We recently connected with Maxwell Myers and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Maxwell, thank you for being such a positive, uplifting person. We’ve noticed that so many of the successful folks we’ve had the good fortune of connecting with have high levels of optimism and so we’d love to hear about your optimism and where you think it comes from.
When asked where my optimism comes from, I believe it stems from knowing how much I’m capable of. For example, whenever I face a challenging situation or experience failure, I remind myself that some of my worst failures have turned into my biggest success stories. This outlook has a significant impact on how I view the world. I feel that no matter how bad a situation is, there can and will always be some sort of silver lining.
For instance, in high school, I played football. I started in first grade and continued through eighth grade. When I tried out for the football team in high school, I got cut. That was one of the lowest points in my life up until that day because I had trained for seven years, finally made it to high school, which had one of the best teams in the state, and I got cut. I didn’t know what I was going to do anymore. Instead of giving up, I thought maybe I wasn’t putting in enough work. So, I trained harder and tried out again the next year, only to get cut again. After that, I shifted my focus to track and field, determined to be the best. I ended up becoming a state champion my senior year and was the only person in my grade to attend a Division I program for collegiate athletics on a scholarship. I went to the University of Maryland, a Big Ten school, after being cut from the football team my freshman and sophomore years.
This experience showed me that the outlook you have on situations determines what you are capable of. I didn’t let getting cut from the football team stop my athletic pursuits. Instead, I used it as fuel to continue in the face of adversity. Part of it is also pride—I have these dreams, and I can’t just give up because I failed. To me, real failure happens when you stop trying. As long as you’re still striving to get better, you haven’t lost.
That’s where my optimism comes from. Every situation, even when I’m in the rough of it, has the potential to make the good moments even better. If there were no bad situations, there couldn’t be any good ones.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I’m the co-founder of LinkedIn or Left Out, a platform with the goal of bridging the gap in technical interviews for aspiring software engineers, specifically within Black and Hispanic communities.
We identified two major pain points: ignorance and fear. The ignorance comes from not knowing how to prepare for interviews, or even where to start. There are so many resources out there, but they’re often hard to navigate unless you’re already in the know. At LinkedIn or Left Out, we combat this by providing all the information and resources someone might need, completely free of charge.
To address the fear component, we believe that being authentic is key. Many people feel intimidated because they don’t see others who look like them in the field. By simply existing and being true to who we are, we aim to provide a sense of relatability and comfort. I remember feeling isolated until one of my TAs, who was one of the few Black individuals I saw in my computer science program, became my TA for my first class. That experience changed my perspective on who could succeed in this field.
What excites me most about our work is when we help someone pass an interview and land a job. We often receive testimonials without even asking, which is incredibly rewarding. It’s also special to hear from younger generations who look up to us.
Our website, linkedinorleftout.com, just launched, and our first product will be launching next month in September. This platform will be a free resource for people looking to improve their technical interview skills. So, stay tuned to LinkedIn or Left Out!
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
When asked about the three most important qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that have been most impactful in my journey, I mentioned energy, determination, and curiosity.
If I were to give advice to those early in their journey, I’d say that energy, discipline, and curiosity are key. Discipline and determination go hand in hand. Training yourself to do something, even when you don’t feel like it, is the most consistent and fastest way to grow. You have to be disciplined and determined because you don’t want to waste your energy. Everyone has a finite amount of energy, even if you’re naturally more energetic. If you’re not determined and disciplined, you’ll end up using your energy on things that are irrelevant to your goals, which will ultimately slow you down. That’s why I emphasize those two.
As for curiosity, I believe it’s the best way to truly learn. Many people might feel embarrassed to admit they don’t know something, but it makes more sense to see it as a learning opportunity. If you’re curious and willing to question things, you’ll open yourself up to many more opportunities to learn and grow.
One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?
Right now, I’m definitely looking for recruiters, people who work in talent acquisition, and hiring managers who are looking to source exceptional technical talent, particularly for software engineering-related roles, internships, and new graduate positions.
I’m also interested in collaborating with others who share a similar mission. (Designers especially!)
If you’re reading this and are interested in partnering or collaborating, please reach out. My email is [email protected], or directly on LinkedIn.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linkedinorleftout.com
- Instagram: maxovrhvn
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maxwellmyers1/
Image Credits
Kent Edwards
Rose Fernandes
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