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aswin8728

aswin8728 on Hacker News

Re:Ask HN: How can I do social good through programming? on Friday May 19, 2017 @03:38PM (#14378771)
elixirlabs.org :) donate your spare time to building tech for nonprofits who could really use the assistance!
Re:MBAs as CEOs on Friday March 31, 2017 @04:46PM (#14008012)
If you're going for an MBA, the intention is to pivot away from an engineering position. There's no reason to get an MBA if you want to stay as a SWE.
Re:MBAs as CEOs on Friday March 31, 2017 @04:45PM (#14008001)
BS & MS in CS. Worked at one of the big 4 (google/apple/amazon/facebook). Got my MBA from a top 10. Currently in venture capital. If you want to stay in engineering, there's no need for an MBA. It only helps if you want to pivot.
Re:Ask HN: Product Managers, how did you get there and what's your bac... on Thursday February 02, 2017 @11:13PM (#13557614)
Actually, please find me on twitter @aswin8728. Didn't realize the volume of responses I'd be receiving, so I need a way to separate the two :)
Re:Ask HN: Product Managers, how did you get there and what's your bac... on Tuesday January 24, 2017 @01:28PM (#13474061)
[email protected]
Re:Ask HN: Product Managers, how did you get there and what's your bac... on Tuesday January 24, 2017 @12:00PM (#13473113)
PM @ McKinsey & Company (New Ventures group)

-Background in software engineering and human-centered design. The best product managers I've been around have a mix of technical, business, and design talent, with the strong PMs excelling in at least two of the categories. -Understand the difference between good and bad products. Actively examine products you use on a daily basis, both physical and digital. E.g. why is my shower setting designed this way? why did I push on a door that needed to be pulled? To flex this muscle, read "The Design of Everyday Things" by Don Norman and check out Tony Fadell's tech talk on product design. -Be a people person. You need to be able to communicate product ideas clearly to everyone from marketing to HR to engineering (obviously). -Be entrepreneurial. You're the "CEO" of the product, so you need to know the product/service inside out. Everything from the software stack down to the marketing materials to the help center articles should have been on your radar at some point in the release cycle. -Protect the engineers. Don't let management demand too much and be vested in their success.

Ping me if you have any other questions :)

Re:University of Washington and Chinese University Form Technology Ins... on Friday June 19, 2015 @03:27PM (#9747080)
UW is #6 in the nation in CS (US News & World), #48 in national universities (US News & World) and #26 in global rankings (Times Higher Education Rankings)...
Re:Colleges are full of it: Behind the three-decade scheme to raise tu... on Sunday June 08, 2014 @04:18PM (#7865752)
In my opinion, college is worthwhile ONLY if you attend a university that is worth the cost. In most situations, students attend a particular university wishing that it will guarantee them success at some point in their lives without researching the ranking, quality of education, etc. In terms of ROI, it is a safer option to attend a Top 50 university than a for-profit university nobody has ever heard of. The discussion shouldn't exactly revolve around whether college is worth it, but about how we can improve the quality of education across the board so that graduates are adequately prepared for the real-world.

Ask HN: Would you be interested in virtual meetings with other techies weekly?

Posted by aswin8728 on Sunday April 20, 2014 @01:14AM
from the ask-hn dept.

I am organizing a weekly (or bi-weekly) virtual meetup for people interested in presenting on a particular topic or elaborating on their area of expertise. Every week, we would have 2-3 presenters from the group talk about tech topics (Heartbleed, Bitcoin, etc.) with a Q&A at the end. For now, I'm thinking about using AnyMeeting, but if you have ideas for other conferencing software, let me...

( Read More... | 1 comment | 6 points | on HN )
Re:Ask HN: Review my app startup, www.chance.fm on Thursday April 17, 2014 @02:12PM (#7605275)
I agree with sdesol. Why should I use this app when I can just tweet a celebrity from my account? What is the advantage of doing it this way? Wouldn't the celebrity also need to have a Chance account in order for them to respond in this way?
Re:Ask HN: What are some creative ways to promote an online course on Wednesday April 09, 2014 @05:50PM (#7562706)
YouTube is one of the best mediums for promotion. Go on a related video, such as "How to build websites", and link your Udemy course in the comments section. Chances are, at least a few people from each video that you post under will check it out. Good luck!

Ask HN: What do you do as IT consultants?

Posted by aswin8728 on Wednesday April 09, 2014 @05:35PM
from the ask-hn dept.

I noticed that a lot of people on HN have side-businesses that operate in the form of a consultancy. What do you do as a consultant? Is it always programming? or are there other niches you can carve out and create a business for?

( Read More... | 4 comments | 8 points | on HN )
Re:Why U.S. News' college rankings hurt students on Tuesday September 10, 2013 @05:42PM (#6363724)
Although I agree with the initial premise that college rankings are flawed, I still believe they serve a purpose: to inform students and parents of the schools that are the most popular. Brand recognition plays a paramount role in getting hired at certain companies, and the HR/hiring departments definitely keep an eye out for lists like this. It would be in someone's best interets to find the school that is most compatible with their future goals, but also keep in mind that going to a "top 20" school can impact their future signficantly.

Ask HN: Any tech evangelists willing to mentor a young IT professional?

Posted by aswin8728 on Thursday July 18, 2013 @12:30PM
from the ask-hn dept.

HN community, I'm a 21 year old software engineer living in Seattle and I was wondering if there is anyone out there who has had experience in the tech industry (10+ years or so) who is willing to mentor me and provide advice for my future. I have worked/interned for several big companies, but I still feel like I have a lot to learn, and someone to help guide my development would be incredibly...

( Read More... | no comments | on HN )
Re:Ask HN: How do you apply for a tech job? on Thursday July 18, 2013 @12:25PM (#6064658)
The most critical thing to remember when it comes to applying for jobs is "either you have it or you don't". You can embellish your resume, contact 100 recruiters, and have the most well developed portfolio on the planet, but when it comes time to apply your knowledge, you have to deliver. I have seen plenty of IT professionals who look fantastic on paper, but cannot think creatively or deliver under pressure. Take time to understand the industry, constantly strive to learn new technologies, and be infinitely curious. I am nowhere near the skill level of anyone on HN, but people much wiser than I am have instilled a sense of curiosity in me, and that's the most valuable character trait anyone in this industry can have.