Eric Bolender

I can share with the sentiment that college did not prepare me for the real life experiences of the workforce, I always felt that i needed more despite the degree, I think Headstarter AI is working towards addressing that issue, and if you feel the same way as I did, make sure to apply!

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How do you work through feeling overwhelmed with projects, both at work and at home? My project list is never ending. I have multiple major work areas, a house with a sheet of improvement projects that keeps growing, half a dozen trips planned into next year, and a wife and two daughters with lists of their own. It's easy to not know where to start or what to do next. And then before you know it you've burned an entire day playing sudoku. Many years ago I learned the art of Getting Things Done. I even wrote an article on it for USENIX Association's ;login: Magazine just as the world came screeching to a halt in early 2020, and talked about it on The Hedge Podcast (episode 88). There is a lot of structure to GTD, but I can boil it down to having a trusted list of all the next actions I need to do. One that is reviewed regularly and captures thoughts as I have them. All of it - work, home, family - gets treated the same way in one place. I've been out of practice and I've recently rekindled my system. This is one of the ways I'm addressing feeling adrift. I can always find something to do that will move me forwards, as well as give me that dopamine hit of crossing a task off my list. And if I'm avoiding one it's probably because I didn't break the next action down to a small enough chunk. The most important part of practicing GTD (and other organizational systems) is that it clears my head. The human brain isn't really great at maintaining lists. The only real method it has for doing this is to constantly go over the list, which keeps the pathways in the brain fresh. That takes mental capacity, whether you realize it or not, and it adds to your stress. Plus, half the time you don't even have the list in mind or complete when it needs to be. You think about the dead batteries in the flashlight when the power goes out at home, not when you're standing in Home Depot wondering what else you need to get.

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Dear recruiters, I'm genuinely curious about your logic and would love for someone to explain this to me! 1. I put up multiple posts saying I am HIRING Senior and Lead engineers. 2. Recruiter likes my post and messages me privately 3. Said recruiter asks if I would be interested in APPLYING to a junior engineering role. If I'm hiring for leads, and my title it engineering manager, what suggests I would apply to a junior role? Maybe I've set something up wrong in LinkedIn but I am really bored of my inbox being filled by utterly irrelevant messages! Especially when there are so many talented junior engineers not getting the same messages :( #recruiters #jobhunting #hiring #confused

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So I ended up comparing LangChain, LlamaIndex, Autogen, and LangGraph this past week for developing multiagent RAG applications. While all have their strong and weak points, I cemented my belief that these libraries are only good for the first iteration of a quick project to explore possibilities and immediately see your routing and complex query pipelines in action. Any dependencies on these libraries will only give overheads for all production-grade applications. The so-called time saving by the scores of wrappers is kind of nullified by the time spent sifting through minimally written documentation and ongoing GitHub discussions. Once you get the hang of it, agentic behavior is just intelligently crafted function calling and building toolchains. Numerous parametric choices underlying these interdependencies can only be fully controlled once you have fine-grained access.

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Did you know there are no "roles" (SDE, SDET, TPM, …) when you get to L8 IC (Senior Principal) at Amazon? It’s one of Amazon’s peculiarities. [Side note: in general, Amazon SDEs tend to be "jack of all trades" where we pragmatically do whatever is necessary to make our organization successful at that given moment (within reason). In fact, I believe being well-rounded and able and willing to wear a number of hats is one of the things that makes me valuable to an employer. We don’t over-index on "that’s not part of my role doc." Other companies where I worked (eg Google) have very clear swimming lanes and people stick to them pretty religiously, eg. "oh no I don’t talk to customers, I’m an SDE and talking to customers is for TPMs." Whereas at Amazon I never once had a manager tell me, "what you did (although impactful, important and necessary) was not really your job." ] My little side note about this critical piece of amazon culture explains why as you get to L8 the concept of a "role" no longer really makes sense. The boundaries between roles get fuzzier and fuzzier as you go from Senior Engineer (L6) to Principal Engineer (L7), and they become unimportant when you get to L8. We’re all just “Senior Principals” - whether you came via the SDE path, the TPM path, or in my snowflake case, the SDET path. In fact I think most L8s are snowflakes in that their path to L8 was unique and the value they bring to the company is also unique. In phonetool (our amazon directory) you can have whatever unofficial title you want (also within reason...), so I chose to keep the "SDET" title to reflect my background and passion for testing, engineering and operational excellence, and developer tools. I also hope that by keeping the title, others in my (old?) role can see that SDETs at Amazon do not have a "ceiling" in their career. And lastly, it's a fun conversational piece ("you're an L8 SDET???") (The image here is "Peccy" - a beloved little icon that has represented Amazon's Peculiar Ways for years) [Edit: Strictly speaking there are a few L8 IC roles that do have a different job code, like PMT or Scientist - but I think we generally view all L8 ICs in the same lens]

