Suggestions
Brian Jenney
I help developers with 0-2 years experience learn the JS that's holding them back
Professional Background
Brian Jenney is a seasoned engineering professional with a wealth of experience in software development and career coaching. He has dedicated his career to helping aspiring developers and seasoned professionals ramp up their skills, improve their job search strategies, and successfully navigate the interview process. With a comprehensive understanding of the tech industry, Brian has worked with dozens of developers, helping them refine their approaches to coding, unit testing, and project development. His passion for education and mentorship shines through his personalized approach, where he takes on a limited number of one-on-one clients each year to ensure tailored guidance and support.
Career Overview
Brian has built an impressive career in tech, holding numerous significant positions that demonstrate his expertise and commitment to the field. He is currently serving as an Engineering Manager at The Clorox Company, where he has transitioned from a Senior Software Engineer role to overseeing engineering processes and team dynamics. His experience at The Clorox Company is complemented by a previous tenure as a Senior Software Engineer at Zignal Labs, where he contributed to developing cutting-edge software solutions.
Brian's journey also includes vital roles that have shaped his mentoring approach. He began his career as a Software Engineer at Terminal 49 and played a pivotal role at Micasa as a Co-Founder and Lead Fullstack Developer, forging his path as a tech entrepreneur. His experience extends to supporting education in tech as a Web Development Instructional Teaching Assistant at UC Berkeley Extension and as a Lead Front End Development Mentor at Codify Academy, where he nurtured the next generation of developers.
Education and Achievements
Brian's educational background lays a solid foundation for his successful career in tech. He earned a Bachelor's degree in American/United States Studies/Civilization from Occidental College, providing him with a diverse perspective and critical thinking skills essential in today’s complex technological landscape. He also honed his programming skills at App Academy, completing an intensive software engineering curriculum that fortified his technical abilities and prepared him for various challenges in the field.
Beyond traditional education, Brian continuously seeks professional development opportunities, often equipping himself with the latest trends and practices in software development. This commitment to lifelong learning not only enhances his skills but also enriches the coaching experience he provides to his clients.
Notable Achievements
Throughout his career, Brian has achieved numerous milestones that set him apart as a leader in the software engineering community. At The Clorox Company, he has effectively led teams of developers, delivering innovative software solutions that cater to the company’s needs. His proactive approach and ability to foster collaboration among team members have played a crucial role in achieving project goals and enhancing overall productivity.
Brian has also made significant contributions during his time at Zignal Labs, where he worked on transformative projects that utilized data and technology to impact decision-making processes. This blend of technical prowess and strategic insight continues to serve his clients well as they strive to stand out in competitive job markets.
Brian’s work through courses and workshops further exemplifies his dedication to empowering the next generation of developers. His course, "Learn Unit Testing for JS Developers," serves as a fantastic resource for budding developers seeking to enhance their skills in writing robust code. Additionally, "Not Another Course" provides an engaging platform for students to explore hands-on coding projects, reinforcing the skills necessary for securing their first roles in the tech industry.
With a well-rounded background that merges software development expertise with an unwavering passion for teaching, Brian has made a lasting impact on those he has mentored. He encourages developers to embrace challenges and continue learning long after they’ve landed their desired positions.
Achievements
- Development of innovative engineering practices at The Clorox Company, leading to improved team performance and project outcomes.
- Co-founder of a successful startup, Micasa, demonstrating entrepreneurial spirit and leadership in the tech industry.
- Extensive experience mentoring students and junior developers, equipping them with the necessary skills to succeed.
- Creation of high-impact educational courses aimed at enhancing technical skills among developers.
- Strong collaboration with various tech organizations to promote developer education and skill acquisition.
- Recognition from peers and industry leaders for contributions to software engineering and teaching.
Brian Jenney stands out not only for his impressive
Highlights
Eat / code / sleep is not a process for progress, it’s a recipe for burnout.
I’ve seen some of you trying out this method and I’ve yet to see it work.
Hell, I tried it myself.
It led to:
- anxiety
- less enthusiasm for my work
- decreased quality of thought
Counter-intuitively, the more I tried to cram in material or optimize my schedule, the less progress I was making.
It was frustrating.
For me, having a non-negotiable work out routine forced me to detach from work.
Few things can interrupt my workout besides a sick kid or a critical bug at work.
This is where I clear my mind and often where I come up with my best ideas.
Getting in shape was honestly a side effect of this routine and perhaps the best “hack” I’ve discovered for keeping me sane in a fairly stressful occupation.
I became an engineering manager a couple years ago and I’ve seen all your resumes.
They go something like this:
- “𝘗𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘴𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘤𝘰𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵 𝘳𝘰𝘭𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘦𝘤𝘩”
- “𝘉𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 [𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨] 𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 [𝘵𝘦𝘤𝘩𝘯𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘺]”
- Github link to site that I put in mobile view immediately. And it breaks 😅
Last week, some members of the Not Another Course community (link in profile 😉) and I pair programmed one member’s resume.
He got an interview the next week.
𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲’𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗧𝗟𝗗𝗥;
- 𝗱𝗲-𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗸 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳 - no one wants to take a chance on someone and recruiters have even less incentive to do so. Sell yourself as a developer. Remove junior. Remove aspiring.
- 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲 - [role] on [x] with [y] which led to [z] - “led development on unit testing suite using Jest and React-Testing-Library which led to increased stability for code releases and a 50% decrease in bugs”
- 𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗯𝗼𝗹𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝘀𝘁𝘂𝗳𝗳 - it’s easy to gloss over a resume when you have 100 to go through so lead their eyes where you want them to go
- 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝗱𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗸𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗲𝗲 - if you don’t have one then build one or just don’t add it. The risk is higher than the reward in many cases
- 𝗮𝗱𝗱 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗿𝗸 - a little humor can go a long way and can make you stand out in a sea of resumes that sounds basically the same
There’s more for sure but this should improve 99% of the resumes I’ve come across.
