How to Grow Your Skills as a Modern Engineer

I'm a Software Engineer working at AWS, with over 7 years experience. The last few years of my life has taught me a lot. If I could talk to my younger self or any other junior engineer for that matter, here's what I would tell them:  [1] Learn fundamentals, not frameworks. Frameworks change quickly, but core concepts stay with you your whole career. Strong fundamentals make you adaptable, confident, and effective anywhere. [2] Design before coding. If you can’t explain your solution clearly, then the implementation will be unclear too. Draw it. Write it. Challenge it. Then build it. Good design reduces rework and gives you a direction worth building. [3] Read code, not just write it. Study the systems you work in and understand why things were built the way they are. Reading code builds real context — and context makes you faster, wiser, and more effective. [4] Write for humans first, computers second. Choose clear names, small functions, and simple logic, and follow the practices set by your team and engineers before you. Maintainable code makes everyone’s job easier. [5] Know when not to build. Not everything needs more code, sometimes the best solution is removing or reusing what already exists. Favour simplicity, avoid premature abstractions, and keep your systems lean. Code is a liability. [6] Write things down. Design docs, architecture notes, and thoughtful PR descriptions show your thinking. Writing brings clarity, and clarity helps the entire team move faster. [7] Don’t shy away from operations / devops. Many engineers avoid this work, but understanding how your code runs in production is one of the most important parts of the job — build it, own it, run it. It leads to safer judgement. [8] Become great at debugging. Most engineers can build features, but not many fewer can fix issues under pressure. Learn how to troubleshoot calmly using logs, tracing and systematic problem solving. [9] Own your career path. If you’re in a job that doesn’t help you grow, work with your manager to change that. If things still don’t improve, find a place that supports your goals. Your career is yours to steer. [10] Communicate clearly and earn trust. Be honest about what you know and what you don’t. Listen carefully, share progress early, and follow through on what you promise. [11] Keep pushing yourself and don’t give up too quickly. There will be tough days and difficult problems. Stay patient, and keep pushing through. Growth often happens right after things start feeling uncomfortable. Resources to level up as software engineer: → The Pragmatic Engineer with Gergely Orosz for industry insights. → System Design One by Neo Kim for system design fundamentals. → Coding Challenges with John Crickett for real world project ideas. → Connect with engineers like Anton Martyniuk, saed, Alexandre Zajac, Demitri Swan, Sanchit Narula, Daniel and Mohamed A. for daily engineering wisdom. #softwareengineering

Every single tech professional thinks: "My coding skills will speak for themselves." But here's the brutal reality I've seen coaching tech careers: Technical skills are your entry ticket. Soft skills are your upgrade path. I've watched brilliant engineers get passed over for promotions. I've seen top coders struggle in team dynamics. I've coached developers who couldn't articulate their project's value. Why? Because technical expertise isn't enough anymore. Modern workplaces demand: - Clear communication of complex technical concepts. - Collaborative problem-solving skills. - Emotional intelligence in high-pressure environments. - Ability to influence and persuade non-technical stakeholders. Your technical skills solve problems. Your soft skills create opportunities. Consider what top tech companies really want: - Engineers who can explain technical solutions. - Team members who build positive workplace cultures. - Professionals who can navigate complex interpersonal landscapes. But here's what drives me crazy: Most tech education ignores interpersonal development. Most engineers undervalue communication training. Most companies still prioritize technical skills over holistic capabilities. Stop treating soft skills as secondary. They're your career's real differentiator. Want to truly accelerate your tech career? Develop both technical and interpersonal capabilities. Because in today's workplace, your human skills are your most powerful algorithm. #TechCareer #Softskills #Employees #Careertips

