software engineer – Scott J. Pearson’s Book Review

The Staff Engineer’s Path: A Guide for Individual Contributors Navigating Growth & Change

By Scott J. Pearson | January 30, 2025January 30, 2025 by Scott J. Pearson

A lot of people enter software development because they don’t want their primary job task to consist of interacting with people. However, career progressions often define management as the next step after being a senior developer. To those who don’t want to be with people full-time, this hierarchy can make a dead end. In recent years, the pathway of a staff engineer has opened up. Staff engineers are in charge of the technical direction of…

Software-Technology

Modern Software Engineering: Doing What Works to Build Better Software Faster

By Scott J. Pearson | November 13, 2024November 13, 2024 by Scott J. Pearson

Software engineering is a relatively young discipline that’s rapidly evolving. What practices moved software forward thirty years ago are different from what moves them today. Today, most software requires continual-release techniques in the era of Internet speed. In this book, David Farley, an expert in that area and one seasoned in business practices, brings the field up to date with practices that work. Modern Software Engineering provides a good summary informed by reading, personal practice,…

The Software Engineer’s Guidebook: Navigating Senior, Tech Lead & Staff Engineer Positions at Tech Companies & Startups

By Scott J. Pearson | June 1, 2024September 24, 2024 by Scott J. Pearson

Writing software promises a career full of intellectual challenges, never-ending learning, and collaborative projects. Yet sometimes, the career path can seem arduous and hidden, especially for those not on the management track. How can engineers lead when they’re not managing a team? In this book, Gergely Orosz shows how engineers can establish a career, progress to senior level and tech lead, and then move onto principal or staff engineering roles. None of these roles involves…

Management-Business Software-Technology

Become an Effective Software Engineering Manager: How to Be the Leader Your Development Team Needs

By Scott J. Pearson | January 4, 2024January 4, 2024 by Scott J. Pearson

Managing software engineering efforts is a difficult task. One needs a thorough knowledge of authoring software, which itself is a rare, time-consuming accomplishment. Almost all general managers do not have an in-depth knowledge of programming (though many assume they do!). A few of the best software developers are promoted into a managerial role and have to figure out what to do on the job. Much literature on general management topics exists, but few writings center…