Beyond Coding

The difference between a junior and a senior engineer isn't coding speed, it's knowing when to say "no."

"The best code you can write is the code you don't write." In this episode, I sit down with Alessandro Mautone (Senior Software Engineer at Aquablu, ex-WeTransfer) to discuss the reality of engineering at a scale-up: how do you maintain technical excellence when the business demands speed?

We break down why delivering features "fast" pays your salary, but how to negotiate deadlines so you don't drown in technical debt later. If you want to move from writing code to owning product decisions, this conversation is for you.

In this episode, we cover:

- How to push back on features and negotiate deadlines without upsetting stakeholders
- Why chasing "perfect code" can hurt a company in growth mode
- The Generalist vs. Specialist career path: Which one is right for you?
- The potential pitfalls of using AI for unit tests without proper oversight

Timestamps:
00:00:00 - Intro
00:01:06 - Balancing Technical Excellence With Delivery Speed
00:04:11 - Why Delivering Features Pays Your Salary
00:06:51 - The Importance of Ownership and "Skin in the Game"
00:08:59 - Leaving WeTransfer: When Company Direction Shifts
00:11:49 - The Generalist vs. Specialist Career Path Debate
00:16:46 - How to Attract Top Engineering Talent to Your Team
00:18:50 - Is LeetCode the Right Way to Hire for Scale-Ups?
00:23:16 - Learning to "Say No" is a Sign of Seniority
00:25:17 - Negotiating Scope Without Burning Bridges
00:26:02 - When AI Generates Bad Unit Tests
00:28:14 - Never Compromise on Tests, Even in "Code Red"
00:33:59 - Communicating Technical Concepts to Non-Tech Stakeholders
00:35:35 - The Never-Ending Battle Against Complexity
00:37:26 - When to Build for the Future vs. Ship Now
00:42:30 - A Real-World Example of Refactoring for Simplicity
00:46:48 - The Skill That Will Be Make or Break for Engineers

#SoftwareEngineering #ScaleUp #TechnicalDebt

We are at a unique point in history where there is finally an alternative to human coding. If AI can write the code effectively, what is left for the software engineer?

In this episode, Joris Conijn (AWS CTO at Xebia) argues that the era of "just coding" is over. We discuss why senior developers are safe (for now), why juniors are at risk of never learning the fundamentals, and how "Shadow AI" is forcing companies to change their security strategies.

Most importantly, we break down the difference between a "Programmer" and a "Software Engineer" with the introduction of agentic tools. If you want to future-proof your career and move from writing lines of code to designing systems, this conversation is for you.

In this episode, we cover:
Why banning AI at work actually increases your security risk
How to use AI to automate the boring parts of the SDLC (requirements & user stories)
The critical difference between "Coding" and "System Architecture"
Why you should check your AI Agents into your Git repository
The 20-year problem: what happens when engineers never learn the fundamentals?

Connect with Joris Conijn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jorisconijn

TIMESTAMPS
00:00:00 - Intro
00:01:11 - What Keeps a CTO Excited About Tech?
00:02:58 - Stop Being the "Department of No" in Security
00:05:28 - The Real Risk of Banning AI at Work
00:06:32 - When Developers Hold the Organization Hostage
00:08:14 - The Hidden Dangers of Instant AI Code Fixes
00:09:50 - Will Future Devs Understand Object Oriented Programming?
00:11:36 - Using AI to Accelerate Learning vs Copy-Pasting
00:13:17 - Why Testing Matters More When AI Writes Code
00:16:42 - Automating the Boring Parts of the SDLC
00:19:06 - How to Turn Meeting Transcripts into User Stories
00:21:36 - The Critical Skill of Making Implicit Knowledge Explicit
00:23:10 - Why You Should Stop Obsessing Over Story Points
00:27:46 - The "A-Team" Approach to High-Trust Development
00:29:54 - Running Parallel Workflows with AI Agents
00:33:34 - Pro Tip: Check Your AI Agents into Git
00:35:52 - Balancing Autonomy and Governance in Large Teams
00:39:19 - There Is Finally an Alternative to Human Coders
00:41:07 - Programmer vs Software Engineer: What is the Difference?
00:44:45 - How to Teach Software Engineering in the AI Era

#SoftwareEngineering #SystemDesign #AIAgents

Is your internal developer platform actually improving velocity, or is it a bottleneck? We discuss why platform teams building "cool" abstractions is a red flag, and you should aim to create the best platform for software engineers.

In this episode, we cover:
Why "Golden Paths" can turn into roadblocks for developers.
The danger of Shadow IT and why it’s a symptom of a failed platform.
How to measure if your platform is saving time.

Connect with Adnan Alshar:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/adnanmalshar92

Connect with Jelmer de Jong:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jelmerdejong-xebia

00:00:00 - Intro
00:00:54 - Is DevOps Dead? The Truth About Platform Engineering
00:03:07 - Why Developers Are Drowning in Complexity Today
00:04:37 - Why Having No Platform Is Better Than a Bad Platform
00:07:20 - Treating Software Engineers as Customers of the Platform
00:11:26 - The Exact Moment You Should Start Building a Platform
00:14:18 - Who Should Be on Your First Platform Team?
00:17:33 - Turning Your Angriest Developers Into Platform Evangelists
00:18:57 - Key Metrics: How to Measure Platform Engineering Success
00:21:01 - Why 60% of Companies Don't Measure Platform Success
00:23:35 - Why No Metrics Is the Biggest Red Flag
00:25:23 - The Disconnect Between Executives and AI Readiness
00:31:34 - Integrating AI Tools and Large Language Models Securely
00:34:22 - Shadow IT: The Symptom of a Broken Platform
00:38:03 - How to Scale Without Becoming a Bottleneck
00:41:45 - Don’t Forget the Business Side of Platform Engineering

#PlatformEngineering #DevOps #DeveloperProductivity

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