Don’t get stuck coding in your software engineer career One of the biggest challenges in a software engineer’s career is learning when and how to grow beyond code. Many engineers enter the field focused entirely on writing syntax, solving algorithmic challenges, and building features. And while these are foundational skills, they’re only the beginning. Yes, code is the entry point. But real career growth comes when you move through the journey: Coding → Development → Software Practices → Software Design → Advanced Tech & Architecture Let me break that down for you Coding You learn syntax. You build features. You fix bugs. This is where we all start and where many choose to stay.But if all you do is write code, you become replaceable by AI easily Development You begin thinking beyond functions and loops. You understand how systems work. You ship products, not just code. You think in terms of impact. Software Practices This is where engineering maturity begins: • Version control • Testing • CI/CD • Documentation • Code reviews You learn to collaborate. To maintain. To improve quality. Software Design Now you’re thinking in patterns, principles, and architecture. You care about scalability, maintainability, and business use cases. You start asking: “Is this the right abstraction?” “How will this scale in 12 months?” You’re not just solving problems — you’re designing systems. Advanced Tech & Architecture At this stage, you’re thinking platform-wide: • Distributed systems • Cloud-native apps • Performance optimization • Security • DevOps You become the one people call when big decisions need to be made. So what’s the point? Don’t stay stuck.Keep growing. Seek knowledge. Build and grow with intention. What’s the next “growth area” you’re focusing on? Other Devs and I can share helpful links or insights to support you.

I became a CCNA at 21 and a CCIE at 25. But if I were starting my networking career today in 2026, I would completely change my approach. A certification gets you the interview. It does not guarantee you the job. If you want to survive and scale in modern enterprise production networks, change these 4 things immediately: 1. Chase Less Paper, Gain More Real-World Experience My CCNA and CCNP got me into the interview rooms. But it was my actual, practical ability to look at a CLI prompt and handle pressure that landed my first full-time role. The Reality: A certification is just a piece of paper if you cannot explain technical concepts simply. Focus on building real-world capability over collecting badges. 2. Stop Ignoring Firewalls and Load Balancers A strong foundation in routing and switching is mandatory. But a network engineer does not live in an isolated bubble. On my first day, I expected to configure OSPF and BGP. Instead, I had to immediately troubleshoot multi-vendor firewalls and production load balancers. The Reality: Commands change every few years, but how a packet moves across security boundaries stays the same. Master the security and traffic tools early. 3. Build Less, Break More In a real enterprise environment, you will spend 80% of your time troubleshooting and only 20% configuring devices from scratch. If I could go back, I would have mastered packet capture and Wireshark long before chasing my CCIE. The Reality: Exceptional engineers do not rely on guesswork; they rely on root-cause analysis. Learn to read raw packet data under pressure. 4. Learn the Application Layer End-to-End We do not build secure, reliable networks just for the sake of the infrastructure. We build them to keep applications running fast and secure. If an app goes slow, the network always gets blamed. The Reality: You cannot fix or defend a slow application if you do not understand how the web layer interacts with the app and database layers. Understand the application architecture. What path are you taking right now? Are you focusing on building your next real-world skill, or just collecting your next certification? Let me know in the comments below 👇 #NetworkWithMohsin #ProductionReady #NetworkEngineers #Cybersecurity

Dear Software Engineers, If you’re learning on your own → comparison is a waste of time, focus on one small win each week If you’re surrounded by high performers → ask more questions, don’t fake it, absorb what you can /— If you’re the new kid on the team → your main job is to listen, observe, and ask why things are the way they are If you’re the senior in the room → share context, unblock others, and help raise the bar for everyone /— If you feel lost in a project → break down problems, ask for help early, and share your confusion If you’re sailing through tasks → teach others, document your shortcuts, and set up the next person for success /— If you’re aiming for your first promotion → focus on reliability, not heroics; ship on time, own your mistakes, and help teammates If you’re eyeing the next big jump → drive projects, mentor juniors, and learn to say no when it matters /— If your reviews are just “good job, thanks” → ask for direct feedback; growth starts when you get uncomfortable If you’re getting tough, detailed feedback → write it down, turn it into a checklist, and make each mistake only once /— If you’re always busy → track where your time goes and cut the noise If you’re never busy → ask for tougher work, step outside your comfort zone, and be visible /— If you’re only following your job description → you’ll always wait to be told what’s next If you’re thinking beyond your role → you’re already doing half the work of a senior engineer /— If you see other engineers succeed → study how they work, not just what they know If you feel stuck → change your routine before you change your company /— If you want to lead → start by making your team’s work easier, not your own If you want to keep growing → stay curious, ask for hard problems, and keep raising your own standards — People think career growth is just about “doing more.” It’s really about: – Taking ownership without waiting for permission – Asking uncomfortable questions early – Investing in habits and relationships, not just code

