Grow your engineering career
Your code gets you to senior. To go further you need more than code — interviews, negotiation, picking the right problems, and knowing what the business actually pays you for. These essays cover the career side of software engineering.
Career essays
11 articles from 2024 · show all
December 2024
Why system design is my favorite interview
Without reading their resume, you'll see if a candidate is fresh or has been doing this a while. And you'll know their blind spots and their strengths
October 2024
Yes, AI will "take" your job. No, you won't mind
Is the job to get things done or to memorize trivia and solve cute coding puzzles?
September 2024
The Tour of Duty approach to career
Quick note today to plant the seed of an idea I've always loved: The Tour of Duty.
August 2024
Interviewing tips for experienced engineers
The way you interview changes as you go through your career. If you're grinding leetcode 10 years in, something's wrong.
Some personal news
When you see a unicorn, you gotta hop on
June 2024
6 books engineers should read
Here are 6 books I'd buy every engineer who joins my team, if I ran a team. You might like 'em too.
March 2024
Code yourself out of the job
Don't get stuck being a critical member of the team.
February 2024
Your resumé has a job
Is your resume a tech bingo card? Not great.
What interviewers look for in senior engineers
People are starting to cheat in interviews using ChatGPT. It's obvious, doesn't work, and wouldn't even be cheating if you did it right!
January 2024
When to stay at a company
Cap your down-side and think like an investor. Look for key metrics that can shape your career growth.
I'm a different engineer than I was 3 years ago
A reflection on engineering through The Hockeystick