Beyond Coding

Patrick Akil

For software engineers ready to level up. Learn from CTOs, principal engineers, and tech leaders about the skills beyond coding: from technical mastery to product thinking and career growth

  1. 2 DAYS AGO

    How to Build Skills That Outlast Any Tool (From Data Analyst to AI Lead)

    Tools change and frameworks die, but your career doesn't have to. Marijn Markus joins the show to explain why "Don't be a fool with a tool" is the single most important piece of advice for modern software engineers and data professionals. In this episode, we cover: The "Meta-Skill" of learning how to learn new technologiesWhy real innovation often originates in "dark" industries like crime and warfareHow to future-proof your career against AI agents and automationWhy understanding the business problem is more valuable than writing the codeThis conversation is essential for engineers who want to move from memorizing syntax to mastering the skills that actually last. Connect with Marijn Markus: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marijnmarkus Timestamps: 00:00:00 - Intro 00:01:01 - Realizing That Data Science Can Actually Save Lives 00:04:36 - Predicting Refugee Movements With Hamburger Prices 00:07:05 - Why You Should Try Different Roles Early in Your Career 00:12:37 - Learning in Banking to Eventually Help Non-Profits 00:15:38 - Why Certifications Are Compensation for Lack of Experience 00:18:36 - The Single Most Important Skill in the Tech Field 00:21:39 - "If They Understood the Problem, They Wouldn't Hire You" 00:25:48 - Why Innovation Comes From War, Crime, and Adult Industries 00:31:16 - The Danger of AI Agents and Automated Social Engineering 00:35:03 - Focus on Skills That Do Not Have Expiration Dates 00:39:47 - How to Navigate Truth in the Era of Deepfakes 00:41:30 - Don't Be a Fool With a Tool (The Selenium Trap) 00:45:25 - Rising Above the Tools to Become an Expert #SoftwareEngineering #CareerAdvice #Technology

    48 min
  2. Why Coding Skills Won’t Get You To Staff Engineer

    17 DEC

    Why Coding Skills Won’t Get You To Staff Engineer

    Are you just executing tickets, or are you driving business impact? In this episode, Praveen Murugesan (VP of Engineering at Samsara) breaks down why the best engineers don't just write code and why "coding skills" alone won't get you there. He explains the critical shift from "software engineer" to "product engineer," why you shouldn't wait for permission to solve problems, and how to de-risk high-stakes projects like a true owner. In this episode, we cover: The difference between a "Ticket Taker" and a Product Engineer Why Product Managers should NOT be doing project management How to grow to Staff Engineer without managing a large team The exact interview questions to ask to test a company’s culture A real story of an engineer telling a VP: "That's not an important problem" Connect with Praveen Murugesan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/praveenmurugesan Timestamps: 00:00:00 - Intro 00:01:55 - Product Engineer vs. Software Engineer: What’s the Difference? 00:06:20 - Why Product Managers Should Not Do Project Management 00:11:06 - The Danger of "Flying Blind" Without Business Context 00:15:24 - Why Curiosity Is the Ultimate Leverage in the AI Era 00:25:06 - Why the Best Ideas Must Win Regardless of Hierarchy 00:27:43 - The #1 Interview Question to Test for Engineering Ownership 00:32:12 - How to Test a Company’s Culture Before You Join 00:36:04 - Why You Don't Need to Be Senior to Be a Product Engineer 00:40:46 - Managing High-Stakes Projects and De-risking Failure 00:43:56 - What I Learned From Breaking Production at Salesforce 00:48:29 - The Myth About Staff Engineering and Managing Teams 00:51:59 - The Engineer Who Told the VP: "That's Not an Important Problem" #SoftwareEngineering #StaffEngineer #CareerGrowth

    57 min
  3. Forward Deployed Engineer: The Role Up 800% (And How to Get It)

    10 DEC

    Forward Deployed Engineer: The Role Up 800% (And How to Get It)

