How Hackathons Make You a Better Software Engineer

What if you could turn a weekend project into a core product feature at a major tech company? We sit down with Behrouz Pooladrak, a software engineer and hackathon legend at Booking.com, to uncover how these intense competitions can fast-track your skills, career, and impact. He shares the mindset and strategies that took his ideas from a one-day build to a real-world product used by millions. In this episode, we cover: How to treat your hackathon project like a mini-startup to guarantee success. The surprising skills you gain from short-term projects that your daily job can't teach you. How companies like Booking.com use hackathons to innovate and train new talent. Why personal projects are the secret weapon for career growth. This episode is for any software engineer looking to distinguish themselves, learn new technologies rapidly, and make a real impact in the tech industry. Timestamps: 00:00:49 - The Mindset of a Prolific Builder 00:02:42 - How AI Helps You Build an MVP in One Day 00:06:26 - Why This Engineer is a Hackathon "Living Legend" 00:07:41 - From Hackathon Idea to Real AI Product 00:11:42 - The Secret to Winning: Treat it Like a Startup 00:17:22 - How Booking.com Onboards Juniors with a 4-Week Hackathon 00:20:25 - Why We Still Need Junior Engineers in the Age of AI 00:26:57 - The #1 Struggle Teams Face in Hackathons 00:31:04 - The Real Reason to Join a Hackathon (It’s Not the Prize) 00:35:46 - How to Start and Finish Your Personal Projects 00:40:12 - The Feedback Loop Between Your Job and Hobby Projects #SoftwareEngineering #Hackathon #CareerGrowth