Laid off but not afraid with X-senior Microsoft Dev MacKevin Fey [Podcast #173]

On this week's episode of the podcast, freeCodeCamp founder Quincy Larson interviews MacKevin Fey. He just got laid off last week from his senior engineering role at Microsoft. We talk about: How Mack's approaching the job search after being laid off Tips for building your own financial safety net while working as an engineer How to use your dev skills to help people around you in the meantime And how Mack trains mentally and physically for the rigors of modern work Support for this podcast comes from a grant from Wix Studio. Wix Studio provides developers tools to rapidly build websites with everything out-of-the-box, then extend, replace, and break boundaries with code. Learn more at https://wixstudio.com. Support also comes from the 11,423 kind folks who support freeCodeCamp through a monthly donation. You can join these chill human beings and help our charity's mission by going to donate.freecodecamp.org Links we talk about during our conversation: Mack's Oscilliscope course: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLBfhD_4FPIYsQ9LiWYoHVrLbuvwnb_bvC Gameplay from RadGamer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wIzM2c2YKfM License: Creative Commons Attribution license (reuse allowed) Chapters 00:00 Navigating Layoffs: A Personal Journey 03:14 Building a Safety Net: Financial Strategies 06:00 Mental and Physical Resilience in Tough Times 09:01 From Childhood to Career: A Unique Path 12:05 College Decisions: Finding the Right Fit 15:09 Internships and Early Career Experiences 18:02 Transitioning to Intel: The Engineering World 21:01 Firmware and Hardware: A Deep Dive 23:55 The Role of Testing in Engineering 27:01 Advice for Aspiring Engineers 32:43 Transitioning from Intel to Microsoft 35:05 Navigating Corporate Culture and Growth 38:05 Learning and Adapting in a New Environment 40:10 Key Takeaways from Microsoft Experience 42:27 Physical and Mental Health Management 49:13 The Importance of Therapy and Self-Improvement 52:37 Building Financial Independence through Real Estate 56:50 Understanding Passive Income 01:04:25 Preparing for Financial Uncertainty 01:10:04 Navigating Job Loss and Future Steps 01:18:36 Embracing Resilience and Gratitude