    Traditional software engineering job listings have dropped by 70%, yet Forward Deployed Engineer (FDE) roles have exploded by over 800% this year. We sit down with Mo Fagir, Principal Technical Consultant at ServiceNow, to break down exactly why this shift is happening and how you can pivot your career to ride this AI adoption wave. In this episode, we cover: The massive market shift: Why "pure coding" jobs are declining while FDEs are booming.The exact technical stack and soft skills required to land these high-paying roles.How to overcome imposter syndrome and build a portfolio that gets you hired, even as a junior.Why this isn't just a trend, but the future of how engineering delivers value. Connect with Mo Fagir: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mo-nour-tarig Timestamps:00:00:00 - Intro00:01:14 - Why software jobs dropped 70% while FDEs grew over 800%00:02:55 - Why companies can't implement AI without Forward Deployed Engineers00:05:36 - Is this career path safe for traditional software engineers?00:07:54 - The exact technical stack you need to master today00:10:48 - Moving from engineering scope to product centric thinking00:16:15 - Can juniors and early career devs get hired as FDEs?00:19:12 - How to build a portfolio that gets you hired00:22:17 - Why passion and attitude beat experience in the AI era00:24:33 - How to train yourself to have a sense of urgency00:29:05 - Can introverts succeed in client facing engineering roles?00:32:17 - Lessons learned from interning at NASA and researching AI00:35:09 - Are we in an AI bubble that will burst soon?00:40:34 - Does becoming an FDE risk vendor lock-in for your career?00:43:36 - Final advice for engineers entering the 2025 job market #ForwardDeployedEngineer #FDE #SoftwareCareers

    46 min
  4. AI Won't Replace Software Engineers, But This Might (CEO Perspective)

    3 DEC

    AI Won't Replace Software Engineers, But This Might (CEO Perspective)

    If you think your value as a software engineer comes just from writing code, you're already at risk. In this episode, Outsystems CEO Woodson Martin reveals why AI isn't the real threat to your career. Irrelevance is. He explains that writing code is now only 20% of the job, and the engineers who thrive are the ones who master the other "80% that matters." We cover: The billions of lines of ungoverned code AI is creatingWhy the "Forward Deployed Engineer" model is changing team structuresThe 80% of engineering work that AI cannot replaceHow to shift from coder to problem solver who drives business revenueA CEO's advice for building a lasting engineering career This is a reality check for developers, tech leads, and architects who want to stay relevant as agentic AI reshapes the industry. Connect with Woodson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/woodsonmartin Timestamps: 00:00:00 - Intro 00:00:56 - How Agentic AI keeps the human in the loop 00:01:55 - Real-world example: Automating the grunt work 00:04:17 - How engineers are using agents internally 00:05:52 - Blending Low-Code and High-Code for complex systems 00:08:28 - Is a Low-Code career a trap for engineers? 00:10:50 - Will AI make software engineering obsolete? 00:12:09 - The 80/20 Rule: Why code is only 20% of your job 00:13:14 - Layoffs vs. the rise of the solo entrepreneur 00:15:18 - Career advice for a volatile tech market 00:17:02 - How to retain top talent and keep them happy 00:20:10 - Why we radically changed our engineering team structure 00:24:33 - The "Forward Deployed Engineer" model explained 00:27:08 - Outsystems vs. OpenAI: The future of platform building 00:31:45 - The tech debt problem no one's talking about 00:34:23 - The one thing that keeps you from becoming irrelevant #SoftwareEngineering #CareerAdvice #AIAgents

