Elevate Your Tech Career Honing Non-Tech Soft Skills

Published 18 January 2024 by

Martin Hamilton

Lets explore ways to level up in your tech career. We will be discussing the insights and strategies shared by Engineering Leader & Certified Career Coach, Anemari, who has helped over 500 people launch and level up their tech careers in just the past 3 years. Anemari emphasizes that seniority in software engineering is about impact and not just about coding more.

To level up in your tech career, you need to develop your people skills. In this section, we will discuss five essential people skills: Collaboration, Vulnerability, Growing Others, Listening, and Working with Feedback. We will also explore ways to make your current skills more visible and showcase your work to get to the next level.

👋 Intro to Anemari

Anemari is an Engineering Leader & Certified Career Coach who has helped over 500 people launch and level up their tech careers in just the past 3 years. She is also a LinkedIn Top Voice sharing daily insights on leveling up in your tech career and is the author of the newsletter that deep dives into the people skills required to lead a technical team. Anemari believes that to level up in your tech career, you need to develop your people skills. In this section, we will explore the people skills you need to develop to grow as a Senior+ software engineer.

Collaboration

Collaboration is an essential people skill that you need to develop as a tech person. Being a solo dev hero-coder is only going to take you so far. The real magic happens when you realize you can achieve more by collaborating with others. You truly are better together. So lean into collaboration with your team, customer support, even other departments. You’ll be amazed at how much you can accomplish.

Vulnerability

Vulnerability is another essential people skill that you need to develop as a tech person. It can be hard to admit that you don’t have it all figured out or that you made a mistake that turned out poorly. However, admitting your mistakes and being vulnerable is a sign of strength, not weakness. When you own up to your mistakes, you earn respect and trust from your team members. Don’t hide your mistakes. Admit them. Ask for help. You’ll learn faster, solve hard problems faster, and take others on the journey with you.

Growing Others

To level up in your tech career, you need to become a force-multiplier. One massive way to do that is by starting to coach and support others in their growth. By focusing on sharing with and teaching others what you already know, you will cement your existing knowledge, gain self-confidence, and grow others and yourself in the process. Remember: you don’t really know something until you can explain it to others.

Listening

Listening is a skill that requires patience and effort to develop, but it has endless benefits. Active listening allows you to build deeper relationships, connect with others faster, and speeds up your learning process. To improve your listening, turn off distractions, get comfortable with silence, and reflect back to others. Reflecting back minimizes miscommunications and makes others feel heard and valued.

Working with Feedback

Feedback is the best tool we have for growth these days. It is hard to receive, but it is an amazing gift at the same time. Work hard to develop a healthy culture of feedback, including receiving feedback, giving feedback, acting on feedback, and reinforcing feedback. You can find strategies to develop your feedback skills in Anemari’s newsletter.

To make your current skills more visible, you need to showcase your work and the impact of that work. Talking about your wins can be uncomfortable, but it is necessary to show your impact and wins to others. Keep a list of daily accomplishments, quantify your impact in terms others can understand, talk about progress not just results, and share what you do with others. Let them celebrate with you.

Having a bias for action and asking for forgiveness, rather than permission, is a risk that can lead to big rewards. To level up in your tech career, you need to create a clear process when there is none, test limits instead of playing it safe, and make a decision when people can’t decide on a direction. Remember, taking risks can get you much closer to a decision, even if it is the opposite decision than the one you proposed.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the top soft skills that can enhance a tech professional’s career progression?

As a tech professional, it’s not just your technical skills that matter. Soft skills such as communication, teamwork, leadership, emotional intelligence, empathy, and adaptability can also enhance your career progression. Employers value employees who can work well with others, communicate effectively, and adapt to changing situations. Developing these soft skills can help you stand out and advance in your career.

How can effective communication improve teamwork in engineering projects?

Effective communication is essential for teamwork in engineering projects. It ensures that everyone is on the same page and working towards the same goal. Clear communication can prevent misunderstandings, mistakes, and delays. It’s important to listen actively, ask questions, and provide feedback to ensure that communication is effective. Regular team meetings, progress reports, and open communication channels can also improve teamwork.

What strategies can engineers employ to improve their leadership abilities?

Leadership is not just about managing people, it’s also about inspiring and motivating them to achieve their goals. Engineers can improve their leadership abilities by setting clear goals, communicating effectively, delegating tasks, providing feedback, and leading by example. It’s important to be flexible, adaptable, and open to feedback to improve your leadership skills.

Why is emotional intelligence important for technical professionals, and how can it be developed?

Emotional intelligence is the ability to understand and manage your own emotions, as well as the emotions of others. It’s important for technical professionals because it can improve communication, teamwork, and leadership. Emotional intelligence can be developed by practicing self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy, and social skills. It’s important to be aware of your own emotions and how they affect others, as well as to be able to read and respond to the emotions of others.

In what ways can tech industry workers demonstrate empathy and support a positive work environment?

Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of others. Tech industry workers can demonstrate empathy by listening actively, showing understanding, and providing support. They can also create a positive work environment by being respectful, collaborative, and open to feedback. It’s important to recognize the diversity of perspectives and experiences in the workplace and to be inclusive of everyone.

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How can continuous learning and adaptability contribute to long-term success in the tech field?

Continuous learning and adaptability are essential for long-term success in the tech field. Technology is constantly evolving, and it’s important to stay up-to-date with the latest trends and developments. Continuous learning can improve your skills, knowledge, and career prospects. Adaptability is also important because it allows you to respond to changes and challenges in the workplace. It’s important to be open to new ideas, flexible, and willing to learn from your mistakes.