Beyond Coding

Engineering hasn't become easier, writing code has just become faster. Time to stop fighting symptoms and start thinking in systems. In this Q&A, I break down the career advice I'd give to any engineer, from mastering architecture to knowing when to quit a high-paying job.

In this episode, we cover:
How "Systems Thinking" can be applied in practice
The "Golden Handcuffs": Why high salaries keep engineers in toxic jobs
How to transition into leadership without waiting for a title

Timestamps
00:00:00 - Intro
00:00:58 - How to innovate in stubborn legacy companies
00:04:49 - The "Golden Handcuffs": Money vs. Mental Health
00:07:27 - Stop solving symptoms: Systems Thinking explained
00:13:10 - Transitioning from Senior Engineer to Solutions Architect
00:15:08 - Communicating technical risks to non-technical bosses
00:17:48 - Proving leadership before you have the title
00:22:25 - My strategy for dealing with Imposter Syndrome
00:26:12 - Creating a "Zettelkasten" to retain technical knowledge
00:29:12 - The mindset that makes me stress-proof at work
00:33:10 - Learning to code with a product/design background
00:38:40 - Working with international remote teams
00:40:35 - Career Pivot: Software Engineering to Cyber Security
00:43:20 - Solopreneur opportunities in the "Education Gold Rush"
00:51:50 - Future Predictions: Vibe Coding vs. Vibe Engineering

#SoftwareEngineering #CareerAdvice #SystemsThinking

The software engineering landscape is shifting rapidly. Coding is becoming "cheap" because of tools like Claude Code, Codex, Gemini, Cursor etc. Interviews are evolving to focus on system design over syntax. In this Q&A, I break down exactly which skills matter now, how to negotiate the salary you deserve, and how to deal with difficult personalities on your team.

In this episode:
How juniors can leverage AI tools to reach senior-level output
Real-world salary negotiation tactics from my experience
Why coding skills matter less in modern interviews (and what matters more)
Handling "brilliant jerks" and toxic team culture

Whether you are looking for your first job with no experience or you are a mid-level dev trying to break into a Staff Engineer role, this session is packed with actionable career advice.

Timestamps:
00:00:00 - Intro
00:01:06 - Handling Brilliant Jerks: Toxic Culture vs. High Performance
00:04:13 - How Juniors Can Use AI to Outperform Seniors
00:07:10 - The Future of Coding Interviews: System Design and AI
00:11:20 - The Real Difference Between Good and Great Developers
00:13:00 - One Mistake Mid-Level Developers Make That Stalls Growth
00:15:58 - Salary Negotiation Tactics: How I Got Two Raises in One Year
00:23:44 - Questions You Should Ask to Crush Your Tech Interview
00:27:42 - What Actually Moves the Needle: Side Projects vs. Experience
00:31:05 - Don't Wait for a Perfect Portfolio to Start Applying
00:32:25 - Finding Jobs: Why LinkedIn and Meetups Beat Job Boards
00:35:16 - Should Frontend Developers Worry About Learning Backend Skills?
00:37:39 - Do Tech Certifications Actually Help You Get Hired?
00:39:07 - Mastering Soft Skills: Training Budgets vs. Real Experience

#softwareengineering #careeradvice #techinterviews

"Architects shouldn't try to be the smartest people in the room, they should make everybody else smarter."
In this episode, Gregor Hohpe (ex-Google & AWS, author of "The Software Architect Elevator") breaks down exactly how to transition from software engineer to architect. He shares the mental models used at Big Tech to handle complexity, visualize systems, and navigate office politics without losing your technical edge.

We cover:
- Why "lowering risk" is the architect's real value proposition
- The "Phantom Sketch Artist" technique to visualize unclear requirements
- How to gain "political capital" to push back on bad decisions
- Why simple architectures are often the hardest to build

If you want to move beyond just writing code and start designing systems that scale, this conversation is for you.

