SWE Accelerator Podcast

Today I sit down with Shreyas Kulkarni: a Senior Software Engineer at Oracle who came from India and turned his US Master's into a $10K profit instead of debt.We break down how he paid just $12K total through TA hacks, his LinkedIn spam strategy for referrals, and the interview system that got him through 80-100+ interviews at Netflix, Meta, Amazon, and Google—including Meta's brand-new AI coding round. We also unpack the promotion framework that got him to $300-400K by 27, why layoffs are now algorithmic, and whether the US is still worth it for international students in 2025.If you're breaking into tech or navigating the brutal new economy as an international student, this is a must-listen.Computer science students, new grads, and software engineers…want to land your dream software engineering job or internship? Click here 👉  https://www.amanmanazir.com/coaching/?utm_source=transistor&utm_medium=podcasts_description&utm_campaign=Shreyas_Oracle&video=jY9_37WJFt4🚀 Get my free Software Engineering Crash Course – https://www.amanmanazir.com/7dayengineer🎧 Listen to all episodes of the Software Engineering Accelerator Podcast on YouTube: youtube.com/AmanManazirListen to our new podcast, @TheEntropyShow: https://youtu.be/MDJQXbXPngg?si=vQqITmNzy3fhfcV1I’m Aman Manazir, a career coach and software engineer. I interned at companies like Amazon, Shopify, and HP in college, and the day I graduated I landed a $168,000/year* full-time software engineering job. I help you make it as a computer science student & software engineer and get your dream job offer.📄 Get my free resume template – https://www.amanmanazir.com/resume🧠 Get my free LeetCode Roadmap – https://www.amanmanazir.com/leetcode💌 Free weekly productivity insights/advice – https://amanmanazir.com/newsletter📕 All my free Notion templates – https://www.amanmanazir.com/notion📝 Sign up for Notion – https://affiliate.notion.so/2nh3pjr6l5l6📷 Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/amanmanazir/🐦 Twitter – https://twitter.com/amanmanazir—⏱️ Timestamps:00:00 Introduction01:30 Why Come to the US for a Master's?03:04 India's Brutal Competition for CS Students05:03 Dream Salary in India: $12K Per Year07:18 Why People Stay in India vs Leave08:34 The Real Cost of US Universities10:58 How I Paid Almost Nothing for My Master's12:23 Why I Chose SJSU Over Brand Name Schools15:54 I Graduated Net Positive With Money Earned17:17 Should You Go Private or Public University?21:22 Getting 5+ Internship Offers: The Strategy22:16 Resume Hacks That Actually Get You Interviews25:22 LeetCode Addiction and Interview Prep Reality26:16 Oracle Internship: $30K in 10 Weeks28:16 Did I Get a Return Offer?28:00 Spoon-Feeding Interviewers What to Write About You31:10 I've Done 80–100+ Tech Interviews31:13 What's Actually Changing in 2025 Interviews34:00 Meta's New AI-Enabled Coding Round Explained36:45 Why I Keep Interviewing Even With a Job39:13 Interview Seasons and Strategic Timing40:00 The New Economy: 15% of Engineers on PIPs42:25 Layoffs Are Algorithmic Now—No One's Safe44:36 7-Day Prep Plan for a Meta Interview45:58 7-Day Free Prep to 10x Your Journey46:29 My LeetCode Addiction Story48:45 LeetCode Tips: Volume Over Quality51:53 LinkedIn Spam Strategy for Getting Referrals54:03 Don't Build Fake Relationships for Referrals57:40 My Current TC at Oracle: $300–400K58:10 How I Got Promoted in Just Two Years1:00:56 Is It Still Worth Coming to the US Today?1:02:52 H-1B Rules and What's Actually Changed1:02:47 Life in the US: Ferraris, Planes, and 10 Countries1:05:40 SF vs New York: Which City Is Better?1:07:10 Why Everyone Moves From SF to New York1:08:15 New York's Energy vs SF's Tech Bubble1:12:33 Outro

Today I sit down with Ray: a former Meta software engineer who went from pre-med with a failing AP Comp Sci score to making $500K a year. We break down how he landed tech internships without a CS degree, used referrals to get offers from Google, Amazon, and Uber, and built an interview system after getting rejected by Microsoft.We also unpack why you don't need full software skills to get hired at big tech, his LeetCode strategy, and why he walked away from $500K to pursue startups and content in his 20s.If you're breaking into tech or questioning the 9-to-5, this episode is a must-listen.Computer science students, new grads, and software engineers…want to land your dream software engineering job or internship? Click here 👉  https://www.amanmanazir.com/coaching/?utm_source=transistor&utm_medium=podcasts_description&utm_campaign=Rui_MetaSWE&video=h3td0TPxZAc🚀 Get my free Software Engineering Crash Course – https://www.amanmanazir.com/7dayengineer🎧 Listen to all episodes of the Software Engineering Accelerator Podcast on YouTube: youtube.com/AmanManazirListen to our new podcast, @TheEntropyShow: https://youtu.be/MDJQXbXPngg?si=vQqITmNzy3fhfcV1I’m Aman Manazir, a career coach and software engineer. I interned at companies like Amazon, Shopify, and HP in college, and the day I graduated I landed a $168,000/year* full-time software engineering job. I help you make it as a computer science student & software engineer and get your dream job offer.