Tech Career Secrets: Coding Won’t Make You Stand Out — This Will

The Real Skills That Make Engineers Irreplaceable

Most engineers focus on writing better code, but that alone won’t set you apart. The ones who truly stand out are those who:

☑ Automate repetitive work, so they (and their team) move faster
☑ Influence architecture, making systems scalable and future-proof
☑ Communicate effectively, bridging the gap between tech and business
☑ Solve high-impact problems that drive revenue and efficiency

Want to future-proof your career? Shift your mindset from "coder" to problem-solver, influencer, and strategist.

Here are some key lessons that helped me land a FAANG job within three years starting from zero knowledge and no experience in the field:

1. The Best Engineers Automate Their Work

If you’re doing the same thing twice, script it. The best developers get lazy in the smartest way.

Why Does It Matter?

Repetitive tasks slow you down and waste brainpower. Top engineers recognize this and automate anything they do more than twice — saving time, reducing human error, and making work smoother.

What Do Smart Engineers Automate?

1. Dev Environment Setup — Instead of manually installing dependencies, use scripts (setup.sh, Docker, Ansible).
2. Code Formatting & Linting — Configure pre-commit hooks or CI pipelines to handle this automatically.
3. Deployments — No manual deployments — use CI/CD pipelines (GitHub Actions, GitLab CI).
4. Bug & Log Analysis — Write scripts to parse logs, filter errors, and send alerts instead of scrolling through endless logs.
5. Testing — Automate unit, integration, and end-to-end tests so you don’t have to test manually.
6. Data Processing — If you’re pulling reports manually, write a cron job or script to automate it.

Real-Life Example

Problem: Your team frequently updates dependencies but often forgets, leading to last-minute issues.

Solution: Set up a bot that checks outdated dependencies weekly and opens a PR with updates.

Result: No more outdated dependencies, and you prevent compatibility issues.

Think Like an Engineer, Not a Task Doer

• Don’t just follow manual steps — ask: “How can I make this run without me?”
• Every saved minute adds up: Automating a 15-minute task you do daily saves over 90 hours a year!

2. Being a “10x Engineer” is About Influence, Not Just Code

Helping others level up and driving impact matters more than being the smartest coder.

A 10x engineer isn’t someone who codes 10x faster. It’s someone who amplifies the productivity of an entire team. Instead of just cranking out features, they create systems, processes, and mindsets that make everyone better.

What a 10x Engineer Actually Does

1. Remove Bottlenecks for Others

• Document things properly so new devs don’t waste time figuring things out.
• Reduce tech debt, making future work easier for the whole team.
• Fix the root cause instead of just patching bugs.

Example: Instead of manually fixing deployment issues every week, they automate deployments so no one has to think about it again.

2. Mentor and Share Knowledge

• They guide junior devs, reviewing PRs in a way that teaches, not just corrects.
• They write playbooks, tutorials, or give quick tech talks to level up the team.
• They push for a better engineering culture — like writing tests, using feature flags, and doing proper code reviews.

Example 1: Help teammates understand system design concepts, so future features are built scalably, not just quickly.

Example 2: Take the initiative to share new learnings with the team — whether it’s a tool, a technology that might be useful in a future project, or even just something interesting you stumbled upon. A quick meeting or knowledge-sharing session can spark new ideas, improve workflows, and create a more engaged team. Plus, it shows managers that you’re proactive and making an impact!

3. Make Smart Architectural Decisions

• See the bigger picture instead of just shipping code.
• Question: “Will this scale in a year?” instead of just focusing on the current sprint.
• Introduce the right tools at the right time — not just trendy ones.

Example: Instead of blindly using SQL for everything, they push for NoSQL in areas where it makes sense, reducing future headaches.

🌟 The Mindset Shift

❌ Write more code than everyone else.
☑ Create impact beyond just your own code.
☑ Make your team more productive, not just yourself.
☑ Think long-term, not just sprint-to-sprint.

4. Communicate Effectively

• Translate complex problems into simple language for non-engineers.
• Work well with PMs, designers, and ops to ensure smooth collaboration.
• Don’t just say, “That’s not possible”, explain trade-offs and suggest alternatives.

Instead of rejecting a PM’s feature request outright, suggest a leaner MVP that solves the core problem without overengineering.

Example: If a PM requests a fully automated reporting system with real-time analytics, but the team has limited time, suggest starting with a simple scheduled report that runs daily or weekly. This way, the team can validate if the reports are actually useful before investing time in a complex real-time solution.

MVP: Minimum Viable Product — the simplest version of a product or feature that delivers value with minimal effort.

3. Most Promotions Are About Business Value, Not Just Skill

It’s about delivering business impact. You don’t get promoted for writing cleaner code, you get promoted for solving problems and driving results that matter, not just those who are technically skilled.

What Really Gets You Promoted?

1. Solving Business-Critical Problems

• Promotions aren’t just about clean code — they’re about ROI (Return on Investment).
• Engineers who solve problems that save money, increase revenue, or reduce risks get noticed.

Example: Instead of just optimizing a function for speed, you automate a manual process that saves the company $10K a year.

💡 Key Question: “How does my work contribute to the company’s goals?”

2. Driving Impact, Not Just Writing Features

• Some engineers just build what they’re told — but high-impact engineers ask why and find smarter solutions.
• Instead of just shipping tickets, they proactively identify inefficiencies and fix them.

Example: Instead of blindly implementing a feature request, you suggest a simpler solution that delivers the same value with half the effort.

💡 Key Question: “Am I just coding, or am I improving the business?”

3. Being a Force Multiplier

• A solo rockstar dev is good, but a dev who makes the whole team better is invaluable.
• Teaching, mentoring, and improving processes make you more promotable than just being the smartest coder.

Example: You create a reusable component library that speeds up development for the whole company.

💡 Key Question: “Is my impact limited to my own work, or does it scale across the team?”

4. Communicating Like a Leader

• Technical skills alone won’t get you promoted — you need to communicate your impact.
• Writing clear proposals, aligning with business goals, and influencing decisions matter.

You don’t just fix a system outage — you write a post-mortem with actionable insights to prevent it from happening again.

💡 Key Question: “Can I explain my work’s value to a non-technical person?”

How to Position Yourself for a Promotion

☑ Understand the business priorities — don’t just build blindly.
☑ Focus on measurable impact — cost savings, revenue growth, efficiency gains.
☑ Make teammates more productive — mentoring, documentation, automation.
☑ Communicate your work’s value — don’t assume managers see everything you do.

Example of What NOT to Say: “I refactored this module to be more efficient.”
Example of What to Say Instead: “I refactored this module, reducing response times by 40% and improving user retention.”

Promotions are about business value, not just technical excellence. Be the person who solves problems that matter, scales impact, and aligns with company goals.

Final Thoughts: The Mindset That Sets You Apart

At the end of the day, it’s not just about how well you code — it’s about how well you solve problems, influence others, and drive real impact. The best engineers aren’t just executors, they’re strategists, communicators, and force multipliers.

If you want to stand out, ask yourself:
☑ Am I making my team better, not just myself?
☑ Am I solving high-impact problems, not just coding tasks?
☑ Am I thinking long-term, not just sprint-to-sprint?

Shift your mindset, and your career will follow. Cheers! 🚀