Hi! I am Jay Allan, an experienced Software Engineering leader who loves developing people and technology. I worked in startups as well as Fortune 500 companies and Big Tech, helping to build and release successful software products with very different tech stacks - ranging from desktop software over web applications to mobile apps. My experience stretches across various industries ranging from video games to life science.
I have the conviction that technical skills are only one part of the equation for a successful career in Software Engineering. "Soft" skills such as self-awareness, communication, resilience, or conflict management are too often overlooked. In our conversations, we will be diving deeper into these aspects to help you take the next steps in your career.
Over the course of my career I had the privilege to work with and learn from great Software Engineers in my capacity as an Engineering Manager. Here is what some of them can tell you about me:
"Working with Jay was one of the most pivotal points in my career. At a turning point for me going from an individual contributor to a Lead Engineer, I attribute much of the speed of my success to Jay. I cannot recommend Jay enough."
- Steven Sauer, Senior Software Engineer at Unity
"Jay is one of the best managers I’ve ever encountered. He is passionate and caring. I once lead a project with very tight timelines, Jay offered me very constructive feedback to help me navigate the challenges"
- Ke Er Xiong, Software Engineer at Meta
"Whenever I looked for Jay's advice, he usually did not reply by just telling me what I should do. Instead, he inspired me to think while guiding me with questions. Jay taught me prioritization and helped me building my mindset of managing myself. I learned how to balance feature implementation, operations, and self-development in my daily business.."
- Chenmin Yao, Senior Software Engineer at Stripe
How can I help you?
I have the conviction that technical skills are only one part of the equation for a successful career in Software Engineering. "Soft" skills such as self-awareness, communication, resilience, or conflict management are too often overlooked. In our conversations, we will be diving deeper into these aspects to help you take the next steps in your career.
Over the course of my career I had the privilege to work with and learn from great Software Engineers in my capacity as an Engineering Manager. Here is what some of them can tell you about me:
"Working with Jay was one of the most pivotal points in my career. At a turning point for me going from an individual contributor to a Lead Engineer, I attribute much of the speed of my success to Jay. I cannot recommend Jay enough."
- Steven Sauer, Senior Software Engineer at Unity
"Jay is one of the best managers I’ve ever encountered. He is passionate and caring. I once lead a project with very tight timelines, Jay offered me very constructive feedback to help me navigate the challenges"
- Ke Er Xiong, Software Engineer at Meta
"Whenever I looked for Jay's advice, he usually did not reply by just telling me what I should do. Instead, he inspired me to think while guiding me with questions. Jay taught me prioritization and helped me building my mindset of managing myself. I learned how to balance feature implementation, operations, and self-development in my daily business.."
- Chenmin Yao, Senior Software Engineer at Stripe
How can I help you?
My Mentoring Topics
Transitioning from individual contributor to people manager
Managing cross-functional software engineering teams
Software engineering methodologies and best practices
Agile mindset and DevOps culture
Working in multi-cultured teams
Working abroad and in a different culture
Interview training for software engineering roles
Managing cross-functional software engineering teams
Software engineering methodologies and best practices
Agile mindset and DevOps culture
Working in multi-cultured teams
Working abroad and in a different culture
Interview training for software engineering roles