After spending 3+ years in tech, here’s one piece of advice I wish someone had told me early on: You don’t become a better engineer by writing more code. You become better by reading the code you regret. Yes — the messy, unscalable, over-engineered code you wrote a year ago. That’s where the real learning happens. Early in my career, I thought growth meant shipping more features, learning more tools, or picking up new frameworks every few weeks. But over time, I realized something deeper: ➡️ Revisiting your old code teaches humility ➡️ Understanding your past decisions sharpens judgment ➡️ Refactoring your own mess teaches you how to write for others The best engineers I’ve worked with weren’t the ones who knew the fanciest libraries. They were the ones who knew how to read code, understand trade-offs, and write in a way others could maintain. So if you’re a fresher, junior dev, or even a mid-level engineer: ✅ Go back to your old GitHub repos ✅ Read through your first few side projects ✅ Refactor something from scratch ✅ Document the mistakes and what you’d do differently It’s not glamorous — but it’s how you grow. I also share real tech career insights, backend engineering breakdowns, and things I’ve learned from actual projects — not just theory: https://lnkd.in/gT7acAgd Abhay Singh 🤝.

I am a Software Engineer at Meta with almost 2 decades of experience. Here’re the 5 learnings if you want to grow faster as a SWE: 1. Know the next level before promotion After you are performing well at your current role expectations, start approaching the next level. - Learn from seniors, understand their perspective - Look for areas you can help & can get noticed In short, prove that you deserve the promotion before you ask for it. 2. Become your own user - go on reddit or twitter threads - read through the users feedbacks and conversations - be empathetic & maybe have a conversation with few users This shift helped me move beyond just shipping features to actually improving the experience. 3. Data is your saviour Start diving into logs, events, and exceptions more deeply. - Where are users spending the most time?  - What’s making them drop off? - What are the most common exceptions?  - Which workflows are unintuitive? You can make better engineering decisions if you spend some time consuming the data 4. Every problem is not yours to solve Ask yourself: - Is this issue truly high-impact, or am I just trying to get it off my plate? - Is this a problem I should solve, or is it better to guide someone else to take it on? - Delegating was tough at first. But it’s crucial to identify your problems and delegate rest. The best engineers I’ve worked with aren’t the ones who take on the most work—they’re the ones who ensure the right work gets done by the right people. 5. Be a force multiplier - document more to save others time - build tools and scripts that automate tedious tasks - Guide others to help achieve their goals   Your team will move faster, and you will become more valuable—not just as an engineer but as a force multiplier. => Final Thought: The biggest shifts in my career didn’t come from just writing better code—they came from these small shifts. If you’re looking to grow as an engineer, try incorporating some of these steps into your own journey. Raman Walia

I wish I did this more in my software engineering journey.👇 Seek out challenging projects. Yep, you read that right... When I think back over my career, I’ve worked with a lot of other engineers who were much smarter than me. It was easy to almost let them take the lead on the difficult projects while I focused on things I was good at. Doing that added up to hurt my growth long term. It’s been the times I leaned into working a difficult project that I grew the most. – Figuring out how to process and save thousands of webhooks / second  – Exceeding the data binding limit in Angular and building a scroll offloader – Optimizing database queries so that they ran in 300ms instead of timing out  – Building/scaling a campaigns tool that’s now sent 750,000,000+ emails None of those projects were easy. Some of them I had a little freak out moment when I started.  Some of them I got stuck on for a while.  But I figured them out. Yes, for sure I had help. I had a team to reach out to if I was stuck.  But I did it! Those projects helped me level up massively 🚀 Now anytime I’m working on something particularly difficult, I get excited because it means I’m really going to grow. 💪 P.S. If you know there’s an area you want to grow in, bring it up to your manager in your 1:1, and see if they can put you on a project to learn those skills. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - What’s been a challenging project you worked on that helped you grow? See you in the comments 🙋♀️🙋♂️ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - If you liked this post, you’ll love my weekly newsletter: https://lnkd.in/e95JH9qH 👉 Follow along as I share everything I’ve learned about becoming a #fullstackengineer and leveling up into a #senior+ engineer and #techlead at a hyper-growth #startup.

