Beyond Coding Own Your Engineering Career (No One Else Will)
Jan 14, 2026
Zanina Katira, a talent expert and seasoned recruiter, shares invaluable insights on taking charge of your engineering career. She emphasizes that while hard skills get you hired, soft skills foster real growth. Discover how to connect your work to business impact and leverage storytelling for visibility. Zanina advocates for clear career paths in tech without forcing engineers into management, and discusses the importance of adaptability in a fast-changing field. Learn the RACI method to clarify decision-making and why cultivating a network beyond your team is essential for success.
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Soft Skills Drive Career Impact
- Hard skills get you hired, but soft skills determine long-term impact and visibility.
- Zanina Katira says you must showcase outcomes and translate technical work into business value.
Frame Work As Business Outcomes
- Before interviews and during work, frame accomplishments as business outcomes with metrics or clear impact.
- Zanina Katira recommends crafting stories that show how your work reduced risk or sped ramp time.
Company Size Affects Impact Visibility
- Smaller organizations make individual impact visible because cross-functional teams see results immediately.
- Zanina Katira notes large companies can obscure that feedback loop.