📄 Get my free resume template – https://www.amanmanazir.com/resume🧠 Get my free LeetCode Roadmap – https://www.amanmanazir.com/leetcode💌 Free weekly productivity insights/advice – https://amanmanazir.com/newsletter📕 All my free Notion templates – https://www.amanmanazir.com/notion📝 Sign up for Notion – https://affiliate.notion.so/2nh3pjr6l5l6📷 Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/amanmanazir/🐦 Twitter – https://twitter.com/amanmanazir👉 Rui's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/raycfu?igsh=MWpvM3JwMDV2dWxhMA==👉 Rui's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fuchengrui?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app—⏱️ Timestamps:00:00 Introduction02:15 From Pre-Med to Computer Science05:51 Landing Nordstrom Without CS Background07:23 Exploring Different Career Paths10:59 Getting Quant Trading Internship Offers12:00 Microsoft Rejection to Multiple Offers14:35 Learning from the Microsoft Failure16:16 How to Get Interviews at Top Companies20:12 You Don't Need Full Software Skills21:37 The Power of Stubborn Problem Solving23:27 My LeetCode System and Strategy24:37 Is LeetCode Dying with AI25:18 LeetCode as IQ Test for Engineers28:56 System Design Matters More Than LeetCode29:51 What Recruiters See in Six Seconds32:00 Choosing Meta Over Google and Lyft33:55 Starting Salary at Meta36:17 $52 to $40K in My Bank Account37:04 When Facebook Became Meta40:05 Daily Life Inside Meta42:31 Why Tech Companies Give These Benefits45:14 Free Asset to 10x your Engineering Journey45:42 Meeting Mark Zuckerberg as Intern46:42 How to Get Promoted at Meta50:33 Fast Promotions vs Stuck Engineers51:45 Watching Layoffs Happen Around Me52:50 Seeing AI Used in Interviews56:01 Will There Be Fewer Engineers57:09 Staying Relevant in AI Era59:05 Meta Stock Going to the Moon59:48 Why I Left $500K at Meta1:05:00 The Next Chapter: Startup and Content1:06:40 Where to Find Rui1:07:50 Outro

Today I sit down with Morgan: a networking strategist who landed six internships, saved over $100K before graduating, and built her entire college trajectory around efficiency, not prestige. We break down how she negotiated scholarships, used social platforms to create career leverage, and built visibility that led to competitive offers most students never access.We also unpack why GPA matters far less than people think, how to network without being cringe, the exact playbook she used to stand out on LinkedIn, and why internships, not degrees, are the real accelerator for CS students.If you’re in college, breaking into tech, or trying to build a career through strategy instead of luck, this episode is a must-listen.Computer science students, new grads, and software engineers…want to land your dream software engineering job or internship? Click here 👉  https://www.amanmanazir.com/coaching/?utm_source=transistor&utm_medium=podcasts_description&utm_campaign=Morgan_NetworkingExpert_Internships&video=51lCdXLPWS4🚀 Get my free Software Engineering Crash Course – https://www.amanmanazir.com/7dayengineer🎧 Listen to all episodes of the Software Engineering Accelerator Podcast on YouTube: youtube.com/AmanManazirListen to our new podcast, @TheEntropyShow: https://youtu.be/MDJQXbXPngg?si=vQqITmNzy3fhfcV1I’m Aman Manazir, a career coach and software engineer. I interned at companies like Amazon, Shopify, and HP in college, and the day I graduated I landed a $168,000/year* full-time software engineering job. I help you make it as a computer science student & software engineer and get your dream job offer.