    37 min
  5. How We Get More Done with Fewer Engineers

    26 NOV

    How We Get More Done with Fewer Engineers

    What if you could build a multi-million dollar software company where only 10% of your employees are developers? AFAS, a company with hundreds of millions in revenue, does exactly that with a lean team of just 70 engineers. In this episode, Engineering Manager Michiel Overeem pulls back the curtain on their unconventional strategies for achieving massive productivity with a surprisingly small team. In this episode, we cover: Why standardization is their secret weapon for efficiency.How they thrive without traditional Scrum ceremonies.The two distinct types of engineers they hire for success.The surprising details of their 4-day work week (paid for 5).This video is for engineering leaders and software developers who want to learn proven, counter-intuitive strategies to build hyper-effective teams and get more done, regardless of team size. Connect with Michiel: https://www.linkedin.com/in/movereem Timestamps: 00:00:00 - Intro 00:01:22 - The "10% Engineering" Paradox at a €100M+ Company 00:03:20 - How Standardization Allows a Small Team to Do More 00:04:27 - The Two Types of Engineers Every Successful Company Needs 00:06:46 - Why Feeling Responsible is More Powerful Than Being Responsible 00:09:33 - The Secret Sauce of High-Performing Engineering Teams 00:11:52 - A Simple Method to Keep Engineers Connected to Customers 00:14:22 - What We Look For When Hiring New Engineers 00:17:09 - The #1 Red Flag That Will Get You Rejected in an Interview 00:19:33 - Why We Don't Use Scrum (And What We Do Instead) 00:22:51 - The Power of Strong, Decisive Leadership 00:24:13 - How Our 4-Day Work Week Actually Works 00:26:55 - Our Approach to Adopting AI Tools like Copilot 00:28:19 - Final Advice: The Best Way to Grow Your Career #EngineeringCulture #Productivity #SoftwareDevelopment

    29 min
  6. How to Think About System Design (GitHub Engineer's Perspective)

    19 NOV

    How to Think About System Design (GitHub Engineer's Perspective)

    System design interviews often focus on theoretical complexity, but how do Senior Engineers at GitHub actually approach scaling? In this episode, Bassem Dghaidi breaks down how to think about system design when real business impact is on the line. We discuss why "simple is complicated enough," the dangers of premature scaling, and why vertical scaling often beats complex distributed systems. If you want to bridge the gap between theory and practice, and understand how to design software that actually serves the business, this conversation is for you. In this episode, we cover: - The "Order of Magnitude" rule for scaling systems - Why GitHub often runs millions of requests on simple architecture - How to communicate technical constraints to non-technical stakeholders - Why 90% of Bassem's code is now written by AI agents Connect with Bassem Dghaidi: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bassemdghaidy Timestamps: 00:00:00 - Intro 00:00:48 - Theory vs. Practice in System Design 00:02:06 - The Startup That Almost Failed via Kubernetes 00:03:33 - How GitHub Scales (It's Simpler Than You Think) 00:05:20 - The Underrated Power of Vertical Scaling 00:08:23 - Why Big Tech Interviews for Scale You Don't Need Yet 00:10:39 - Software Evolves, It Isn't Just "Built" 00:11:53 - Only Design for the Next Order of Magnitude 00:15:39 - Stop Building Generic Frameworks 00:18:17 - "Hacking" the System Design Interview 00:21:29 - Translating Tech Problems to Business Risks 00:27:37 - Layoffs & Engineering Efficiency 00:29:41 - Proving Your Impact with Numbers 00:31:00 - Professional Engineering vs. Hobby Coding 00:32:19 - "Simple is Complicated Enough" 00:35:03 - The Rise of AI Coding (The Motorcycle Analogy) 00:37:30 - "90% of My Code is Written by AI Agents" 00:41:04 - How to Become a Great Engineer #SystemDesign #SoftwareEngineering #GitHub

    46 min
  7. From Backend Engineer to Head of Mobile (Lessons from Uber)

    12 NOV

    From Backend Engineer to Head of Mobile (Lessons from Uber)

