Evgeniya Chernaya

Nebraskans, as a California resident, I come with a message from the future: "Don't do it!" Legalization does 4 things: 1) It creates impossible barriers to "entry" for the existing, small time growers, paradoxically pushing them further underground (or out of their livelihoods altogether). 2) It ends up favoring the big players, which means you can expect cartels, human trafficking, and environmental destruction on a level you never imagined. 3) Tax revenue never actually materializes, and the ensuing "gold rush" means a labor drain from most other industries, along with a type of tourism absolutely nobody wants. 4) It transfers even more power and money out of the pockets of individuals, and into the pockets of the wealthy and government officials than they already had - and ends up widening the gap even further. I won't debate the associated social issues, since those tend to get explained away. But the point I'm making is, please take a moment to set aside the theoretical, and listen to the observations of someone who has first hand experience with legalization. Maybe even come visit my town and I'll take you on a tour of the closed businesses, the overfilled prisons, the labor shortages, and the growing homelessness that results from the type of systemic collapse that legalization inevitably leads to. Heed my advice, or don't. Remember, I'm speaking to you from just 8 years in the future - California passed prop 64 in 2016. And unfortunately, I'm here to report to you that it's not as bad as you've been told it could be - it's much worse. All the things the kill-joys are warning you about now have already come true for us here - on a scale not even they could have imagined. And none of the promises of legalization have materialized. It may be too late for us, but there is still time for you. PLEASE, don't make the same mistake we did. Vote NO on both initiatives. Your future selves will thank you.

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I know some software developers participate in the Advent of Code challenges at the end of the year which can be a fun way to learn a new programming language or hone your skills in ways that you might not get to flex in day-to-day development. If you aren't but are looking for a "winter break" sort of project, I propose that if you have never written a raw TCP client and server, that you try. Could be something simple like an echo server or maybe kick it up a notch to writing a chat server. Most jobs don't need that low of a level of socket programming anymore but I think writing something basic helps you appreciate what the abstractions that using a http or rest client gives you. I have used my knowledge of socket level programming professionally multiple times plus it really scored points when I was interviewing at a very well known company that recruits top talent when I was asked what I knew about networking and I countered with I needed more clarification on the question. Did the interviewer want physical/hardware knowledge, sockets/packet knowledge, or more application knowledge. The counter was asking me a little bit about all three. I could explain what my knowledge on all of those and what I likely didn't know/remember. The interviewer was impressed because he was used to candidates answering around the http protocol in relation to rest. Which helped because I lost some points in a couple of the other interviews. I'm not saying everything needs to be related to interviewing but part of our profession in constant learning. There is nothing that says it has to be the latest and greatest technologies. Diving a little deeper on the fundamentals is never wasted, in my opinion. #software #softwaredeveloper #softwareengineer

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When the Lights Go Out, the Learning Continues As the Puget Sound area faces power outages, I’ve taken the downtime as an opportunity to reflect and document my journey of learning system architecture. It’s a reminder of the importance of resilience—whether in systems or life. Here’s an article documenting key lessons and strategies I’ve gathered along the way. Welcome to any feedback 😀 #software engineer

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I’ve been thinking what I can bring to our community that’s not so popular, yet needed. We’ve got experts in C#, JS or even humor (yes Eric Zhu and James Mahy, I mean you two). Then I realized, it was in the back of my mind: Mindfulness, having a balance between technology and self-awareness. I’ve been struggling for years with video games, internet and social media addictions, sitting hours in front of screen mindlessly scrolling. Well, technically I still sit in front of a screen all day as a developer, but I work on my future (rather than wasting it as before) and have a vision, purpose. A more healthy relationship one could say. We make mistakes. Mistakes don’t make us. Back to the point. In our fast-paced digital world, it's easy to forget that life extends beyond pixels and lines of code. We should practice gratitude more often, appreciating the small things that enrich our lives. I wanna spread the knowledge on how to control the technology, make it a tool. Instead of letting it control us - as it once did me. Also, lessons and experiences from first 2 weeks of Headstarter coming soon.

