pedrodelfino

Thread for 2025: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42509408

Thread for 2024: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=38782613

Thread for 2023: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=33873800

Hi HN,

I'm a software engineer aiming to transition into a sales engineer (solutions/pre-sales) role. I’m drawn to the mix of technical problem-solving and customer interaction.

I'm looking for a mentor who has made this switch or works in sales engineering. Any tips on positioning myself, key skills, or resources would be appreciated.

Happy to chat via email: p.delfino01 [at] gmail [dot] com

Thanks!

I'm based in Canada and curious to learn more about interesting or up-and-coming tech companies here — not just the usual big names like Shopify or Lightspeed, but also smaller startups, bootstrapped companies, or niche players doing great work in software, hardware, AI, sustainability, fintech, etc.

I'm a 32-year-old software engineer currently living in Toronto, Canada (Permanent Resident, on track to become a citizen next year). I've worked for startups for most of my career, starting when I was 20 (co-founded one when I was 20). Currently, I am working remotely for a Bay Area startup.

My background is a bit unusual: I studied law and applied math, which has proven to be surprisingly helpful in both technical and business contexts.

I'm considering a transition into either Sales Engineering or Account Executive roles in the medium term. Why?

I still like technical work, but I'm increasingly drawn to more people-facing, product-driven roles.

I’ve often found myself the engineer who can make compelling demos, pitch ideas to clients, and explain complex systems clearly — and I enjoy doing it.

I have a knack for networking, public speaking, and presenting — areas where many engineers struggle.

I believe I might have a better chance becoming top 1% in sales engineering than in pure engineering, especially as I get older.

There's also a practical aspect: compensation and reduced AI disruption risk.

Some additional context:

I’m fluent in English (not a native speaker, but have worked in English environments for years). I am a native speaker of Portuguese. I can communicate in Italian and in Spanish.

I have a strong interest in functional programming (bias from my applied math side).

Once I become a Canadian citizen, I’ll be eligible for the TN-1 visa to work in the US. Great visa path. Just need to show job offer at the airport.

What’s the best way to make this kind of transition?

Should I target smaller startups or larger companies with formal programs?

Is it better to aim for Sales Engineer or Account Executive roles first?

What kind of resume tweaks, side projects, or networking approaches would you recommend?

Would love to hear from anyone who made a similar transition or has hired for these roles.

Hi HN community,

I'm on the hunt for some new podcasts to dive into and would love your recommendations. What podcasts do you consider must-listens, and what makes them special to you?

I'm open to all genres—tech, science, economics, philosophy, storytelling, etc. If there's a particular episode that stands out, I'd be interested to hear about that too.

Looking forward to your suggestions!

I would love to get your recommendations on the following:

Getting Started: What would be your general advice for someone starting now?

Text Editors/IDEs: Which text editor or IDE do you recommend for beginners today? What about code assistants?

Learning Resources: Which books or online courses are most helpful for learning programming now?

Changes Over the Decade: How have your recommendations changed compared to advice from 10 years ago (in 2014) due to advancements in AI and tools like ChatGPT?

Any insights or suggestions are greatly appreciated!

What are the key differences between MLOps and DevOps? How does MLOps compare to Data Engineering?

I’m curious to hear thoughts on why MLOps is gaining so much attention right now.