    What does it take to build a career as a mobile engineer when AI is changing everything? Pasha Mazurin shares how he went from Java backend engineer to Head of Mobile, why he only joins mobile-first companies, and how AI-assisted development brought the joy back to his work. This isn't theory, it's real lessons from 15+ years in the field and now learning Android at a senior level. In this episode, we cover: AI-assisted mobile development workflow (the four-window tmux setup) Why mobile-first companies operate completely differently Hiring for strengths, not lack of weaknesses (lessons from Uber) Leading as a hands-on engineer who stays in the trenches Why React Native doesn't feel native and when to go fully native Whether you're building your mobile engineering career or figuring out how AI changes your workflow, this conversation offers practical perspectives on staying effective and making intentional career choices. Connect with Pasha: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kovpas TIMESTAMPS: 00:00:00 - Intro 00:01:13 - Using AI as Your Junior Engineer Teammate 00:02:33 - The Four-Window Tmux Setup for AI-Assisted Development 00:04:29 - Managing Multiple Features with Git Worktrees 00:05:52 - Why AI Makes You a Better Code Reviewer 00:08:07 - Setting Up Markdown Files for AI Context 00:11:54 - Small Teams vs Big Companies: Where Mobile Engineers Thrive 00:16:26 - The Mobile-First Company Filter That Shapes Every Career Move 00:18:31 - Being Nice: The Underrated Career Skill 00:20:29 - Pick Your Battles: When to Disagree and Commit 00:22:52 - Hire for Strengths, Not Lack of Weaknesses 00:25:16 - Is Software Engineering Still a Good Career Choice? 00:28:19 - How I Accidentally Became a Mobile Engineer 00:31:41 - Why I Only Work on Apps That Matter to People 00:35:08 - Joining Uber During the Big Mobile App Rewrite 00:39:12 - Leading Without Rank: Managing as a Hands-On Engineer 00:43:01 - How AI Changed Mobile Development in 12 Months 00:46:09 - The Communication Skills That Make or Break Engineers 00:49:59 - It's Okay to Say You Don't Understand 00:51:30 - Working on Payments: Building Critical App Infrastructure 00:53:25 - Why React Native Doesn't Feel Native (And What Works Better) 00:55:36 - Can You Switch Specializations Without Taking a Pay Cut? 00:57:02 - How Learning Android Brought the Joy Back

    59 min
  8. How to Stay Relevant in Tech (25+ Years of Lessons)

    5 NOV

    How to Stay Relevant in Tech (25+ Years of Lessons)

    Worried about staying relevant as AI and new tools keep changing tech? The answer isn't chasing every new framework, it's treating your career like an engineering problem you can solve. In this episode, we cover: Why staying relevant isn't about the tools (and what it's really about)The 3 essential career management tools: Brag Doc, Competency Framework, and MentorsHow to get promoted when you're already doing the workNavigating salary negotiations and knowing when to leaveBuilding a career plan that gives you permission to relax If you're an engineer who wants to take control of your career instead of letting it happen to you, this episode gives you the frameworks and tactics to do it. Connect with Özgen Güngör: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ozgengungor Timestamps: 00:00:00 - Intro 00:00:46 - The Biggest Challenge for Tech Careers Today 00:01:33 - How to Stay Relevant in the Age of AI 00:03:46 - The Coming Commoditization of Coding 00:05:29 - How to Move Up the Value Stream as an Engineer 00:07:35 - Your First Tech Job is a Throwaway (And That's OK) 00:09:24 - The Power of Breaking Down Your Career Plan 00:11:44 - You Work 13% of Your Life: Why Intentionality Matters 00:13:56 - I Have Too Many Career Options. What Do I Do? 00:15:34 - The "5 Whys" Exercise for Your Career 00:19:38 - How to Get Your Manager to Be Your Ally 00:22:15 - The Truth About Big Tech's Broken Promotion Process 00:24:43 - The #1 Person Who Cares About Your Career 00:28:48 - Why You MUST Keep a "Brag Doc" 00:34:08 - How to Avoid Falling Behind in Promotions 00:37:33 - What is a Competency Framework? 00:40:34 - How to Map Out Your Own Career Ladder 00:44:35 - The Silent Factor That Kills Engineering Performance 00:48:31 - Your Career Transcends Your Company 00:52:40 - The 5-Year Plan That Changed My Career 00:56:18 - 3 Essential Tools for Total Career Management #TechCareer #SoftwareEngineering #CareerAdvice

    1 hr
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About

For software engineers ready to level up. Learn from CTOs, principal engineers, and tech leaders about the skills beyond coding: from technical mastery to product thinking and career growth

Information

  • Creator
    Patrick Akil
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2025
  • Episodes
    231
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Patrick Akil
  • Show Website
    Beyond Coding

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