Free to develop
a career of
your own
I’m not your typical tech career coach.
As a seasoned tech professional who’s navigated burnout and reclaimed success, I offer insights and strategies grounded in real-world experience.
Struggling to advance your tech career or maintain work-life balance? I’ve walked that path and can guide you to breakthrough results. Like me, I’m sure you’ve worked hard to acquire knowledge and skills. And so I’ll bet you can really get things done. Ironically, it’s exactly this “DIY mindset” that can make getting help from another person almost feel wrong somehow! Unfortunately, without an outside perspective it’s easy to get stuck and stop growing.
Corporate culture on many software development teams makes this worse. They sometimes shame people who openly ask for help! But most other professions do the exact opposite. Their top performers have coaches.
You don’t need another certification – you need a shift in your thinking!
Maybe your motivation for getting into tech was purely for the fun of it. Or the promise of a big salary and the lifestyle it can provide drew you in. Regardless, you’ve probably seen other people “get ahead”, and can’t help but compare your career to theirs. It’s totally normal to want growth in your career. But chasing other people’s career path is not the way to do it.
“I don’t coach just anyone willing to work with me. I coach people in tech who want a great life, healthy relationships, and a lasting legacy. Work should always be much more than just a big bank account.”
Ever felt like you’ve achieved success, only to realize you’re on the wrong path? Let’s correct course together. When I coach, I treat each person as a unique individual. I put my preferences aside. This way you’ll follow the best path for you alone.
The software industry is lacking when it comes to truly powerful career coaching. Coaching that leads you to those “aha!” moments. Moments where you come to insights that shift your perspective on work – and suddenly everything changes.
So what does tech career coaching do, really?
The most important thing to understand first – is what coaching can (and can’t) do for you.
- Coaching is not therapy. Therapy helps you correct behavioral and psychological problems due to past trauma.
- Coaching is not mentoring. Mentoring is where someone guides you toward a goal they’ve already achieved themselves.
- Coaching is not consulting. Consulting is where an “expert” (the consultant) gives you the solution to your problems.
Coaching increases your self-confidence, reveals your blind spots, and empowers you to trust your own intuition again.
A coach should push you a little, cheer you on, and remind you of past successes. They should encourage you to fully realize your full potential. And they should help you overcome mental barriers, limiting beliefs – and fears.
Hi, I’m Jayme Edwards
In case you don’t know my story, I’ve had a pretty wild career in the software industry. As a consultant I got to work closely with many different people, in many different tech job roles. But I suffered from burnout 7 years ago and lost everything. The big money I made, the prestigious companies I worked for, and all my hopes and dreams were shattered. My bank account and stocks were suddenly drained because I couldn’t work.
Recovering from career burnout
On the way back to health, I found a new purpose. I started a YouTube channel called Thriving Technologist (previously Healthy Software Developer). I began to share the mistakes I made, and the difficult truths I found in the software industry. But also how I learned to rise above them. I discovered that many people in tech were suffering, with nobody to guide them.
Now I coach people all over the world, in any tech job role related to software development. I help them grow in a healthy, sustainable way. I believe being successful AND having a life are not mutually exclusive. It just requires making wiser decisions.
My experience at a glance
My coaching specialties
First, here’s what I DON’T do. I’m not a recruiter (I don’t find you jobs). I’m not an interview prep coach. I’m not a programming instructor.
I can help you with:
- Finding a clear path to where you should go in your career
- Helping you get unstuck when you’re low on confidence
- Assisting you in articulating your unique value proposition in the market
- Using storytelling and psychology to create a highly effective LinkedIn profile
- Networking with potential employers by industry selection, company matching, and profiling individuals
- Recovering from burnout through rest, mindset adjustments, and learning to set boundaries
- Starting a solo consulting business so you can do high bill rate work for clients
I also offer custom tech career coaching packages if you’re facing something a little outside the norm. This is only if I feel qualified to actually help.
Why integrate tech career coaching with life coaching?
When you do a physical job and get tired, you’ll reach limits of your strength – and be forced to stop. But when you work with your mind and get tired often, it can lead to serious mental health problems. Unfortunately, it’s easy to overlook this until it’s too late.
I’ve been coaching professionals in tech jobs for 5 years now. And in that time, I’ve seen that nearly every decision we make in our career also impacts our life. Making more money often requires sacrificing work/life balance. Having a bigger impact at a company may take energy out of us. Energy that’s harder to give back to our spouse or children.
The method of tech career coaching I offer considers your whole person. I use a combination of software development consulting, career coaching, and life coaching. I will not help you become a millionaire, if that means you become a deadbeat Dad or Mom. That’s a parent who has no relationship with their kids. I will not help you take a job with long hours, unless you put an exercise routine in place. That exercise will produce the extra energy you need to deal with the stress. I don’t coach just anyone willing to work with me. I coach people in tech who want a great life, healthy relationships, and a lasting legacy. Work should always be much more than just a big bank account.
