In this special holiday episode of Coding Chats, John Crickett answers audience questions about software engineering careers, the impact of AI, programming languages, and the importance of leadership. He discusses how to rebuild an engineering career, the significance of meaningful projects, and the readiness of self-taught developers. The conversation also touches on insights gained from hosting the podcast and the evolving landscape of software development.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to the Coding Chats Holiday Special

00:22 Rebuilding an Engineering Career in 2025

01:01 The Future of Software Engineering with AI

01:27 Learning Programming: Starting Points and Languages

02:27 Breaking the No Experience Loop for Developers

04:17 Meaningful Experience: Projects and Contributions

05:02 Self-Taught Developers: Readiness and Opportunities

06:07 Qualities of a Good Software Engineering Leader

06:52 Insights from 18 Months of Coding Chats

07:43 Architecture as a Strategic Concern in Engineering

John's Links:

John's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johncrickett/

John’s YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@johncrickett

John's Twitter: https://x.com/johncrickett

John's Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/johncrickett.bsky.social

Check out John's software engineering related newsletters: Coding Challenges: https://codingchallenges.substack.com/ which shares real-world project ideas that you can use to level up your coding skills.

Developing Skills: https://read.developingskills.fyi/ covering everything from system design to soft skills, helping them progress their career from junior to staff+ or for those that want onto a management track.

Takeaways

Leverage AI to find answers quicker than before.

Reading and curiosity are key habits for growth.

All parts of software engineering will survive AI advancements.

Focus on learning computer science fundamentals first.

Choose programming languages based on your interests.

Building personal projects can help you get noticed.

Self-taught developers can be just as capable as those with degrees.

Good leadership adapts to the situation and team needs.

The software development field is diverse and evolving.

Architecture should be treated as a strategic concern.