SWE Accelerator Podcast

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 an...

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 co...

Today, I talk with Angel — a LinkedIn engineer who landed a $100K+ offer when almost everyone else was getting rejected. We dive into the five strategies that helped her stand out: from securing return offers and mastering brutal honesty, to building a powerful network and winning the mindset game. We also break down what separates candidates who actually get offers from those who don’t, the reality behind new grad deadlines, and how to market yourself like top engineers do. If you’re a CS student, new grad, or anyone aiming for a six-figure software engineering job in today’s compet...

Meet Helen, a 24-year-old quant who’s earned over $900K and is here to reveal what life is really like inside the quant world. We dive into how she landed Meta as her first internship, exposed the company publicly, why she walked away from an S-tier job, and the exact systems that helped her build a seven-figure career. If you’ve ever wondered what ‘quant’ really means, how to break in, or what it takes to thrive in one of the world’s most competitive tech roles — this episode is your blueprint.

Computer science students, new grads, and software...

Today, I talk with Steve from A Life Engineered ( @ALifeEngineered ) — a software engineering YouTuber with over 170,000+ subscribers who quit his job at Amazon after nearly 18 years to help others in their career journeys. We dive deep into how the field is evolving, what most engineers get wrong about interviews, and how to actually use AI as a superpower (instead of seeing it as a threat). If you’re a CS student, career switcher, or anyone trying to land a top-tier software engineering job, this episode of the Software Engineering Accelerator Podcast is a must-listen. Hope you enjoy!

C...

Computer science students, new graduates, and bootcamp grads…want to land your dream software engineering job or internship? Click here 👉 https://www.amanmanazir.com/coaching/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=podcast_description&utm_campaign=neetcode

Today, I talk with NeetCode ( @NeetCode ) — a software engineering YouTuber with over a million subscribers who completely changed how the world learns LeetCode. We talk about how he built his channel, what most people get wrong about LeetCode, how AI is changing interviews, and whether computer science is still worth it. If you’re a CS student, bootcamp grad, or anyone trying to land a...

Today, I talk with Amy Wang ( @wamyy5 ) a Caltech graduate with a degree in arguably the hardest major, Chemical Engineering. Learn how she got a 4.0 at one of the hardest universities in the world while battling severe migraines, balancing a social life and starting a YouTube channel with 600k+ subscribers. She shares her tips and tricks on how to succeed academically and socially on this episode of Liftoff. Hope you enjoy!

Computer science students, new graduates, and bootcamp graduates...want to land your dream software engineering job/internship? Click here 👉 https://www.amanmanazir.com/coaching/?utm_source=youtub...

 Today, I talk with my brother Aadil who landed a $600,000 quant offer and decided to turn it down. We talk about why he made that decision, what got him there, and what a day in the life of a quant trader is actually like. Hope you enjoy!

Computer science students, new graduates, and bootcamp graduates...want to land your dream software engineering job/internship? Click here 👉 https://www.amanmanazir.com/coaching/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video_description&utm_campaign=shouldn't_be_engineer

I'm Aman Manazir, a career coach and software engineer. I interned at comp...

Today, I talk to my best friend from college, Vithi Peters. We talk about how to make friends in college, red flags in friendships, and if Vithi secretly hates me. Enjoy!

Computer science students, new graduates, and bootcamp graduates…want to land your dream software engineering job/internship?

Click here 👉 https://www.amanmanazir.com/coaching/

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I’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...

Today, I talk to Karen Bello. We discuss how she started as a personal assistant making minimum wage to starting her own Air BnB empire with millions in revenue. Enjoy!

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In episode 4 of Lift Off with Aman Manazir, I talk to Sourish Kundu. We discuss how he landed a machine learning systems engineer job at TikTok, what it's like to work there, and how AI will transform the software engineering industry. Enjoy!

If you're a dedicated programmer who wants to land your dream internship or job in 2024 without spamming LeetCode, spending hours at career fairs, or building a personal website, join the Software Engineering Accelerator and work directly with me. Click this link to book a call: https://www.amanmanazir.com/coaching

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In episode 2 of Lift Off with Aman Manazir, I talk to math prodigy Sunny Sahu. We discuss how he got machine learning internships in high school, how he got a full scholarship to the University of California-Berkeley (and why he broke it), and why he turned down a $500,000/yr job offer at Headlands Technologies and so much more. Enjoy!

0:00 - Introduction

01:19 - Why Sunny Took Calculus At Age 11

05:19 - How Math Olympiad Changed Sunny’s Li...

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Aadil Manazir is my younger brother. In this episode, we discuss how he landed a $500,000+/year job offer in quant trading at age 20, how he secured a Google software engineering internship (and turned it down) in his free time, and how he packed on 30+ lbs of muscle and much, much more.

00:00 - Introduction

01:00 - 8th...