Connect with Gregor:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ghohpe

00:00:00 - Intro
00:01:15 - How to Spot Bad Architects vs. Great Amplifiers
00:03:44 - Why Architects Are Actually Risk Managers in Disguise
00:06:13 - The Truth About Complexity and Simplicity at Scale
00:09:55 - How to Resolve Technical Disagreements Without Arguments
00:13:57 - Why You Should Use Pen and Paper for Architecture
00:17:24 - Mastering the Left-Right Brain Ping Pong Technique
00:20:42 - The "Architect Elevator": Connecting Code to Strategy
00:23:06 - The Rubber Duck Test: Are You a Good Architect?
00:25:41 - The "Phantom Sketch Artist" Method for System Design
00:30:37 - Stop Being a Cartographer, Start Being a Scout
00:34:47 - How to Keep Your Technical Skills Sharp as an Architect
00:44:37 - Navigating Office Politics using the "Court Jester" Strategy
00:48:08 - How to Earn and Spend Political Capital Wisely
00:53:17 - Why the "Big Ball of Mud" Might Be a Good Architecture
00:57:08 - How Executives Spot Gaps in Your Technical Logic
01:00:00 - Why Using AI for Architecture is a Dangerous Trap

#SoftwareArchitecture #SystemDesign #SeniorDeveloper

Are you waiting for a promotion that never comes? In this episode, we break down why relying on your manager to define your growth is a career-limiting mistake and how you can take full ownership of your professional path.
In this episode, we cover:
Why hard skills get you hired but won't get you ahead
How to create growth opportunities when your company has no clear path
Using RACI to own decisions and increase your visibility

Connect with Zanina:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/zaninakatira

References:
RACI - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Responsibility_assignment_matrix

Timestamps:
00:00:00 - Intro
00:00:51 - Why hard skills get you hired but soft skills make you thrive
00:04:17 - How to connect your code to actual business results
00:06:44 - The art of storytelling for technical professionals
00:09:16 - Balancing execution speed with team collaboration
00:11:57 - The problem with forcing engineers into management roles
00:15:13 - Surviving when technology outgrows your current skillset
00:17:59 - Using the RACI method to clarify ownership and decisions
00:21:23 - What to do when your manager has no answers for your growth
00:24:40 - Why you should value scope of work over job titles
00:28:39 - How to pitch and negotiate impactful projects to leadership
00:33:00 - Expanding your perspective by networking outside your team
00:35:35 - Visualizing your ambition and defining what success looks like
00:39:16 - Overcoming the fear of asking for constructive feedback

#careergrowth #softwareengineering #softskills

Software engineers often think adding AI is just a simple API call, but moving from a Proof of Concept to a stable production system requires a completely different mindset.
Maria Vechtomova breaks down the harsh reality of MLOps, why rigorous evaluation is non-negotiable, and why autonomous agents are riskier than you think.

In this episode, we cover:
The essential MLOps principles every software engineer must learn
How to bridge the gap between a demo and a production-grade solution
Strategies for evaluating agents and detecting model drift
The security risks of customer service agents and prompt injection
Practical tips for using AI tools to boost your own productivity

Connect with Maria:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/maria-vechtomova

Timestamps:
00:00:00 - Intro
00:01:25 - Why the AI Hype Was Actually Good for Monitoring
00:03:07 - Real-World AI Use Cases That Deliver Actual Value
00:05:16 - MLOps Basics Every Software Engineer Needs to Know
00:08:08 - The Hidden Complexity of Deploying Agents to Production
00:12:02 - Minimum Requirements for Moving from PoC to Production
00:15:41 - Step-by-Step Guide to Evaluating AI Features Before Launch
00:18:08 - How to Handle Data Labeling and Drift Detection
00:21:55 - Why You Likely Need Custom Tools for Monitoring
00:24:56 - Why Engineers Build AI Features They Don't Need
00:26:01 - How Software Engineers Can Learn Data Science Principles
00:31:36 - The Dangerous Security Risks of Autonomous Customer Service Agents
00:34:44 - Why Human-in-the-Loop is Essential for Avoiding Reputational Damage
00:36:18 - Boosting Developer Productivity with Opinionated AI Prompts
00:39:20 - Using Voice Notes and AI to Organize Your Life

#MLOps #SoftwareEngineering #ArtificialIntelligence