In this episode of The Programming Podcast, Danny Thompson (Director of Technology at This Dot Labs) and Leon Noel (Managing Director of Engineering for Resilient Coders & Founder of 100 Devs) explain why the old days of “just apply online and hope” are gone. They break down how local networking opens doors, what your portfolio should really showcase (hint: not just YouTube tutorials), and why you should highlight impact over tasks on your resume. If you’re feeling stuck or unsure about how to stand out among millions of devs, this conversation is for you.

Listen to The Programming Podcast on YouTube, Spotify, or anywhere else you listen to podcasts!

Spotify link

https://open.spotify.com/show/6d59PZ138KeoKfq5hoVvyQ

📧 Have ideas or questions for the show? Or are you a business that wants to talk business?

Email us at dannyandleonpodcast@gmail.com!

Danny Thompson

https://x.com/DThompsonDev

https://www.linkedin.com/in/DThompsonDev

CommitYourCode.Com

Leon Noel

https://x.com/leonnoel

https://www.linkedin.com/in/leonnoel/

https://100devs.org/

📧 Have ideas or questions for the show? Or are you a business that wants to talk business?

Email us at dannyandleonpodcast@gmail.com!

Chapters & Timestamps

0:00 Why Local Matters & Getting Started

1:02 Meet Danny & Leon

2:31 Training to Get Hired vs. Becoming a Problem Solver

3:53 Local Networking vs. Competing Globally

7:21 Playing the Hiring “Game”

8:55 Market Shifts & The End of Instant Hires

11:00 Building Projects That Show Real Value

14:17 Networking & Overcoming Self-Doubt

19:08 Leveraging Meetups & Standing Out

22:00 Transforming YouTube Tutorials into Original Work

26:41 Freelancing & Authentic Client Projects

28:39 Resume Tips: Highlighting Impact, Not Duties

33:40 Future Topics & Wrap-Up

How To Get Your First Job In Tech As A Software Developer - The Programming Podcast

The Programming Podcast