7 Simple Habits Of The Top 1% Of Engineers
- Leonardo Creed tl;dr: 1) Use consistent standards - adhering to a uniform coding style for readability and scalability. 2) Write aesthetic, simple code - producing clean, organized, and logical code that's easy to understand. 3) Don't allow surprises - ensuring code predictability through adherence to principles and thorough testing. 4) Communicate often - actively seeking feedback and collaborating for better end results. 5) Detach from the code itself - viewing code objectively, open to revisions for the best outcome. 6) Code fast... and slow - taking a deliberate approach to coding, ensuring quality over speed. 7) Code for the human, not the computer - writing code that's comprehensible to humans, emphasizing its value to both developers and users.featured in #448
featured in #447
The Journey To Staff Engineer: Main Takeaways
tl;dr: These takeaways are a roadmap for engineers aspiring to reach higher levels in their careers, based off of a conversation with several staff engineers at larger tech companies: (1) Make your work visible: It's essential not just to do the work but to ensure that others are aware of it. (2) Build relationships within and outside of your team. (3) Learn to lead: Staff engineers often influence without having the direct power of a manager. (4) Work on high-impact and complex technical projects, ideally, with others. (5) Promotion timelines vary and not everyone gets promoted quickly.featured in #447
Good Performance Is Not Just Big O
- Julio Merino tl;dr: Julio argues that a fast and responsive application is not solely about understanding big O complexities. While tech companies often emphasize algorithms in interviews, real-world code often suffers from performance issues unrelated to big O. Julio lists various factors impacting performance, including storage, networking, data handling, CPU and memory usage, concurrency, graphics, and development time. For instance, an O(n) algorithm might be slower than an O(n^2) one in specific scenarios.featured in #447
Possibilities If You Don't Ask For What You Want Vs. If You Do
- Addy Osmani tl;dr: Addy argues that by hesitating to ask for what one wants, you not only miss out on immediate opportunities but also deprive your future self and others of potential benefits. If you don’t ask for what you want, you: (1) Sell yourself short. By not expressing desires, one misses out on feedback and potential connections. (2) Limiting your own learning. Not all requests will be met with a 'yes', but each 'no' is a lesson that refines one's approach and understanding. (3) The Ripple Effect. Expressing desires provides clarity to others and can lead to unforeseen payoffs in the future. (4) Breaking free from hesitation. Defining one's goals, practicing articulation, and maintaining a positive yet realistic mindset, one can more confidently ask for what they want.featured in #446
How To Write An Effective Progress Report
- Anna Schmunk tl;dr: Well-crafted progress report "helps build trust by actively letting everyone know how things are going, what may have changed, and where you may need support." The article outlines the key elements that should be included in a progress report: Activity Summary, Progress Update, Challenges and Obstacles, and Next Steps and Action Items. Templates are recommended for creating quick and easy-to-read reports and Anna includes tips e.g. outlining sections and using tables for metrics. The article also discusses how to handle negative and positive feedback from stakeholders.featured in #445
Bjarne Stroustrup Shares Life Advice
- Bjarne Stroustrup tl;dr: Creator of C++, Bjarne Stroustrup emphasizes the dangers of overspecialization and importance of flexibility in one's career. Stroustrup warns against young individuals becoming too engrossed in a specific niche, leading to burnout and missing out on broader experiences. He observes that many in tech field mistakenly believe that specific expertise is all that matters. However, Stroustrup stresses the significance of communication - "if you don't communicate your ideas, you can just as well do Sudoku." He highlights the need for a balanced life, enriched by diverse education and experiences drawing from his own journey, where he mistakenly chose CS over applied mathematics.featured in #443
Everything You Wish You Could Ask Your Manager
- Jordan Cutler tl;dr: Insights from about topics like salary negotiation, promotions, 1-on-1s, and more for engineers. Takeaways include the importance of respectful and collaborative negotiation, aligning personal goals with company objectives, focusing on relationships and soft skills for promotions, and ensuring engineers control the agenda in 1-on-1 meetings. The article also touches on the challenges of middle management, and preferences for remote work and startup environments.featured in #441
The Next Next Job, A Framework For Making Big Career Decisions
- Andrew Chen tl;dr: A framework for evaluating career moves by focusing on the "next next job." Instead of considering only the immediate next position, this approach encourages thinking about long-term goals and working backward to identify the steps needed to reach them. By understanding gaps in skills and potential superpowers, individuals can make more strategic career decisions. The key is to align current opportunities with future aspirations, rather than making choices based solely on immediate needs.featured in #440
A Senior Engineer / EM Job Search Story
- Gergely Orosz tl;dr: The job search experience of Davidson Fellipe, a lead software engineer with over 15 years of experience. The article highlights the challenges and strategies of job searching in the current market, with insights into interview processes and time management. Fellipe embarked on a three-month search, focusing on engineering manager roles. He utilized tools like spreadsheets, Teal application tracker, Simplify, and Notion to stay organized. Fellipe also emphasized the importance of referrals and crafting tailored resumes. He eventually received one engineering manager offer and two individual contributor offers, accepting a senior engineer position.featured in #439