How do I approach coaching?
I didn’t start my career intending for this to happen. But I’ve worked with over 20 companies across over 40 software projects. During the first half of my career I was an employee for companies. Then I switched into consulting. At times I’ve been a QA tester, developer, architect, agile coach, and management consultant. You can read about the projects I’ve been on. So as a tech career coach, I do bring a lot of software industry experience into the relationship.
However when you work with me, I am a coach and not a consultant. If I offer help to solve a problem, it’s always with the attitude of empowering you to do things yourself. Clients who hire me are incredible people who are super smart and capable. What I offer is perspective, encouragement, and digging deep. We’ll work together to get to the bottom of problems holding you back from your fullest potential.
I practice active listening, deep probing, neurolinguistic programming, co-active coaching – and using my own intuition to help clients.
My tech career coaching method is not only for developers. I help people in any engineering or management role related to delivering software.
The benefits of confidential advocacy
The politics at software companies can make it hard to be honest. An advantage to having a tech career coach, is it provides the security of a confidential advocate for your success. Being able to speak frankly with me lets you resolve situations that are too sensitive to discuss at work.
Activities that meet you where you are
Depending on what you need during each session, I may:
- Help you create structures to hold you accountable
- Teach you methods for practicing new skills
- Ask you to practice awareness exercises to get rid of bad habits
- Elicit your core values so you see where you’re out of alignment with your work
- Suggest ways to protect yourself from people who can damage your reputation
- Roleplay to prepare you for interactions with coworkers …and more.
I don’t tell you what to do – we uncover the way forward together.
What clients are saying
When my clients complete their coaching package, I offer them the option of sharing their experience to help others. I do not offer incentives, rewards – or pressure them to share. Here’s what just a few of them had to say about getting coaching from Jayme Edwards.
“Working with Jayme has been a great experience that boosted my confidence a lot. The nature of the tech hiring process, and dev culture in general, too often led me to question my abilities and self worth.
Minutes into our first session, I realized I wasn’t alone! Before working with Jayme, I was miserable at a dead end job – desperately sending my resume to any job posting I could find. Since then I’ve recalibrated my goals to be in line with who I truly am as a human being. I’m working with great people again now, and enjoying what I do.
Jayme’s positivity and experience in the industry could be helpful for just about anyone. He’s truly honest and will happily tell you what he can and can’t do without any façade. His tech career coaching truly changed my life for the better.“
Dan Kurfirst
Frontend Developer
Joe Sak
Senior Developer
“I hired Jayme last year to help me improve as a leading member of my team, and I have to say the results have been phenomenal! Since working with him as my tech career coach, I’ve demonstrated higher level skills, and became a role model for my team – even my CTO!
I’ve also gotten better at conflict resolution and persuasion, learning how to choose my battles and show up better prepared for high stakes conversations. I’ve learned more about how to advocate for myself with management, and to push my team in a healthy way for higher standards. At performance reviews, management considers my contributions to be more valuable now.
I’ve also improved my work-life balance. I used to throw myself into the work more than my employer even required of me. But this led to burnout and resentment. Jayme pushed me to put my creative energy into my free time more, and to take regular personal time off. I’ve seen growth in my personal pursuits, such as learning to play guitar.
If you’re on the fence, jump over and hire Jayme today, you will not regret it!”
“My first job out of college was working for a small company. As a result, I didn’t receive much mentorship and was basically trying to find my own path and figure out how to grow as a developer and keep up with industry standards.
When I decided I needed to move forward elsewhere, I was new to the software engineering interview process and wasn’t sure how to properly prepare for it. Jayme reassured me that I wasn’t alone and helped me immensely in these areas.
The process can be grueling, but Jayme helped me develop a better mindset and get to a better work/life balance. I’m looking forward to continuing to work with Jayme again in the future, and would definitely recommend him to anyone else.“
Brendan Williams
Software Engineer
Brian Fitzgerald
Associate VP of Technology
“Let me put it simply: Jayme is the man. The information and guidance he shares, based on his extensive and diversified experience in the world of software, is TRULY NEEDED, and yet very rarely discussed.
Through his work, both in the form of recorded content and custom sessions, he shines a very important light on how to have a healthy career, healthy work life balance, healthy mindset, and how to be a true professional in the world of software development.
In our one-on-one coaching sessions, Jayme shared a lot of value in helping me find my personal areas of strength and encouraging me to lean into them, letting those strengths be a distinguishing factor in my craft as a software professional. That’s been a huge help
I’m so glad I stumbled upon Jayme’s content when searching “programmer burnout” one day on YouTube, because I’ve been appreciating him as a trusted resource and mentor ever since!“
“If you’re feeling stuck in your career, you’ll need to hire a coach sooner or later. Anyone doing development needs to break his elitist mental barriers.
Recharging & accumulating perspective takes a lot of time. No matter what level you’re at in your career, eventually you reach a plateau from which you’ll either go up – or down.
