Hello Reader

Last edition of August, which means you've got a few days left to claim the summer was productive before anyone can check.

Then September arrives with that back to school feeling, even for those of us who haven't sat in a classroom for a decade or two. It's a decent excuse for a reset. New notebook energy, a course picked back up, a project dusted off.

Nothing about the calendar actually makes learning easier, but everyone starting again at once does help.

We've been getting a few things ready for exactly that. Let's get into it.

Actually, before we jump in: if you aren't subscribed to our weekly email updates yet, you can do so by entering you email here!

TL;DR

◉ New Tools: Explain now runs in Chrome and ChatGPT​

◉ Explainer of the Week: ATS friendly CV layouts​

◉ New hires: We’re looking for freelance coding tutors​

◉ Poll of the Week: Getting in the learning zone + last week’s results!

New Tools

Explain isn’t just only a ‘Scrimba thing’ anymore.

​Our Chrome extension is live, so you can generate a video Explainer for whatever’s on the screen in front of you. An article, a docs page, a README written for someone who already knows. It’s free while it’s in beta, so go and stress test it.

If it earns a spot in your toolbar, drop a review on the Chrome store — it makes a real difference to whether other learners find it, and gives us insight on ways to improve it.

You can also reach Explain from inside ChatGPT. Ask it to make a video explaining a concept, a piece of code, or something you’re reading, and it’ll build one for you. Same teaching engine, just a prompt away from where you’re already chatting.

Explainer of the Week

Every week we pick one Explainer worth your time. This week it’s [ATS-Friendly CV Layouts(https://scrimba.com/explain/guide0h5op5mm2), which is four minutes well spent if your applications have been disappearing into the void.

The framing: an ATS is basically a digital filing clerk. Hand it a standard form and it files you in seconds. Hand it a design project with text tucked into the corners and you land in the “unknown” pile.

What this Explainer covers:

• Why single column beats two columns, since the scanner reads straight across and merges your columns into nonsense
• Where your name, location and number should go, and why Word’s actual Header tool is a trap
• Job title, company, and dates, so the system can work out your years of experience
• Boring fonts, and why you should never send your CV as an image

There’s also a quick knowledge check at the end to see if it stuck.

Want to create your own Explainer? Start here and yours could be featured in the next edition!

New Hires

Some of the best teachers we’ve worked with started out as learners on the platform. So we’re putting this here first: Scrimba is looking for freelance coding tutors.​

You’ll want to be comfortable with HTML, CSS, JS, React or Next, a Node framework and Python. Being a quick learner counts too, since the stack moves.

But the tech list matters less than whether you can make something land for someone seeing it for the first time. If you’ve ever finished a lesson thinking “I’d have explained that differently,” that instinct is most of the job.

Bonus points for: Python data analysis or backend, DevOps, knowing your way around Scrimba, and a decent sense of humor!

English doesn’t need to be your first language, just clear when spoken. You’d need around 30 hours a week for course production.

If that sounds like you, DM Head of Education Thomas Chant with a bit about yourself and a link to you teaching something. An old YouTube video works, or you can record something on Scrimba!

Know someone who’d be great at this? Send it their way.

Poll of the Week

Last week we asked how you actually network as a developer, and “What’s networking?” took it with 55.6%. Honest. We respect it.

Sliding into DMs and hanging out in Discord and forums tied at 22.2% each. Local meetups got exactly zero votes, which is either a scheduling problem or a very clear collective statement.

For anyone in the 55.6%: networking is mostly just being visible to other developers. Sharing what you’re building, answering someone’s question, staying in touch with people you’ve learned alongside. Most roles get filled through someone who already knows your name, so the low effort version (posting your progress, showing up in the Discord) does more than it looks like it does.

Meme of the Week

At least they’re planning ahead.

Wrap Up

It’s time for your weekly dose of cuteness from #scrimba-pets !🐶🐱🐍🐟

PuPu’s camouflage only works if you don’t look at the adorable face.

Thank you for reading, everyone! Have a lovely week, keep calm and Scrimba on.

Alana @alanacapcreates The Scrimba Community Newsletter