Degree Free

Join us for an inspiring episode of the Degree Free Podcast, where Sean Dubois shares his personal journey of finding tech success without a degree. He discusses how working at Amazon opened doors for him and made job interviews easier. Sean encourages listeners to prioritize personal growth and happiness over societal expectations.

Key Discussion Points:

Sean and Ryan talk about programming and open-source projects, emphasizing the importance of solving problems you're passionate about and saying yes to opportunities.
- They discuss the benefits of open source projects, such as having control over your destiny and contributing to projects you care about. They also mention the challenges and rewards of creating your own projects.
- The importance of self-discovery and self-actualization in motivating oneself to work hard and succeed is discussed. They highlight the inner motivation to persevere through failures as being more important than specific programming languages or projects.
- Sean talks about finding a niche in the WebRTC space and the concept of doing things in public to create opportunities and connections. They also challenge the significance of job titles in the software industry.
- The conversation tackles the relationship between money and happiness, acknowledging that while money doesn't guarantee happiness, it can provide financial stability and freedom. Personal anecdotes about the impact of financial stability are shared.
- The episode ends with Sean explaining why he helps others, emphasizing paying it forward and the mutual benefit of helping motivated individuals. Ryan reflects on his own experiences and expresses a desire to do more.
- Sean advises that solving personal problems, finding self-confidence, and enjoying what you do can lead to career success and fulfillment.

Don't miss this enlightening episode of the Degree Free Podcast, where Sean Dubois and Ryan Maruyama share their experiences and insights on success, personal growth, and finding happiness. Tune in and be inspired!

To keep up with everything Degree Free check out our website: degreefree.co

Join the Degree Free Network and get the support you need to get hired, get that promotion, and achieve your career goals! You’ll get access to our free resources such as the 5 Degree Free Pathways and 7 Day Get Hired Challenge Course: degreefree.co/network

Learn job hunting skills and learn how to land your dream job in 7 days: degreefree.co/gethired/

Starting your degree free journey but don't know where to start? Check out our free ‘5 Degree Free Pathways’ Course: degreefree.co/pathways

Today, we have a returning guest! Drake Porter is a Senior Product Manager at Meta. He’s a former League of Legends coach, competitive StarCraft 2 player and you can find his previous episode here.

In his previous episode, he talked about his journey from being unemployed due to COVID, to earning $385,000/yr at Meta without a college degree. Today, he comes back and talks about how to future-proof your career with the AI revolution.

In this episode, we talked about:

The impact of AI across various industries and delve into its current uses while contemplating its future potential.
- The trends that are here to stay and examine the emerging possibilities, empowering you to make informed decisions about your career trajectory.
- What would Drake do differently if he could start all over now at 15 years old
- Practical tips and strategies for individuals who have experienced a layoff, helping them regain their footing and reignite their career journeys
- Worried about AI taking jobs? We address this concern and share proactive steps you can take to strategically position yourself in the era of automation. Furthermore, we explore effective ways to prepare for the impending AI wave, equipping you with actionable insights to seize opportunities and stay relevant.

Drake also talks about the biggest challenges he’s facing right now in his role and his strategies for tackling them.

Enjoy this value-packed episode!

To keep up with everything Degree Free check out our website: degreefree.co

Join the Degree Free Network and get the support you need to get hired, get that promotion, and achieve your career goals! You’ll get access to our free resources such as the 5 Degree Free Pathways and 7 Day Get Hired Challenge Course: degreefree.co/network

Learn job hunting skills and learn how to land your dream job in 7 days: https://degreefree.co/gethired/

Starting your degree free journey but don't know where to start? Check out our free ‘5 Degree Free Pathways’ Course: degreefree.co/pathways

Thinking of changing your career path but don't know where to start? Check out our job change accelerator course: degreefree.co/jobchange

"What’s alarming is that many think that having a degree is an employment guarantee. Solely connecting higher education to career sustainability creates a false sense of security."
-Zakiya Akerele, author of Dump Your Degree

Dr. Zakiya Akerele is an Atlanta-based educator, author, and speaker who found an early passion in academic pursuits hoping to use them to improve herself and the world around her.

She sought higher education with full force, obtaining degrees from Florida A&M University (B.A.), Columbia University (Ed.M.), and Fordham University (M.A. and Ph.D.) in International Education, Philosophy, and Religious Studies. Dr. Akerele has served in various capacities at higher education institutions and at social justice, political, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) both in the U.S. and abroad.