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Interesting in joining the Developer Experience team in Seattle to do some awesome #awscommuity work? Then check out this job opening. EDIT: I forgot the part where I say that the Amazon job process is apply > phone screen > interview loop > offer > accept. There isn't a phase where I can do 1:1 phone calls to discuss the role with you; that's what the phone screen is with someone from Amazon who understands the role.

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I'm moving on from Alphabet after 18 years. It was my first real job, and in my time there I advanced from an entry-level software engineer to a director and principal engineer. Many folks staring down a big change after a long career think about sharing some wisdom from their journey. If your feed's anything like mine, it's full of folks offering advice on how to advance your career. Amidst all of that, I offer something different: a catalog of some of the ways I got lucky in my career: - I encountered computer programming by chance at my piano teacher's office when I was in elementary school and fell in love with it. - My high school offered computer programming courses in 1999 and I was able to get a head start on my career skills there. - I knew what I loved doing before I enrolled in college, and knew it was a viable career path. - My cousin helped me land a well-paying software internship after just my freshman year, so I graduated with 3 summers of solid work experience under my belt. - My family was able to help me graduate college with minimal student debt. - Google started recruiting at my university the year that I graduated. I probably would not have applied to companies outside my school's career fairs. - A long-term relationship ended before my senior year, so I entered my career search with no constraints about where I wanted to live. - I gave a few foolish interview answers, including a misguided opinion about hash tables, but the company overlooked them and hired me anyway. - I joined big tech in its absolute heyday, when benefits and opportunities in my field were exploding. - Less than a year into my first team, the team's TL left, and I was thrust into an unearned leadership position out of necessity. - Shortly after I transferred to the Boulder office, Google closed a few remote offices. Mine wasn't one of them. - My field was only lightly impacted by the 2008 financial crisis and bounced back quickly. I was able to capitalize on the moment to buy my first home. - I switched teams at a fortuitous moment, finding myself as person #5 on a team that grew over a few years into the hundreds. This gave me tremendous leadership and growth opportunities. - I was recruited to plant Verily's Boulder office due to a chance relationship I had developed on that team. You won't hear me say that I'm not smart or that I haven't worked hard. But amidst all the voices here telling you how to hustle to get ahead, let me be a voice reminding you that some of the folks offering you their formula to success have some undisclosed good fortune. If you're still struggling to find a job after a layoff or to get your own business off the ground, remember that your struggles aren't a moral failing. You're doing great, and I wish you the good fortune that I've experienced these past 20 years.

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Geoffrey Hinton's contributions is significant enough that I won't quibble with the category for his prize. (Nobel committee could create a special category just for him for all I care.) Widely (and rightfully) recognized as a leading expert in deep learning, his research touches everything from * Foundational concepts such as backprop https://lnkd.in/gMunbBzA * Foundational model architectures such as AlexNet https://lnkd.in/gq2JPJ6h * Optimization algorithms such as Momentum and RMSProp * Visualization techniques such as t-SNE https://lnkd.in/gjuw3vhA I don't think it's possible to overstate how profound the impact of machine learning and artificial intelligence will have on society, promising to unlock discoveries, improving productivity. Even ideas about what mastery of language or reasoning means, will need to be re-thought. Professor Hinton deserves all the credit for all of this.