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Software agents change coding. AI agents will build the same feature 10 times and select the best version. No limits, no guesswork—just optimized innovation. This is a radical new mindset: iterative, faster than ever, and powered by AI. 🚀 Nikita Shamgunov, CEO of Neon, is focused on the architecture of the future and creating for these next wave of agentic and code-gen applications powered by LLMs. A world where cost, infrastructure, and time barriers are tackled and AI agent development unleashes innovation at scale. The future of software development is parallel, not linear! And we'll need GenAI Friendly serverless database like Neon to make it possible. Watch the full episode to discover: - How serverless Postgres is enabling the next wave of AI-powered apps - Why "breadcrumbs" are crucial for AI agent systems - The architecture behind instant database branching 

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I once asked a lead engineer on Angular: Which is better: Angular or React? His response: "Both require good engineering to be effective." So, my developer friends, consider this a reminder that "frameworks" like Diátaxis are fine, but they still require good engineering--such as UX, information architecture, style, maintenance processes, and so on--to create great documentation experiences for your customers. Alas, the framework alone isn't enough.

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When was the last time that you solved problems for the fun of it? In today's world it's easy to lose your love for problem solving, especially now that copilot and gpt are probably doing most of the heavy lifting for you. Every December, I take part in "Advent Of Code", it's a fun event that has you solving simple to complex data/algo based problems. There is a new problem every day starting Dec 1. To participate, you only need basic knowledge of one programming language. If you wanna have a good time, just give it a shot, the rush and euphoria after hours of debugging is the best feeling ever! See you at 10:30AM on December 1! https://adventofcode.com #adventofcode

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Lately, I’ve received many requests for coffee chats about career advice. While I try to and love to help when I can, it’s becoming hard to keep up 😢 So here’s my general advice for early-career software engineers and students: First, pay attention. Every career, team, and industry is different. What are your goals? If you care about career growth, observe how promotions happen in your company and talk to your manager about your goals. Want to deepen your knowledge? Follow industry trends, podcasts, and articles. Looking to expand your network? Attend events and watch how others make connections. Unsure of your focus? Pay attention to what others prioritize and see what resonates with you. Some practical tips that worked for others 👇 To make a good impression: - Ask thoughtful questions and do your research before seeking help. When you need support, show what you’ve already tried and learned to demonstrate initiative. - Go above and beyond your tasks, whether by finishing work faster, adding extra tests, or exploring new ideas within the project. - Help your teammates by improving communication, bringing the right people into conversations, and organizing questions for mentors to minimize interruptions. To grow technically: - Seek constructive feedback, especially during code reviews, and apply it consistently to improve. - Set aside at least 10 minutes daily to dive deeper into the technologies you’re using. - Follow tech blogs, mailing lists, or podcasts that align with your interests, and use these to stay updated and inspired. - Share what you’ve learned, even if it feels small – your insights can be valuable to others, and no one starts as an expert. If you’re uncertain about your path: - This feeling is completely normal! Almost nobody has a clear direction early on. - Explore through job rotations, shadowing different teams, or trying out internships in varied roles.  - Talk to professionals across industries to get an accurate understanding of what their roles involve. For example, many students fear they’re not fit for software engineering because they don’t enjoy leetcode. But leetcode is not a perfect representation of what you’ll do daily in software engineering. What else would you add to this list? --------------------------------------------- I am a software engineer and mentor, dedicated to helping international students and early career professionals not only survive but thrive in tech. ☀️ You can book a call with me or join my mailing list through my profile.