Her new book, Dump Your Degree, is a timely and invaluable resource for anyone seeking guidance on navigating higher education, developing their career, and having financial security.

In this episode, we talked about:

• Why a degree won't guarantee career success, and what can you do instead to have a successful career?
• How you can repurpose your education to get the job you want and achieve financial freedom
• Why 'who you know' is as important as 'what you know' to have career success.

Ryan and Zakiya also talked about how parents can help their children prepare for college and their careers.

Hope you all enjoy this fun conversation and value-packed episode!

To keep up with everything Degree Free check out our website: https://degreefree.co

Get the guide on how to: Teach Yourself. Get Work. Make Money. No Degree Needed.: https://degreefree.co/workbook

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter and get exclusive tips and tricks to make great money without a college degree! https://degreefree.co/signup

Like, subscribe, write us a review, and if you have a question or want some advice email us at [email protected]

Join us for an enlightening conversation with Bradley, a TikTok content creator, as he shares his eye-opening experience with student loan debt and the harsh realities of choosing a costly college without understanding the financial implications.

Join us as we delve into the importance of informed consent and radical responsibility in managing personal finances.

What You’ll Learn:

The lack of information and guidance before signing for student loans and the shock of realizing the amount owed after graduation.
- The impact of debt on creative professionals and the missed opportunities for career growth due to financial constraints.
- The pressure to pursue traditional education paths and the societal expectations surrounding obtaining a degree.
- Bradley's personal journey of overcoming $130,000 of debt with a low-paying job and the importance of taking control of one's financial future.

Don't miss this insightful conversation on student loan debt and the societal pressures around education.

Take control of your finances, make informed decisions, and commit to improving your financial situation.

Tune in to the Degree Free Podcast for more inspiring stories and practical tips on navigating the world of personal finance.

Ready to set your teen on the path to success after high school?

Apply for our Degree Free Launch Program and let's build them a personalized career roadmap: https://degreefree.co/launch

To keep up with everything Degree Free check out our website: https://degreefree.co

Your questions, answered on air! Head over to https://ask.degreefree.co/question and Ryan and Hannah will answer your question on the podcast!

Want to help your 16-20 year old build the life they want without wasting 5 and half years and going into crippling student debt?

Get your copy of "The Degree Free Way" workbook!

Guide your 16-20 year old to jobs that help them reach their goals. All while saving time and money.

Discover personalized career options and clear direction with this comprehensive workbook set.

Get "The Degree Free Way" Workbook here → https://degreefree.co/book

Today, we have Julia Pollak, ZipRecruiter's Chief Economist to talk about the current state of the job market and how you can stand out amongst the other job seekers.

Julia Pollak is the Chief Economist at ZipRecruiter, a leading online employment marketplace that uses AI-driven smart matching technology to connect millions of businesses and job seekers.

She uses data from the ZipRecruiter marketplace to measure the health of the labor market, identify hiring trends, and help employers and job seekers prepare for the future of work. Her research is frequently cited in leading national outlets, like the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and NPR. She is also a contributor to Barron’s and a member of the Forbes Human Resources Council.

Prior to working at ZipRecruiter, Julia was an Assistant Policy Analyst at the RAND Corporation and an adjunct economics instructor at Pepperdine University.

Julia holds a B.A. in economics from Harvard and an M.Phil. in policy analysis from Pardee RAND Graduate School. She was a drilling reservist in the U.S. Navy from 2011 to 2022.

In this episode, we talk about:

The current state of the job market and why it's never been better for job seekers
- How you can stand out against other job seekers
- Why finding a job is more similar to the marriage market
- Why you don't need to meet the job qualifications 100% to get hired

Julia also talks about how having a mentor can greatly affect your career and life. She also talks about how you can find one!

Hope you all enjoy this fun conversation and value-packed episode!

To keep up with everything Degree Free check out our website: https://degreefree.co

Get the guide on how to: Teach Yourself. Get Work. Make Money. No Degree Needed.: https://degreefree.co/workbook

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter and get exclusive tips and tricks to make great money without a college degree! https://degreefree.co/signup

Like, subscribe, write us a review, and if you have a question or want some advice email us at [email protected]