Hiring Jayme as my coach has helped me cut that plateau / recharge period in half & go upwards – call it a career-hack if you will.“
Robert Rusu
CTO / Lead Developer
Matt Shelley
Senior Software Engineer
“I came to Jayme ten years into my career after feeling burned out, needing to take a long break away from the industry. After seeing his videos on developer burnout for the past few years, I felt like he really understood the troubles we have as programmers. I was happy to see he offered tech career coaching, too.
Jayme helped me realize that I had taken on too much responsibility, sacrificed too much of my life outside of work, and grown addicted to learning – all because I was trying to climb higher and higher. He encouraged me to consider all sorts of roles, including Engineering Manager, Staff Engineer, and even stepping back to Senior Software Engineer.
Ultimately, Jayme helped me realize that I was much happier as a Senior Software Engineer where I had the right amount of responsibility, with a good income and healthy work / life balance. Our conversations saved me a lot of struggle working in a role that didn’t fit me.
I would highly recommend Jayme’s career coaching. It’s very rare to find someone who has gone through burnout, and has many, many years of developer experience. He really understands the challenges of developers who have been in the industry for quite a while. I’m really happy with how much Jayme helped me.”
“I’m not exaggerating when I say Jayme’s coaching changed the course of my life. I came to him completely fried from overwork, confused about next steps for my career, and struggling with personal and family issues. Now, after our coaching sessions, I’ve never felt more confident about my career direction. I was even able to start my own YouTube channel thanks to Jayme’s nudging!
I was initially nervous about being open and vulnerable with a stranger. But even after just the first session I felt like Jayme really understood me and my specific issues. He’s a skilled professional coach, not just some random guy on the internet. A great listener and knows just when to interject advice from his expertise in the industry.
If you’re starting to feel desperate for change like I was, but don’t know where to start, I couldn’t recommend Jayme enough!”
Ben Thorp
Engineering Manager
Tech Career Coaching Packages
Achieve common outcomes many tech professionals want from their career.
Packages are priced based on the value they provide – not the number of sessions included.
Career Compass
Social Job Search
Burnout Breakthrough
Solopreneur Jumpstart
** Coaching packages are priced differently depending on the progression of your career. The pricing you receive is determined at your consultation.
Custom Tech Career Coaching Bundles
Get help with your unique challenges not covered by the coaching packages above.
Gold Bundle
Platinum Bundle
Using and attending sessions
Each session you attend reduces those remaining in your coaching package or bundle until they’re gone.
Upon purchase of coaching, you’ll immediately receive an email. This email contains a unique link you can click to easily book your sessions online.
Jayme is available for sessions from 1:00pm – 5:00pm Central Standard Time (CST), Tuesday through Thursday.
Learn more about tech career coaching packages and bundles in the terms & conditions of coaching.
Apply for tech career coaching with Jayme Edwards
Apply now to see if you qualify for personalized coaching designed for tech professionals ready to transform their careers.
After I review your application, I’ll let you know whether I believe I can help you.
If so, I’ll email you a link to book a consultation with me. The consultation requires a small deposit you can read about here.
Assuming we’re both feeling great about working together, I’ll recommend a coaching package or bundle to consider.
NOTE: I’m currently only coaching professionals with a minimum of 5 years of experience due to high demand.
Take the First Step Towards Your Best Tech Career
Frequently asked questions
It’s hard to be completely honest with people employed by the same company as you. There’s competition for pay and promotions, and egos get in the way. As your tech career coach, I consider it a privilege to provide confidentiality. I’m not tied to your company’s politics—just here to help you figure out what to do next.
Software development projects and the nature of our work can be incredibly contextual. It’s likely that what we do together will be specific to a combination of variables that make your situation special. We’ll talk about what’s going on, and I might suggest a few things to try. No heavy homework—just practical advice you can use.
How we approach this will depend a lot on how measurable we can make the goals you. This can put you in the best position for promotion. It also depends on the personalities of the people you work with. I cannot guarantee that you’ll get promoted if you apply my guidance. But I’m confident we can put you in the best position possible – if you’re willing to put the work in.
I’m all too familiar with confronting high pressure leaders. As a neutral advocate for you, I cannot directly get involved in the politics at your company. I would risk this by communicating with others on your project(s). This is why I’ll help you learn consulting strategies as needed. These will help you earn respect for your ideas and convince people yourself!.
You can cancel your session up to 24 hours in advance. If you cancel by then, you’ll be refunded in full.
Feel free to discuss any of the content on my blog, YouTube channel, discord, or podcast with me there. I personally invite you be part of our growing community of thriving technologists! But please don’t abuse these channels to discuss your case – you should book a session for that.
Some people prefer sharing high level ideas to a big audience. It’s fun to get up on stage, make people laugh, and throw ideas around. But it takes getting your hands dirty to actually put them into practice. I’ve spent my career doing the hard work needed to implement these ideas. And I did it one on one with people on real teams. I do the same with tech career coaching.