It takes more than great code to be a great engineer. Soft Skills Engineering is a weekly advice podcast for software developers about the non-technical stuff that goes into being a great software developer.
The democratization of software engineering through AI tools remains a contentious goal, as the industry continues to struggle with the distinction between generating code and actual engineering. While AI enables non-engineers to produce functional snippets, the critical tasks of verification, maintenance, and architec...
Software engineering management and performance evaluation present complex challenges for individual contributors transitioning into leadership or seeking salary growth. Stepping into a temporary management role offers valuable experience, provided the focus remains on maintaining team stability rather than implementin...
Navigating workplace social dynamics and finding meaning in a long-term career within a disillusioning industry are the primary challenges addressed. For a career-switching professional in their thirties, anxiety surrounding in-person meetups often stems from perceived age gaps and the fear that befriending managers co...
Software engineers navigating career transitions and leadership challenges require strategic approaches to maintain professional growth and project momentum. Moving into engineering management demands more than a desire to escape individual contributor tasks; it necessitates a genuine interest in team outcomes and orga...
Navigating workplace friction requires balancing personal integrity with professional diplomacy. When addressing non-compliant practices like spamming, framing concerns as opportunities to improve user experience—rather than accusing colleagues of unethical behavior—prevents defensive reactions and increases the likeli...
This episode of Soft Skills Engineering addresses listener questions about career navigation in software engineering. The first question explores how to gauge job performance and avoid unexpected termination, especially in remote environments. The hosts suggest actively seeking specific feedback from managers and proac...
The podcast episode addresses the anxieties of software engineers in the age of AI, particularly the feeling of lost passion as coding becomes increasingly automated. It explores how the role is shifting from hands-on coding to meta-work, such as refining build systems and linting rules to improve AI outputs. The hosts...
This episode of Soft Skills Engineering addresses two listener questions concerning workplace dynamics. The first question explores the consequences of questioning new company goals in a public forum, leading to accusations of a negative tone and being labeled a "dissident." The hosts discuss the importance of candor v...
The podcast episode addresses listener questions about career decisions in software engineering. One question explores whether to renege on an offer from a fast-growing AI company for a potential opportunity at a mega-tech company, balancing immediate excitement with long-term brand recognition. The hosts advise priori...
This episode of Soft Skills Engineering addresses questions about leadership in hardware teams and managing AI code generation. The first question explores how a software-focused CTO can gain respect and lead a hardware team, with suggestions including transparency about knowledge gaps and identifying trustworthy team ...
The podcast episode addresses listener questions, focusing on workplace mysteries and the impact of AI on software engineering. The first question explores a company where individuals accepting management positions abruptly quit, leading to speculation about unethical practices or hidden issues within the company. The ...
This episode addresses listener questions, focusing on navigating the challenges and opportunities presented by new technologies like LLMs in the workplace. The first question explores how a CTO should handle a CEO's "vibecoding" and potentially disruptive experimentation with AI, balancing innovation with maintaining ...
This episode addresses career concerns, specifically stagnant wages and managing underperforming teams. The hosts acknowledge the current trend of slowed salary growth, contrasting it with the hyper-growth period of the early 2020s, and suggest that the listener's experience is now the norm. They advise listeners to fo...
This episode of Soft Skills Engineering addresses two listener questions. The first explores the dilemma of a solo developer at a sports team who enjoys their job but worries about skill deficits from lack of collaboration. The hosts debate whether the listener should stay in their comfortable role or seek growth throu...
The podcast addresses concerns of feeling patronizing when giving feedback as a new manager, emphasizing the importance of clarity and honesty. It suggests that discomfort with giving feedback indicates empathy and that team members need clear direction, even if it means acknowledging a hierarchical dynamic. The hosts ...
This episode of Soft Skills Engineering addresses listener questions about navigating job interviews at larger tech companies and dealing with a questionable internship experience. The hosts advise those accustomed to casual startup interviews to practice using the STAR method (Situation, Action, Result) to structure t...
This episode of Soft Skills Engineering addresses listener questions about career navigation. The first question tackles how to handle a situation where a well-liked manager may leave, and how to position oneself for a promotion without seeming disloyal. The hosts advise against assuming the manager's job is an automat...
This episode addresses listener questions on navigating hiring processes and team dynamics. The first question explores how to handle intuitive rejections of candidates when reasons are hard to articulate, advising the listener to trust their gut but also seek to identify specific concerns. The hosts share personal exp...
In this episode of Soft Skills Engineering, Jamison and Dave address listener questions related to workplace dynamics and career decisions. The first question tackles how to handle a skip-level manager who consistently "one-ups" concerns, offering advice on reframing complaints into actionable requests and clarifying e...
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