A Life Engineered How Engineers Break Into The Top 1% | Michael Novati
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Dec 8, 2025 
Michael Novati, a Principal Engineer at Meta and founder of Formation, shares his inspiring journey from intern to E7 in just six years. He discusses the concept of the 'coding machine' and its limitations, highlighting the challenge of advancing in large organizations. Michael also dives into the transformative impact of AI on engineering productivity and education, advocating for apprenticeships as a remedy for traditional CS education. He offers practical advice for bootcamp graduates on finding their path in tech.
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Rise Of The Coding Machine
- Michael Novati described becoming an E7 at Meta by writing huge volumes of high-impact code and living close to the office schedule.
- He called this persona a "coding machine," emphasizing deep focus and shipping velocity over politics.
Skip Meetings Intentionally
- Avoid meetings when your focused work yields far higher value and let PMs represent you when appropriate.
- Do prep outside meetings and communicate key decisions succinctly so others can drive consensus in your stead.
IC Impact Hits A Scale Ceiling
- Novati explains a ceiling to solo IC impact: one person can only do so much without broader influence.
- To reach higher levels you often must trade coding volume for influence, leadership, and collaboration.