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“Good Taste” Is Just Experience
15 hours ago
- The common claim that 'taste' is the ultimate differentiator in the AI era is misleading because taste actually refers to experience built from pattern recognition over years of work.
- Calling it 'taste' instead of 'experience' makes a learnable skill seem like an innate gift, which can demoralize junior developers who haven't had the same years of practice.
- True 'taste' in fields like engineering management comes from pattern recognition gained through repeated exposure to real situations, such as difficult conversations, code reviews, and production incidents.
- A junior developer hearing 'taste matters' may feel hopeless, but the message should be 'you need reps'—showing up and doing the work repeatedly until the skill becomes instinctive.
- Experience, not innate taste, is what enables senior engineers to spot problems intuitively; this ability develops over hundreds of ambiguous situations that gradually become easier to navigate.
Be a Star or a Janitor
15 days ago
- Prioritize work that either no one else can do or no one else wants to do, being a star or a janitor.
- As a janitor, tackle miserable tasks to earn team gratitude and learn quickly, focusing on projects over ongoing maintenance.
- As a star, seek unique capabilities or comparative advantages to drive value, avoiding replacement-level or hum-drum tasks.
- Use this framework to prioritize at the margins, as small choices compound over time to shape role and reputation.
- Apply with discretion, avoiding misuse as an excuse not to follow manager instructions or devalue certain roles.
What does "playing politics" mean for software engineers?
14 days ago
- For software engineers, 'playing politics' does not involve scheming or making power plays; instead, it means understanding the organizational power dynamics to avoid pitfalls and align with company values.
- Key principles include: being aware of who holds power (typically senior management), avoiding making powerful enemies, helping powerful people proactively, and ensuring your contributions are visible to them.
- To navigate politics effectively: prioritize important projects, respond promptly to powerful individuals, support their narratives discreetly, and use technical expertise to influence implementation details without challenging grand strategies.
- Making powerful enemies can be career-ending, so it's crucial to pick battles wisely and disagree privately and politely, while quitting may be necessary if a senior leader dislikes you.
- Playing politics is ultimately about leveraging your role as a supportive contributor, not a decision-maker, to gain influence and protect your career within the company's existing structure.
Answering "why do you want to relocate?" during interviews
20 days ago
- Avoid focusing solely on relocation in interviews; companies want candidates interested in the role and company.
- Common mistake: Candidates emphasize moving for better life/salary, creating concerns about commitment and retention.
- Recruiters seek security—candidates who will perform, stay, and integrate, not just use the job for a visa.
- Strong answers should highlight interest in the product, mission, technology, growth, impact, and why the company stands out.
- Mention relocation briefly, but make company-specific reasons the core of your motivation.
- Prepare thoroughly: research the company, use fresh information, and tailor responses to the role and organization.
- Rejections are common; treat each interview as a critical opportunity, given high competition (e.g., 900 applicants for one role).
- Avoid shortcuts; stand out through preparation and genuine enthusiasm for the work, not just the location.

Hasty Briefsbeta

career-advice

“Good Taste” Is Just Experience

Be a Star or a Janitor

What does "playing politics" mean for software engineers?

Answering "why do you want to relocate?" during interviews