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I'm planning on hosting my DS&A sessions at NYC Coders (https://lnkd.in/eGjBae2z) from January. These will be free to attend. If you know of any spaces that can host ~40-50 people, please leave a comment or reach out to me. We usually do a lecture with 1-2 pair programming sessions. These are the sessions I'm planning on hosting: 1. Array Patterns 1 2. Array Patterns 2 3. Recursion 4. Backtracking 5. Linked Lists 6. Hash Map 7. Stacks & Queues 8. Binary Tree Traversals 9. Sorting Algorithms 1 10. Sorting Algorithms 2 11. Graphs 1 - structures and representations 12. Graphs 2 - BFS and DFS traversals 13. Graphs 3 - Connected components, cycles, bipartition 14. Graphs 4 - Cycle detection in DAG, topological sort 15. Dynamic Programming 1 16. Dynamic Programming 2

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To all my friends currently interviewing for Software Engineer positions Here are some tips on how to 🔨 it 1. Master the basics. Don’t overcomplicate things. Unless you’re up against a particularly challenging interviewer, you’ll likely encounter a LeetCode Medium question. 2. Create a solid study plan. Compile a list of LeetCode problems to tackle—aim for 75 Blind or follow my curated list of problems, ranging from easy to medium. (DM me or drop a comment) 3. Be mindful of your communication. Avoid talking just for the sake of it, match your interviewer's ✨ vibes ✨

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To all my friends currently interviewing for Software Engineer positions Here are some tips on how to 🔨 it 1. Master the basics. Don’t overcomplicate things. Unless you’re up against a particularly challenging interviewer, you’ll likely encounter a LeetCode Medium question. 2. Create a solid study plan. Compile a list of LeetCode problems to tackle—aim for 75 Blind or follow my curated list of problems, ranging from easy to medium. (DM me or drop a comment) 3. Be mindful of your communication. Avoid talking just for the sake of it, match your interviewer's ✨ vibes ✨

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Honored to receive recognition for my evaluation of GitHub Copilot and RAG approach for writing unit test cases. 📜 Each tool brings its own unique strengths to the table, proving that there’s no one-size-fits-all solution in tech.💡 #TechInnovation #GitHubCopilot #RAGApproach #ContinuousLearning

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📍 Resume Tip: The Tale of Two Portlands Ever been rejected for a job because they thought you lived in the wrong Portland? Chances are yes!! Here's why you MUST include your FULL location (City, State) on your resume always: 1. Name Twins: Many cities in the US and across share the same name. Don't leave recruiters guessing. 2. Remote/Hybrid roles: These roles often have location requirements and constraints that require you to be in the same city or state. 3. ATS Gotchas: Applicant Tracking Systems might filter you out based on incomplete location info. Don't let an algorithm decide your fate. 4. Relocation Concerns: Recruiters may assume you need relocation if your location is incomplete. 🚀 Pro Tip: This applies to your LinkedIn profile too! Double-check your location details now. Don't let an opportunity slip away due to a simple location misunderstanding! Don't let a simple location misunderstanding cost you your next big opportunity. Take 2 minutes right now to review your resume and LinkedIn profile. Is your location crystal clear? 📣 If you found this helpful, hit that 'Like' button and give it a share. Let's help job seekers everywhere land their dream roles! 🔔 Follow Mahati V Singh🌟 for more insider tips on tech careers, job searching, interviewing, AI, and entrepreneurship. #jobsearch #resume #Linkedin #careers #jobseekers

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Recently, I was asked at an event how I foster innovation and collaboration in my organization. That question got me thinking about the various strategies I've used throughout my career as an engineering leader to build an environment where creativity and teamwork thrive. It reminded me that fostering a culture of innovation doesn’t just happen overnight—it's a result of intentional actions and leadership decisions that prioritize psychological safety, open communication, and continuous learning. In reflecting on this, I've captured some of those strategies in a new blog post. From creating opportunities for cross-team collaboration to establishing a framework for feedback and experimentation, these are the methods that have helped my teams not only solve complex problems but also push boundaries in their work. Whether you're a leader or an individual contributor, there’s something here for everyone. I invite you to check it out, share your thoughts, and hopefully walk away with a few new ideas for cultivating innovation in your own teams. 👉 Read more here: https://lnkd.in/gjv3hiMJ #Leadership #Innovation #SoftwareDevelopment #Teamwork #EngineeringLeadership #Collaboration