📄 Get my free resume template – https://www.amanmanazir.com/resume🧠 Get my free LeetCode Roadmap – https://www.amanmanazir.com/leetcode💌 Free weekly productivity insights/advice – https://amanmanazir.com/newsletter📕 All my free Notion templates – https://www.amanmanazir.com/notion📝 Sign up for Notion – https://affiliate.notion.so/2nh3pjr6l5l6📷 Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/amanmanazir/🐦 Twitter – https://twitter.com/amanmanazir👉 Morgan's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itsmorganashleigh?igsh=ODk2ZnVmZHNvcG1j👉 Morgan's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/itsmorganyoung?utm_source=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=member_ios—⏱️ Timestamps:00:00 Introduction01:44 $100K Saved, Zero Debt03:26 Paying Bills During School04:23 Campus Culture at Elite Schools07:20 Colleges as Businesses: Negotiate Offers08:22 ROI of Conference Travel09:53 Classes Are Basically the Same10:46 Not Meeting Ambitious People13:53 Why Classmates Hated Me16:16 The GPA Lie17:17 The Software Engineering Accelerator18:37 Techniques for Landing Internships19:02 Treating Recruiting Like Full-Time24:43 Cover Letter Framework27:54 Struggling with Stupid Tasks30:46 The 80/20 Principle31:53 Is CS Oversaturated?36:00 Is Accounting The New CS?36:29 Just Start Posting39:30 Everything You Need to Kickstart Your SWE Career40:00 Experts Don't Really Exist46:28 Step-by-Step LinkedIn Playbook57:06 My Viral Disney Post58:30 Networking Hacks 1:03:49 Are Referrals Worth It?1:06:54 Where to Connect

Today I sit down with Kevin Zhu — former Citadel quant and Palantir developer, to unpack how he built an unconventional, accelerated career in tech. We break down the systems he used to go from a struggling freshman to landing top-tier quant offers, what Citadel was actually like, why he walked away, and how he’s now pivoting toward meaningful AI research.We also dive into whether CS is still worth it, the real math needed for quant roles, and how to build a career that’s both competitive and fulfilling. A must-listen for CS students, aspiring quants, and anyone navigating elite tech recruiting.Computer science students, new grads, and software engineers…want to land your dream software engineering job or internship? Click here 👉  https://www.amanmanazir.com/coaching/?utm_source=transistor&utm_medium=podcasts_description&utm_campaign=KevinZhu_Quant_Palantir&video=Trop--U5ncs🚀 Get my free Software Engineering Crash Course – https://www.amanmanazir.com/7dayengineer🎧 Listen to all episodes of the Software Engineering Accelerator Podcast on YouTube: youtube.com/AmanManazirListen to our new podcast, @TheEntropyShow: https://youtu.be/MDJQXbXPngg?si=vQqITmNzy3fhfcV1I’m Aman Manazir, a career coach and software engineer. I interned at companies like Amazon, Shopify, and HP in college, and the day I graduated I landed a $168,000/year* full-time software engineering job. I help you make it as a computer science student & software engineer and get your dream job offer.📄 Get my free resume template – https://www.amanmanazir.com/resume🧠 Get my free LeetCode Roadmap – https://www.amanmanazir.com/leetcode💌 Free weekly productivity insights/advice – https://amanmanazir.com/newsletter📕 All my free Notion templates – https://www.amanmanazir.com/notion📝 Sign up for Notion – https://affiliate.notion.so/2nh3pjr6l5l6📷 Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/amanmanazir/🐦 Twitter – https://twitter.com/amanmanazir👉 Kevin’s AI Research Program (Algoverse): https://www.algoverseairesearch.org/?utm_source=Youtube&utm_medium=influencer&utm_campaign=amanmanazir%0A👉 Kevin’s YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCW00d0U-WhIbyPDdu_gihCA👉 Kevin’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kevinzhu.ai/—⏱️ Timestamps:00:00 Introduction - Kevin's Journey to Citadel01:44 Mastering High School Math at Age 1205:01 The Kumon Experience and Future Plans08:27 Growing Up in Suburban Illinois Schools10:06 Parents as Professors - Early Lab Experience12:05 Childhood Research and Lasting Friendships14:09 Arriving at Berkeley - Culture Shock18:23 First Semester Struggles and Winter Recovery20:38 Building Study Systems That Actually Work22:00 Self-Help Books and Productivity Deep Dive25:00 Time Blocking Changed Everything27:00 CS70 Discrete Math Breakthrough Moment29:36 Breaking Into Competitive Tech Recruiting31:27 The Startup to Amazon Pipeline33:29 Landing Multiple Quant Offers36:26 Goldman Sachs Quant Experience38:48 Software Engineering Accelerator42:38 Citadel Interview Process Deep Dive45:00 Super Day - Multiple Interview Rounds47:20 DRW Offer and Negotiation Strategy49:29 $154/Hour at Age 2150:42 Jane Street and Top Firms52:40 Ken Griffin Stories and Headphones54:15 Joining Palantir After Citadel55:27 Why I Left Palantir Early57:13 Leaving Quant Entirely - The Decision59:47 Money Isn't Everything - Finding Meaning1:02:40 Starting Algorverse AI Research Program1:05:00 Paper Featured by OpenAI1:06:20 Bell Labs for AI - The Vision1:07:15 Mentorship vs Self-Teaching Debate1:10:00 Math Requirements for Quant Careers1:15:00 Upper Division Classes Strategy1:19:06 AGI Timelines and AI Safety1:23:40 Functioning Despite AI Concerns1:26:59 Is CS Still Worth It?1:28:54 The Future of Software Engineering

