Mikhail Korolev: How to Hack the Job Market & Get Into VIP Rooms

Links- CodeCrafters: https://codecrafters.io- Kyle Simpson (You Don't Know JS): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BEMG7Oxuan8- Josh Goldberg (CFP Advice): https://www.joshuakgoldberg.com/blog/how-i-apply-to-conferences/- JSHeroes CFP Guide: https://jsheroes.io/ (See blog section)- CFP.watch (by Roudy): https://cfp.watch- confs.tech (mentioned at ~00:34): https://confs.tech- Guillermo Rauch Episode: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6NzkPBjwpwLmhIntEUB95x?si=51ac6de6d8fa4f8e- Santosh Yadav Episode: https://open.spotify.com/episode/7HIl3zqyDd3cZDmJLzKR58- Jeff Escalante Episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uf2E3dWfK3k- System Design in 15 Minutes (Hello Interview): https://www.hellointerview.com/learn/system-design/in-a-hurry/introduction- Mikhail Korolev (X/Twitter): https://x.com/mkrl__- Mikhail on GitHub: https://github.com/mkrl- Mikhail on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mkrl/- Mikhail on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/mkrl.xyzSummaryI sat down with Mikhail "Misha" Korolev to discuss a reality many engineers face but rarely talk about: how to get into rooms where you technically "don't belong." We explored his journey from being unemployed after Toptal to networking his way into VIP dinners and eventually landing a role at Tekmetric. We dug deep into the "Pac-Man Rule" for networking, why I believe you shouldn't pursue DevRel jobs at companies with unfinished products, and the specific "cheat codes" Misha used to bypass standard interview gates—including how he used ChatGPT to speed-run a LeetCode assessment. If you're currently navigating the job market or trying to pivot from engineering to public speaking, this conversation is a masterclass in making your own luck.Chapters00:00:00 Intro & Sponsors00:02:45 The "VIP Dinner" Strategy00:06:00 How to Enter Rooms You "Don't Belong" In00:12:20 The Pac-Man Rule for Networking00:15:00 Dealing with Competitive Networking (The MKBHD Effect)00:20:00 Why You Shouldn't Idolize Tech Celebrities00:28:00 How to Start Speaking at Conferences (CFP Hacks)00:35:00 Live Coding vs. Pre-recorded Demos00:43:00 The Truth About DevRel vs. Engineering00:58:00 Misha's Accidental Path to Engineering (Quake & Turbo Pascal)01:07:30 Job Hunting in a Brutal Market01:13:30 Using ChatGPT to Pass LeetCode Interviews01:20:00 Getting Referrals (The Supabase Story)01:27:00 Closing Advice: Just Go Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.