7 Things That Helped Me Grow as a Software Engineer

Hi everyone,

Growth as a software engineer is an ongoing journey. Looking back, a few key principles helped me progress during the early days of my career. These lessons shaped my path, and many of them continue to guide me today, even though I’m no longer an individual contributor:

1. Drive

   Ambition isn’t a skill — it’s a will. You either have it or you don’t. To grow, you need that inner drive pushing you forward. Sometimes it’s a conscious choice, and other times, you just can’t help it — something inside you refuses to stand still, driving you to keep learning and moving forward. I remember diving into Python and CI/CD back in the day, teaching it even when I was still learning myself.

2. Delivering results

   You might have gaps in your technical or soft skills, but if you consistently deliver, that goes a long way.  I always gave extra effort (probably leaning a bit on the workaholic side), especially on projects that excited me. Delivering results also helps you build your reputation and credibility — a win-win.

3. Choosing the right projects

   Whenever possible, work on projects that have the highest impact for the company and that interest you personally. There are two benefits: high impact projects give you the visibility and future opportunities you need, and personal interest helps you push forward when the going gets tough, and the going will get tough at some point — pretty much guaranteed.

4. Craft

   Delivering high impact with speed and quality requires deep expertise in your field. Which, in turn, requires understanding what’s going on under the hood. Expanding the breadth of your knowledge while diving deep into specific technologies (the so-called T-shaped expertise) served me well.

5. Teaching

   Teaching is a great way to solidify your knowledge and identify gaps in your understanding. Teaching also boosts your visibility and can establish you as a go-to person. Sharing what you know helps others and also helps you deepen your understanding. Personally, I view well-done code reviews as a form of teaching too.

6. Tolerance for conflict

   Criticism comes with the territory. Sometimes it’s called feedback, and other times it’s just plain criticism. I took many classes at the University of Hard Knocks on this one: I missed deadlines, over-engineered technical solutions, cut corners, and delivered feedback in a less-than-perfect way at that stage of my career. My advice: start building a thick skin sooner, but be smart about it. Know when to stand your ground and when to let things slide. Above all, don’t be a jerk.

7. Learning how business works

   This one’s underrated, and it took me a long, long time to learn. I wish I’d figured it out sooner, but better late than never.  While you can succeed at a certain level without focusing on this, understanding how the business works helps you identify high-impact projects and stand out as a valued partner — not just another tech person from a cost center.

As the saying goes, “The only way to do great work is to love what you do.” I’d add — love the challenges, love the process, and love the growth that comes with them.

Stay curious,

Ruslan

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