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Re:Invent will be in less than a month... But in one month, I will be talking at the re:Invent stage! Join me in learning about my over 1-year experience when on a daily basis, my team was using Amazon Verified Permissions and Cedar to build authorization for the enterprise organization (RBAC, ABAC, and beyond!). Learn about building cache, using hexagonal architecture, how we've managed to reduce over 90% of AVP costs with proper caching, and many many more! DEV 318 Wed, December 4, 2:30 PM - 3:30 PM PST The recording will be on YouTube! #aws #avp #gobuild #reinvent2024 #authorization #authorisation

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📖 Review: Staff Engineer by Will Larson Why I Have It: Similar to An Elegant Puzzle, but with a focus on the IC route. It guided me through my transition to Senior Software Engineer, offering valuable advice on navigating the technical career path and understanding its nuances. Why You Might Like It: If you’re unsure about the options open to you as a technical contributor, or if you lack adequate support and guidance, this book can help. 👉 Follow me for more book reviews and reflections from my life and career. #BookReview #StaffEngineer #Leadership #CareerGrowth #TechLeadership #SoftwareEngineer #SoftwareEngineeringManager

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Be intentional about building a network on LinkedIn - it will pay off. In 2020 and 2024 when I was considering a job change, I did not submit my resume to the recruiting websites of the companies. Instead, I used LinkedIn to ping friends who worked at each place, I chatted with them 1:1 and asked for referrals. They routed my information to the RIGHT hiring manager and gave me valuable insights into their companies. Not only that, but I deeply fear the bubble that a particular employer tends to create, so LinkedIn is a forcing function for me to look beyond my current company, learn what others are doing, and think bigger about the industry as a whole. While I personally favor substance over style, I do think that how you present yourself on LinkedIn matters. Some day, it will matter to a Somebody, where what that Somebody does will matter to you. Here’s some tips: (1) Put your name in your profile First and last. Unless you’re in the witness protection program, I don’t think getting a Connect request from “Joe K” or “Bob S” that you don’t know is likely to make a good impression. (2) Put a decent picture of you out there It doesn’t need to be a professional headshot. But it should not show you partying on the beach. It should not show multiple people. It should not be a picture of a flower. It should not be a caricature or anime character. It should be you, just you, again unless you’re in the witness protection program. (3) The first thing you say about yourself says a lot (and in your About section) Don’t describe yourself with something restrictive and narrow like you’re a “Java Programmer,” and don’t say something vague and weasely like you’re a “Technical Leader.” Why not too narrow? [1] You are listing a specific language. Sure, it’s good to point out you have expertise in one specific programming language, but in your career you’ll have to learn lots of programming languages and you’ll need to evolve as they evolve. And, [2], being a “programmer” is small-minded. Programming is only one small part of Software Engineering. You are (I hope) a software engineer, not just a programmer. Why not too broad? Telling me you’re an “engineering leader” or “thought leader” or “innovator” is just meaningless. Regardless of what level of seniority you have, I’d expect all of us to be engineering leaders to some degree. (4) Tell others what you actually did Don’t just put the company you worked for and the start and end dates. What did you actually do? What job title did you hold? What level? What team did you work in? What did you accomplish there? Don’t tell me what your company did, tell me what YOU did in that company. (5) Write a personalized message when you want to connect Sending a connect request is a 1-click, mindless action. But writing a personalized explanation on why you want to connect, shows you’ve put at least a minimal amount of effort into creating a connection with somebody.

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Join Cormac Hogan live on July 18th to dive into Data Services Manager (DSM), a game-changer for managing databases and data services on vSphere. Discover how DSM enables effortless provisioning for end-users with self-service and provides unmatched control for vSphere admins through newly introduced infrastructure policies. Learn about automated efficiency for updates, scaling, and built-in backups. This session is perfect for anyone involved in the automation of databases and data services on vSphere. Register here: https://lnkd.in/dvp8M_ve

