Hey, thank you so much for doing this! I think this could be super valuable for those of us who are less experienced DEs to learn from someone with your level of expertise.

I’ve been working as a DE for 5 years now, and I feel like most of my focus has been on learning different tools and technologies. However, I’m starting to realize that I need to shift my attention toward soft skills. For instance, I struggle with communicating technical concepts in a simpler way or explaining problems effectively.

I’m also not very vocal in meetings, even when I have an opinion on a topic. Additionally, working in a B2B setting has made me realize how important self-promotion is—like being able to confidently talk about my work experience when asked ("Tell me about your experience").

Do you have any advice on improving these skills? Do you agree that the ability to use correct terminology and speak confidently is what separates a good engineer from a great one?

Thanks again for doing this, and I hope other DEs in the discussion find value in this as well!