The Joe Reis Show Navigating Career Growth and the Content Gap w/ Yordan Ivanov
Oct 22, 2025
Yordan Ivanov, Head of Data Engineering and creator of the newsletter 'Data Gibberish,' shares insights on bridging the gap between technical skills and essential soft skills for data engineers. He recounts his journey from failing as a manager to mastering people-centric skills, emphasizing the importance of effective communication. The conversation also delves into the risks of AI over-reliance and its impact on coding habits. Furthermore, Yordan discusses the evolving landscape of data tools and how engineers can better express their business value amidst rapid changes.
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AI Shortcuts Risk Long-Term Skill Loss
- Yordan says AI tools speed work but risk people trusting shortcuts instead of understanding fundamentals.
- He worries long-term skill loss when engineers rely too much on AI without learning underlying concepts.
Write First, Use AI Second
- Joe recommends writing daily to keep your thinking and writing muscles sharp without relying solely on LLMs.
- He suggests feeding your draft to an LLM afterward to tighten it, not to replace original thought.
Train Teams To Understand Tools' Inner Workings
- Yordan advises team members to learn tools as helpers but also understand processes behind them.
- He recommends training people to use AI and tools thoughtfully, not as blind shortcuts.