Out of Office with Sundas
Out of Office with Sundas is a tech and AI podcast exploring how modern technology is built, scaled and led. Host Sundas Khalid, a former principal data scientist and tech leader at Google and Amazon, talks with CEOs, founders, executives, engineers and scientists about the realities of the industry. Episodes cover AI systems and infrastructure, building and scaling technology products, technical leadership, and careers in the AI era. The focus is on practical lessons and first-hand experience rather than hype.
Episodes
How to Get Ahead of 99% Engineers
In this episode of Out of Office with Sundas, I sat down with Sajjaad Khader to talk about how engineers can stand out and accelerate their careers. We discuss his software engineering salary progression, how he earned two computer science degrees in three years, what separates the top 1% of engineers, and the AI tools developers should know.
What It Takes to Be a $300K Cloud Engineer
In this episode of Out of Office with Sundas, I sat down with Linda Haviv to talk about her journey from software engineering to cloud engineering. We discuss the differences between software and cloud roles, what cloud computing actually means, a practical cloud engineer roadmap, and the AI tools developers are using at work.
Is a CS Degree Still Worth It? An Ex-Google Engineer Explains
In this episode of Out of Office with Sundas, I sat down with former Google engineer Delia Lazarescu to discuss whether a computer science degree is still worth it in the age of AI. We talk about life after Google, the value of CS fundamentals, how engineering roles are changing, and the AI tools she uses to work more effectively.
Is Big Tech a Trap? Why She Quit Her $200K Software Engineering Job
In this episode of Out of Office with Sundas, I sat down with Pooja Dutt to talk about why she left her remote $200,000 software engineering job at Microsoft. We discuss burnout, the tradeoffs behind leaving Big Tech, what she learned from applying to 25 jobs, and how engineers can stand out in a difficult job market.
How She Got $300,000 Software Engineer Job at Google
In this episode of Out of Office with Sundas, I sat down with Maddy Zhang to talk about her journey to a $300,000 software engineering role at Google, including school, internships, and Leetcode. Maddy also shares how she prepared for coding interviews and uses AI in her day-to-day work.
LinkedIn VP: The Career Move to Make Before 2027 (YOUR NEXT MOVE)
In this episode of Out of Office with Sundas, I sat down with Paolo Provinciali, VP of Marketing at LinkedIn, to discuss what’s really happening inside Big Tech. We talked about ROI, revenue per employee, at different big tech and how that has evolved since the AI became mainstream. It was pretty surprising to see how Netflix's ROI per employee is the highest compared to the rest of the big tech.
Snowflake VP: AI Still Can’t Replace Engineers
In this episode of Out of Office with Sundas, I sat down with Baris Gultekin, VP of AI at, who's been building AI longer than most people knew what it was. He walked me through his time at Google, how he ended up leading AI at Snowflake, and why he thinks what's happening right now is still just the beginning. We talked about how AI is reshaping every job, why judgment matters more than technical
Data Scientist: I was FIRED and STILL made $600K
In today's episode of Out of Office with Sundas, I sat down with Megan Lieu, an ex data scientist who made $600K last year. She walked me through getting laid off, rushing into the wrong job, burning out hard within 6 months, and ultimately getting fired.
From Data Engineer to Data Scientist, Then Quit
In this episode of Out of Office with Sundas I sat down with Maggie Ma, a former Data Engineer who made the move to Data Scientist role. She shared what it really took to make that transition, the skills she had to learn, and how much of the job involves working with messy, real-world data, and why she eventually left Data Scientist role after working 3 years. We also talked about AI, corporate po
From 2.6 GPA to $200K Microsoft Software Engineer
In this episode of Out of Office with Sundas, I sat down with Pooja Dutt, former Software Engineer at Microsoft, to talk about how she landed a remote software engineering role at Microsoft after graduating with a 2.6 GPA. Pooja shares what she learned from failing tech interviews, whether remote work is worth it, and a practical roadmap for becoming a software engineer.
From Pre-Med to $135K Data Analyst: Was it Worth it?
In this episode of Out of Office with Sundas, I sat down with Alex Freberg to talk about his transition from pre-med to a $135,000 data analyst role and eventually becoming an entrepreneur. Alex also shares what he would do differently, the realities of a data analyst career, and a practical roadmap for breaking into the field.
How He Got $600,000 Data Engineer Job
In this episode of Out of Office with Sundas, I sat down with Zach Wilson, former Data Engineer at Airbnb, to talk about how he went from an $80,000 data engineering role to earning $600,000 at big tech. Zach also shares the career moves that accelerated his growth and a practical roadmap for breaking into data engineering.
Should You Become a Data Analyst in 2026? Honest Answer
In this episode of Out of Office with Sundas, I sat down with Jess Ramos to talk about her journey from a $71,500 entry-level data analyst to a $153,000 senior role and then leaving her job.
