Beyond the Code: Why Judgment, Communication, and Ownership are Your Real Currency in Software Engineering
In my previous article, "The Pixels, the Process, and the People. From Excited to Overwhelmed (and Back Again) ~ My First Week at Google", I shared the whirlwind of emotions and learnings from my initial days as a new grad software engineer. While the technical challenges were certainly present, I quickly realized that excelling in this role involved much more than just writing good code.
Now, having settled in and gained some experience, several key themes have become increasingly clear: our value as software engineers, especially as we grow, lies significantly in our ability to make sound judgments, communicate effectively, and take ownership of our work on a daily basis.
In this article, I'll share how my perspective has evolved to highlight the crucial role of judgment, communication, and ownership in thriving as a software engineer, especially for those navigating the interview process.
The Foundation: More Than Just Code
Let's be honest, the tech world is full of incredibly smart and capable individuals. Most of us can learn to write good code, understand algorithms, and become proficient in specific languages. These technical skills are the entry ticket, the foundation upon which we build our careers. But what truly differentiates us, what allows us to contribute meaningfully and grow within our roles, are these crucial abilities.
Personally, I've found it far easier to collaborate with someone who demonstrates strong problem-solving skills, thinks deeply about the context of a situation, and can navigate from point A to point B effectively. This is often more valuable than someone who can only produce performant and syntactically correct code without a broader understanding.
Daily Decisions Beyond Syntax
Think about it. My day-to-day work, which might seem like straightforward front-end development using familiar technologies like Angular, HTML, and CSS, is constantly peppered with decisions that go beyond syntax. Given the scale and user base of products at Google, every line of code matters. I constantly find myself weighing different options:
Adhering to the DRY (Don't Repeat Yourself) principle versus making quick, slightly repetitive changes to meet an immediate deadline.
Balancing the need for immediate task progress with the crucial work of cleaning up existing code debt.
Coordinating with multiple developers who have prior context on the codebase, requiring careful judgment on whose input to prioritize and how to synthesize different perspectives.
Being intentional with every character I write, considering potential performance impacts on a massive user base.
Thinking critically about accessibility, ensuring our products work seamlessly for everyone, regardless of their abilities or the devices they use.
Anticipating how diverse users might experience the product and making design and implementation choices accordingly.
The Power of Communication and Ownership
Beyond these technical decisions, the importance of clear communication in my daily work cannot be overstated. I'm constantly interacting with UX designers to understand their vision, collaborating with fellow engineers on implementation details, engaging with my team lead on project direction, and even working with developers across the globe for code reviews. This requires actively asking clarifying questions to ensure I deeply understand the requirements. I also make it a point to document my approach and seek alignment from all stakeholders to ensure we're all working towards the same team goal.
Getting feedback early and often is another crucial aspect. By proactively asking other engineers for advice on my work, I can identify potential issues and mistakes early in the process, leading to higher quality outcomes. Being constantly receptive to what's happening within the team and expressing my thoughts and opinions constructively is also essential for effective collaboration.
Furthermore, I believe in taking full ownership of my tasks. This means ensuring I deliver my work within the agreed-upon timeframe and to the required quality standards. It also involves keeping all stakeholders informed and on the same page throughout the process.
Implications for Your Technical Interviews
This broader perspective has also shifted my view on technical interviews, especially for those of you who are new graduates currently navigating this process. While demonstrating your coding proficiency is undoubtedly important, I encourage you to give significant emphasis to explaining your thought processes, the decisions you are making, the tradeoffs you are considering, and how you approach problem-solving with context, along with highlighting your communication style and ownership mentality as you answer questions.
Remember, writing the "correct" code is often just a small part of the job. Senior engineers on my team, for example, often spend the majority of their time making high-level decisions: prioritizing tasks, balancing engineering efforts against time constraints and business priorities to meet deadlines. If hiring decisions were based solely on the ability to write code or ace algorithm challenges, I doubt we could consistently develop and launch impactful products.
My advice: Show Your Thought Process
So, as you prepare for your interviews, think beyond just arriving at the solution. Articulate why you chose a particular approach, what alternatives you considered, and what the potential pros and cons of your decisions might be. Demonstrate your ability to think critically, weigh different factors, communicate your reasoning effectively with various audiences, and show your proactive approach to taking ownership and delivering results.
Think about this: How can you weave your decision-making process, your communication style when explaining your solutions, and examples of your ownership in past projects into your answers during your upcoming interviews?
By showcasing not just your coding skills but also your capacity for sound judgment, clear communication, and a strong sense of ownership, you'll demonstrate a more holistic understanding of what it truly means to be a valuable and impactful software engineer.
Good luck!
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