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𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐀𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐚 𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐄-𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐞 𝐀𝐝𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞! I've finally landed a role as a private contractor. I'm diving into the world of e-commerce! After months of searching and searching - dodging scammers who prey upon folks looking for a dev job, and navigating the stressful software engineering job market, I've been contracted to build and maintain an online store for a multi-million dollar equipment business (I can't share more at this time). While this won't solve the problem of needing a full-time role with benefits, this much-needed opportunity lets me flex my dev skills by building a full-fledged e-commerce site with a ton of inventory, managing stock, and crafting captivating content with photos and detailed descriptions. I'm thrilled (and a bit nervous) to start this journey and (hopefully) make a real impact on this 40-year-old business. Huge thanks to everyone for the support and encouragement—you guys rock! I will say this to all of those interested in how I did it. I put myself out there. I reached out to people, I struck up conversations with folks, and I leveraged every professional relationship I had (some personal as well -- 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝑎𝑝𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑝𝑟𝑖𝑎𝑡𝑒!). By focusing on building relationships with folks, eventually, someone I was talking to said, "Oh! You should talk to so-and-so!" They made the introduction, and now I can pay the bills for a while. 😉😁 Networking is important. I didn't apply for this gig because there was no job listing for it. I networked and found someone who needed what I could do, wrote a professional proposal, and was nice and fair with my pricing. I'm still looking for a full-time role; however, I'm very excited about this role, as the company I am contracting with has a lot of potential. #softwareengineer #network #networking #techjobs

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why did i get into tech? a) i was a UCSB political science major from the bay area looking to get a job b) all the poli sci literature i was reading about the potential of ICT4D (Information Communications Technology for Development) struck me as ignorant of how technology actually worked c) i got the opportunity to learn to code. Plus a magazine i interned at allowed me to mess with their WordPress site and that was the instigation There was a clear personal upside for me to learn how to code and learn about how the internet works. I hope that employbl helps other people break into tech and find their upside 📈 #tech #startups #jobs

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GitHub Universe never disappoints. The announcements were incredible (I’ve already built with Spark!), the partnerships are going to be game-changing, and the venue was gorgeous! Some of my highlights? The Career Center team—they gave me some awesome tips to get my resume ready for that next role. And Datastax is my new favorite company—it’s never been easier to build AI-powered applications. Now, the real work begins—following up with all the amazing people I met. I’d love to know, how do you keep connections alive after a big conference? Any go-to tips? Let’s hear them! #GitHubUniverse #Networking #CareerTips #DeveloperCommunity

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"Team" structure at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory is weird, in a good way. I'm used to "join a company, work on a product long-term". It's not like that at all here. It's less top-down and more "get a bunch of talent together and let them do their thing". Like a vetted, well-networked group of entrepreneurial spirits that organically make cool things. My manager isn't necessarily tied to my work. I don't have a desk on campus that is my home, and I don't know if I really want one. If I want to work on something else, I just... talk to people and do it (but I'd get myself in trouble if it was a bad time for my current projects). I get a code that lets me bill my time to that project [1]. My immediate contacts regularly mention, "You should talk to this person, check out this thing, I'll set you up with this person", etc. Networking is the innovative lifestream of the organization, and unusually important for individual career growth. Long-term software maintenance requires explicit funding proposals. I think this means more dead software, but also a healthy focus on what is important. It's very different, and IMO special. I've never felt so proud/excited to be associated with a professional organization. [1] I bill my time on a half-hour basis, every day. For Monday through Thursday this week, I have 11 durations assigned to 4 charge codes. Billing consumes a decent chunk of meeting time and my meat computer's clock cycles.

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15 years ago I contributed 2 chapters to Clean Code(https://a.co/d/5guLEzq), both related to threading. A second edition is coming out, and it occurs to me that while I don't do much direct threaded/parallel programming anymore, many issues around parallel execution still occur in systems where the stack "takes care" of all those details. Here's a collection of recent examples. This is a draft of a personal blog. The second version will go on the Industrial Logic, Inc. website. The final version will likely be added as an update for the 2nd Edition of Clean Code. Comments welcome, enjoy! https://lnkd.in/gWCUkK6V

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