within 6 months, and ultimately getting fired.

    Data Scientist: I was FIRED and STILL made $600K
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About

Out of Office with Sundas is a tech & AI podcast about how modern technology is built, scaled, and led. Featuring practical lessons from CEOs, founders, executives and technical leaders. Hosted by Sundas Khalid, a former principal data scientist and tech leader at Google and Amazon, the show features conversations with tech & AI executives, CEOs, founders, engineers, scientists, and tech leaders shaping the industry, Topics: AI systems and infrastructure, building and scaling technology, technical leadership, and careers in the AI era.

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