Spilling tech tea one episode at a time

E 01

Should my job keep me from my best friend’s wedding?

Should your tech job ever get in the way of your best friend’s wedding? When is it okay to refuse a job referral to a family member? How do you balance work, life, and the ever-present threat of burnout? In this inaugural episode of Off the VPN, hosts Allison and Jasmine answer your questions about those tricky situations where friends and family intersect with a tech career. If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by work or struggled to keep it separate from your personal life, this episode offers a decent amount of catharsis and a heck of a lot of laughs.

E 02

Is it cool to blast your interviewer on LinkedIn?

Is it ever okay to put an interviewee on blast on social media? What’s the best way to deescalate a situation with an aggressive coworker? And when is the right time to speak up and have those tough work conversations even if you’re doing it solo? In this episode of Off the VPN, hosts Allison and Jasmine answer your questions about when to speak up for yourself in the office. Spoilers: We’re not doing it often enough. Lock in for a conversation about standing on business and saying the thing you’re struggling to say—for better and worse!

E 03

Dodging tech industry red flags

Would you take a job sure to end in a layoff if it meant a free European vacation? Would you accept a job without a formal offer? If these questions throw up red flags, you’re in the right place. In this episode of Off the VPN, hosts Allison and Jasmine answer your questions about bizarre tech industry red flags and how to handle them.

E 04

On Wednesdays we loud quit

Stop trying to make quiet quitting a thing—it’s never gonna happen! We’re all about loud quitting now, where leaving your job is more “you can’t sit with us” and less “thanks for the memories.” Ever thought about making your exit so iconic that the whole office will still be talking about it? Imagine rolling out with a marching band as you drop your resignation, or leaving some critical code in escrow to shake things up after you’re gone. In this episode, we’re spilling the tea on the most extra, bold, and sometimes savage ways people have dipped out of their jobs. From resignation parties that give to sneaky code sabotage, we’re sharing the wildest quitting stories from the tech world. Whether you’re plotting your own epic exit or just here for the drama, this episode is packed with jaw-dropping moments that’ll make you wanna quit like a legend.

E 05

Does your team health pass the vibe check?

Sarah Rieger | Software Engineer at Jellyfish

Ever wondered how to keep your tech team happy, engaged, and performing at their best? We sat down with Sarah Rieger from Jellyfish’s DevFinOps team (our first guest!) to chat about team morale. Sarah’s got some awesome tricks, like starting Zoom meetings with dad jokes and using sound effects during planning. Guests aren’t the only first for this episode. We introduced a new segment called “Choose Your Dysfunction,” where we dissect and debate tricky team scenarios. Would you rather handle a team that’s always late or one that’s fast but off-target? And what about a lone wolf senior developer versus a bunch of juniors? Sarah’s answers will get you thinking! But hey, it’s not all laughs—there’s some serious stuff in here too like overworking and its impact on team morale. Is clocking extra hours fair for promotions? We explore that and share tips for fostering mental well-being and open communication.