Today, I talk with Kelly — a former BCG Project Leader who worked at Goldman Sachs and BCG before walking away at 25 after managing teams most people don't lead until their mid-30s. We dive into the strategies that helped her break into elite consulting: from leveraging coffee chats to land accelerated offers, to the communication frameworks and interview techniques that separate candidates who get hired from those who don't. We also break down what management consulting actually is, how AI is reshaping the industry, what it's really like working 60+ hour weeks with hourly deadlines, and why software engineers should consider consulting as a career path. If you're a CS student, software engineer, or anyone looking to accelerate their tech career through networking, interviewing, and strategic positioning, this episode of the SWE Accelerator Podcast is a must-listen.Computer science students, new grads, and software engineers…want to land your dream software engineering job or internship? Click here 👉  https://www.amanmanazir.com/coaching/?utm_source=transistor&utm_medium=podcasts_description&utm_campaign=BCGConsultant_SWEOutsmart_TechRecession&video=Cnt9ljDyUdU🚀 Get my free Software Engineering Crash Course – https://www.amanmanazir.com/7dayengineer🎧 Listen to all episodes of the Software Engineering Accelerator Podcast on YouTube: youtube.com/AmanManazirListen to our new podcast, @TheEntropyShow: https://youtu.be/MDJQXbXPngg?si=vQqITmNzy3fhfcV1I’m Aman Manazir, a career coach and software engineer. I interned at companies like Amazon, Shopify, and HP in college, and the day I graduated I landed a $168,000/year* full-time software engineering job. I help you make it as a computer science student & software engineer and get your dream job offer.📄 Get my free resume template – https://www.amanmanazir.com/resume🧠 Get my free LeetCode Roadmap – https://www.amanmanazir.com/leetcode💌 Free weekly productivity insights/advice – https://amanmanazir.com/newsletter📕 All my free Notion templates – https://www.amanmanazir.com/notion📝 Sign up for Notion – https://affiliate.notion.so/2nh3pjr6l5l6📷 Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/amanmanazir/🐦 Twitter – https://twitter.com/amanmanazir—⏱️ Timestamps:00:00 – Intro 01:18 – Kelly's Background: From Canada to Goldman Sachs04:03 – What is Management Consulting? Breaking Down BCG05:54 – Types of Companies Consulting Firms Work With06:54 – Can Anyone Get Into Consulting? Background Requirements07:58 – Why Computer Science Majors Should Consider Consulting10:00 – AI's Impact on the Consulting Job Market12:59 – Software Engineering Accelerator 13:53 – How Consulting Projects Actually Work (Entry-Level Perspective)16:35 – ChatGPT Deep Research & The Future of Consulting Work17:58 – Day in the Life of a Consultant21:09 – The Reality of 55-70 Hour Work Weeks23:25 – Hourly Deadlines & Same-Day Delivery Culture24:51 – Managing 1000s of Messages Per Day as a Consultant26:30 – Managing a Team at 25: Kelly's Fast-Track Promotion Story28:22 – What is a Coffee Chat? (Definition for Tech/SWE Students)30:19 – Coffee Chats: The "LeetCode" of Networking for Consultants34:59 – Why SWE Students Are Under-Utilizing Coffee Chats35:49 – How to Stand Out to Hiring Managers (From Someone Who Interviewed 200+ Candidates)37:27 – Tactics to Maximize Your Coffee Chats40:04 – Making People Feel Like Experts: The Interview Approach42:09 – Networking for People Who Hate Small Talk44:12 – How to Ask Smart Questions Even When You're Lost46:55 – What Separates Candidates Who Get Offers from Those Who Don't49:09 – The STAR Method: Common Mistakes to Avoid50:37 – Beyond STAR: Adding Impact & Philosophy to Interview Answers52:44 – Communication Frameworks Consultants Use (That SWE Students Should Learn)55:07 – Zoom Out, Zoom In, Zoom Forward Framework58:31 – What Do You Think About Quiet Quitting?58:53 – The Great Lock-In: Gen Z's Shift from Quiet Quitting to Locking In1:00:43 – Gen Z in the Workforce: A Millennial's Perspective1:02:15 – Millennials vs Gen Z: Different Approaches to Work & Rules1:04:42 – Social Media's Impact on Generational Work Styles1:05:52 – Advice for Burnt-Out 22-Year-Old Software Engineers1:08:57 – Where to Connect with Kelly (Sunday Chats on Instagram)1:09:40 – Outro