👉🏼 The biggest career lie? "I'll build that side project when I have more time." I've watched brilliant engineers say this for years. Then layoffs hit. Or they get passed over for promotion. Or they realize they've been coding in the same stack for 5 years while the industry moved on. Suddenly, they need options. And they have none. The truth is, waiting for "more time" is waiting for a moment that never comes. Your schedule doesn't get lighter. Your responsibilities don't decrease. Your energy doesn't magically increase. The engineers who survive market downturns aren't the ones with perfect resumes. They're the ones who built escape hatches. Here's what I see in engineers who always land on their feet: ✔️They treat learning like compound interest—small, consistent investments over time. ✔️They ship tiny projects that solve real problems, not perfect codebases that impress no one. ✔️They build in public, creating a trail of evidence that they can deliver. ✔️They network through contribution, not through coffee chats. ⭐️The harsh reality: Your current skills have an expiration date. That React expertise? Frameworks change. That domain knowledge? Companies pivot. That team relationship? People leave. But the ability to learn, build, and ship? That's portable. My rule: Spend 1 hour per week on something that doesn't exist in your current job description. Learn a new language. Contribute to open source. Build a small tool. Write about a problem you solved. Not because you need it today. Because you might need it tomorrow. Your safety net isn't your savings account. It's your ability to create value in multiple ways. What are you building outside your day job that could become your next opportunity? #CareerIndependence #BuildYourOptions #TechnicalLeadership #SideProjects

10 years of software engineering lessons Am I missing anything critical? 1. Go deep before you go wide. Master one language before chasing new frameworks. 2. Learn a strongly typed language like Java or Kotlin. It changes how you design systems. 3. Data structures, algorithms, and design patterns matter. You’ll use them constantly. 4. Debugging is a core skill. Think in first principles, not memorized fixes. 5. Ship something end to end. Nothing teaches you more than maintaining a real app. 6. Don’t chase every new framework. Understand principles and learn tools as needed. 7. Getting into FAANG or a top-tier company can be life changing for growth and pay. 8. Interviews are a skill. Treat them like one and they become predictable. 9. Don’t job hop every two years. Deep trust and ownership take time. 10. Promotions are a system. Learn what leadership values and align to it. 11. Keep a brag document. Memory fades, receipts don’t. 12. The top 1% of engineers get outsized rewards. Aim for impact, not activity. 13. Soft skills become the real bottleneck. Communication and empathy scale your influence. 14. Take full ownership of your work. Your career grows with your responsibility. 15. Stop waiting for permission. Success favors action. 16. Learn to say no. Impact depends on protecting your time. 17. Don’t ignore AI. The next great engineers will master it early. 18. Invest in your setup. Focus on ergonomics. 19. Remember a job is temporary. Skills and habits stay with you. 20. Read more. Not all readers lead by all leaders read. 21. Learn to write clearly. Your writing determines how far your ideas spread. 22. Mentorship matters. Both giving and receiving it accelerate growth. 23. Build public artifacts like talks or posts. They boost your visibility. 24. Build strong ties with PMs and designers. Great products are team sports. 25. Document your decisions. Future you will thank you. 26. Prioritize long-term code health. Refactors are cheaper early. 27. Build side projects. They keep your curiosity alive. 28. Don’t confuse complexity with sophistication. Simplicity wins. 29. Be known for something. A niche makes you memorable. 30. Learn to influence without authority. 31. When you feel stuck, teach. Explaining brings clarity. 32. Build relationships early. Networking works best when it’s genuine. 33. Protect deep work hours. Distraction kills true level output. 34. Don’t compare your path. Compounding careers look nonlinear. 35. Every career has seasons: growth, plateau, burnout, recovery. Respect them. 36. Workplaces change fast. Adapt or risk irrelevance. 37. You can’t outwork bad direction. Strategy beats hustle. 38. Don’t let perfection delay shipping. Excellence comes from iteration. 39. Be reliable. Consistency beats brilliance over time. 40. Keep learning, but also keep living. Your best ideas often come outside code.