Soft Skills Engineering

Explore the hidden org chart complexities in a startup formed by a corporate giant. From multiple management layers to power struggles and the chaos of unofficial titles, learn about the challenges of navigating a seemingly flat hierarchy. Uncover the humorous opportunities for job crafting and the clash of work cultures within a small team environment. Delve into the nuances of informal hierarchies, middle management roles, and the importance of team dynamics in mitigating critical person risk for operational stability.

Topics include stagnant wages, cost-of-living raises, dealing with unsupportive managers, and biases in front-end work. The hosts also touch on performance-based raises, negotiating salaries, and using Data Dog for code observability. Humorous anecdotes and practical insights make for an engaging discussion.

Transitioning from a senior role to an IC position at a new company, handling the excitement of game development passion vs. mundane software tasks, and exploring the challenges and rewards of indie game development

The hosts discuss challenges in scrum methodologies faced by a new DevOps engineer in Europe, particularly their aversion to retrospectives. They explore the dynamics of blaming in retros, the struggle of moderating them without belief, and the importance of focusing on process improvements over finger-pointing. The episode also touches on the impact of toxic labels like 'hard to work with' in the workplace and the value of feedback and mentorship.

Exploring territorial behavior in a data science team, how to overcome possessiveness and share expertise. Discussion on feeling overwhelmed with unpaid overtime at work, being appreciated, and the dilemma of stepping back. Also, humorous advice on bold quitting and comparing it to Navy SEAL style departure.

The podcast discusses navigating financial changes post-acquisition, with a focus on challenges of biweekly pay and limited career growth opportunities. Listeners seek advice on quitting under nickel-and-diming management and contemplating retirement in a cultural heritage software company. Humorous banter includes exploring subpar code excellence and armchair project manager antics.

Exploration of challenges with Scrum masters in a Scaled Agile environment, tech lead taking over scrum duties, struggles with communication and team collaboration, the impact of a new Scrum master, and the evolving role of Scrum masters in technical teams.

The hosts explore using humor in job interviews, sharing a story where a joke went wrong. They discuss cultural fit interviews and offer tips on adapting humor. Additionally, they delve into pay discrepancies at work and the ethics of discussing salary differences with coworkers.

Topics include transitioning from massage to software development, showcasing transferable skills on resumes, challenges faced by junior developers, navigating career transitions, recognition in software engineering, and using WorkOS for SSO implementation.

The hosts discuss navigating burnout in a new technical leadership role with a fast-paced environment, emphasizing the importance of work-life balance. They also explore the challenges of transitioning between management and individual contributor roles, and offer advice on managing burnout and pursuing roles that align with personal work style preferences.