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Yesterday was National TV Dinner Day, and during a conversation with Christian Hernandez, we stumbled upon a funny (but true) realization: frozen TV dinners are a lot like upstream open-source dependencies. 🍽️💻 ° There’s always a lot of choices—like the countless frozen meals in the freezer aisle, open-source packages are everywhere. But not all are created equal. Some are just... not great—ever picked a dependency that looked good on paper but turned out to be a buggy, poorly maintained mess? Yeah, like that frozen dinner that tastes like cardboard. 🤦‍♂️ ° Within a given box, there’s always something you don’t love—maybe it’s the unnecessary features, the complexity you don’t need, or the way the package interacts with your stack. It’s like when your frozen meal comes with mushy veggies you can’t toss without breaking the meal. ° It’ll keep you relatively satisfied—these packages do their job, and you can get your project up and running. Not fancy, not perfect, but it works... for now. 🍴 ° But it could also make you sick—the real danger is the unknown. A poorly maintained dependency could introduce security vulnerabilities, create performance issues, or break down with an unexpected update. One small glitch, and suddenly your whole system feels like it’s got food poisoning. 😷 And here’s the kicker: ° You seldom find pickles in the box—frozen dinners (and dependencies) rarely come with that perfect something to jazz things up. You almost always need to bring your own “pickle”—that little something extra, like custom code, patches, or special tweaks to make it really sing. In the world of software, just like TV dinners, it's all about choosing carefully, being prepared to discard what you don’t need, and always having your own “pickles” on hand to add a bit of flair. What’s your strategy for navigating the ups and downs of upstream dependencies? #NationalTVDinnerDay #opensource #softwareengineering #devlife #dependencies #softwaredevelopment #pickles #LinkedInLunacy

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🚀 Exciting Opportunity Alert 🚀 Are you a Principal Engineer passionate about Distributed Machine Learning? Check out this role in Santa Clara, CA: https://bit.ly/3Zl5M4O. Key skills: #gpu #apache #spark #machinelearing #ml #dl #deeplearning #acceleratedcomputing #cluster #rapids #mLlib #XGBoost #PyTorch #cuML #pytorch #tensorflow #apis #api #Kubernetes #YARN #Ray #C++ #Scala, #Python #nvtabiular #cuda #horovod #petastorm #dll. Interested? Reach out to RobKemp@Nvidia.com for more details. Opportunity awaits! 🌟 #engineering #machinelearning #distributedcomputing

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I know many of you are going through a challenging time right now after recent layoffs/companies rescinding offer letter. It's natural to feel a mix of emotions – uncertainty, frustration, and concern for the future. But I want to remind you that with every ending comes a new beginning. Layoffs are not a reflection of your abilities or worth. They are often the result of broader economic shifts or company restructuring that are beyond your control. Remember, your skills, experience, and determination are yours to keep and will guide you to your next opportunity. Here are a few thoughts to keep you moving forward: 1. Reflect and Reassess: Use this time to reflect on your career path. What have you learned? What are you passionate about? What new direction might you want to explore? 2. Network and Connect: Reach out to your network. Share your situation and what you're looking for. You'll be surprised at how supportive people can be and the opportunities that may arise from a simple conversation. 3. Upskill and Educate: Consider this time as an opportunity to learn new skills or enhance existing ones. There are plenty of online courses and certifications that can make you even more valuable to future employers. 4. Stay Positive and Proactive: It's important to maintain a positive mindset. Set daily goals, whether it's applying for jobs, attending networking events, or working on personal projects. Keep the momentum going. 5. Seek Support: Don't hesitate to seek professional advice, whether it's from career coaches, mentors, or counselors. There's strength in asking for help. Remember, your career is not defined by one job or one setback. It's a journey with many stops along the way. Each experience shapes you and prepares you for what's next. You have the resilience and the ability to come out of this stronger and more focused. #staypositive #hiring #linkedin #career #techjobs

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If as a technical hiring team, you struggle with an influx of candidates who use LLMs during the interview, consider changing the questions you're asking. What I found works best is taking some well-known problem but dressing it up as something less obvious. For example, instead of asking about some graph algorithm described in hundreds of books, ask how they would validate that $ref objects in the OpenAPI document point to components that exist and contain no cyclical references. Remember: LLMs do not really think, but output tokens based on some probability. The more training data they have the better the prediction is, and vice versa, the less data there is the more they will hallucinate. You'd want this in your best candidates anyway: the ability to see how the problem at hand maps to some existing solution.

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