Spilling tech tea one episode at a time
Is bringing up your software engineering salary a dating red flag? How do you strike a balance between career ambition and burnout? Navigating a career in tech raises a lot of tricky questions that aren’t exactly appropriate for the daily stand-up. So let’s take this off the VPN.
Two work besties get real about working in tech
Jasmine and Allison scour the internet to find the real questions engineers and developers are whispering over drinks and posting about anonymously. Together, they tackle the most troubling of inquiries with authenticity, humor, and absolutely no holding back.
Episodes
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.
E 06
But you don’t look like an engineer
Ever had someone assume you’re not an engineer just because of how you look? Us too. In this episode, Jasmine and Allison are breaking down the everyday nonsense of tech stereotypes and how to handle them without losing your cool. We’re talking about everything from being mistaken for non-tech roles to dealing with people who assume you don’t know what you’re doing just because they’ve never seen someone like you in their field. This episode is packed with stories, laughs, and real talk about how to navigate these awkward situations. We cover when to let it slide, when to clap back, and how to stay focused when others are underestimating you. Wanna know why you don’t have to prove anything to anyone about your skills? We’ve got you.
E 07
Stand ups and other useless meetings
Are we the only ones sitting in way too many meetings or what? How’s any work supposed to be done if we’re chit-chatting away on daily stand-ups? In this episode of Off the VPN, Allison and Jasmine talk about the overload of unnecessary meetings in the tech world — sharing listener stories and exploring the countless red flags of inefficient workplace practices. Tune in for laughs, advice, and some much-needed reality checks on how we handle our time in the tech world. Spoilers: It could have been an email.
E 08
GenAI Ghost Stories
Julia Neagu | CEO and Co-founder of Quotient AI
There’s something spooky on the horizon, and we’re not talking about ghosts and goblins. AI is changing the future of software development. And while change is scary, AI could be more about treats than tricks. So says Julia Neagu, CEO and Co-founder of Quotient AI. In this episode of Off the VPN, Julia sheds a little light on an AI-assisted future and reigns in some of our scariest AI expectations. Can AI control the weather? No. Should AI-assisted engineers get paid less? Also no. For a full discussion on how AI is changing the developer role and why it won’t be taking over for software engineers anytime soon, be sure to give this episode a listen. And stick around for some seasonally appropriate terror tales from the darkest recesses of the tech industry—if you dare.
E 09
Some teams can’t be saved
Ever feel like you’re the only one actually working? Or that your “team-building” aren’t exactly inspiring team spirit? On this episode of Off the VPN, Allison and Jasmine run through the good, the bad, and ugly of building tech team “synergy”. From the nightmare of being left on read by your whole team to the perils of “mandatory” trust falls, our hosts spill the tea on what makes ( and breaks) a solid team. Hang out for some laughs, a few rants, and maybe even a little actionable insight into what will help you survive team drama!
Join the conversation!
Jasmine and Allison are on the lookout for juicy stories, and open-ended questions about life in tech, and they want to hear yours! Fill out the form to share yours (don’t worry, we’ll keep it anonymous).