So you want job security in software development. Whilst your colleagues build maintainable, scalable systems that any competent developer could understand and modify, you're about to learn how to create complex systems that your organisation will never dare let you go. After all, who else could possibly understand the intricate web of dependencies you're about to weave?

Turn visions into reality with requirement documents: Your PRD for clear direction and teamwork.

In this guide, we’ll explore practical, proven ways to improve profitability; designed to be actionable whether you’re managing one project or several.

Working harder DOES get you there faster — at a cost.

The frustration of feeling like a buffer instead of a builder, and learning to measure impact through team success rather than personal output

Why the faster tech evolves and AI advances, the more valuable computer science fundamentals become. Understanding principles beats chasing trends.

I have a friend who exited his startup a few years ago and is now rich. How rich is unclear. One day, we were discussing ways to expedite th...

Becoming a software engineer was a life hack. The best profession on earth deserved the wake up call

If you’re not a Medium member, you can still enjoy the full article for free. Click here to read it all😊 Every product team faces the same challenge: too many ideas, too little time. As an…

This article was originally commissioned by Luca Rossi (paywalled) for refactoring.fm, on February 11th, 2025. Luca edited a version of it that emphasized the importance of building “10x engi…

It can be a difference between having 0 or 1000 opportunities. I am sharing my top practical tips for becoming more social!

Why the best engineers aren’t always the smartest — and what separates engineers who ship from those who just code.

Psychologist Cat Hicks reveals why short-term focus, AI fear, and broken team models are crushing developer productivity—and how to fix them.

You are a lot better leader than you may think, this is why!

The opportunities for digital to grow the economy are huge, but realising them will require an expansive, bold vision for how the UK can be a digital economy, rather than have a digital economy.

Discover why engineers hate managers, the common management anti-patterns that destroy trust, and practical solutions from someone who’s been on both sides.

Access over 10 million jobs per month with our job data APIs. Get started right away with our ready-to-use API or request a custom solution

Learn how to become a digital nomad and find the best places to live and work remotely as a location independent remote worker. Explore places based on cost of living, internet speed, weather and other metrics. For startups that work remotely and remote workers.

Managing up isn’t about trying to fix a “bad” manager. Learn how to manage up effectively and create value in the workplace with our guide.

Illustration by Catt Small

As I talked to more and more Staff-plus engineers about career advice, the most consistent recommendation was to develop a personal network of peers doing similar work. Not every person emphasized this approach, but more than half mentioned it, and for those who did, it tended to be their first and strongest recommendation. Ritu Vincent said, What’s been most impactful for me is having a lot of people who I think of as mentors, usually friends, former managers, and folks that I’ve worked with. I have a decent number of recurring monthly lunches, coffee chats, and dinners with people who’ve worked with me in the past, know me, and I trust. It’s those conversations about career challenges and growth that have gotten me to where I am in my career.

At this point, I spend less time advocating for specific technologies or programs and more time empowering others to advocate for the technologies and programs that they think are important. I also try to be a source of knowledge and support that people can reach out to for feedback, especially on cross-cutting product decisions and on presentation of ideas to the rest of the organization. - Michelle Bu One of the best measures of your long-term success as a Staff-plus engineer is that the organization around you increasingly benefits from, but doesn’t rely upon, your contributions. Because many folks reach their first Staff-plus role by being the “go-to” person for the organization, it can be a difficult transition from essential to adjacent.

The role of a Staff-plus engineer depends a lot on what the team needs and also what the particular engineer’s strengths are. From my experience, the responsibilities of a Staff-plus engineer can change over time. Still, usually, their main focus is working on projects/efforts that have strategic value for the company while driving technical design and up-leveling their team. - Diana Pojar Anyone who has been cornered by relatives at a party and asked to explain what software engineers actually do knows that explaining the work can be challenging. Over time you may have created a compelling answer for your relatives, but many folks’ minds go blank when their coworker leans over and asks, “What’s a Staff engineer do?”

How to define a model for career growth and apply it to get the right sponsors, improve your skills and maximize opportunities

Slides and notes for the Being Glue talk.

Maybe we should be much kinder to each other than we are

A reflection on control, burnout, and the strange weight of technical fluency.

Challenging the perspective that growth in software engineering is only possible in large-scale organizations.

Why remaining non-commital is cowardly