Advice I wish I had three years ago
Perspective-shifts that helped me mature as an engineer
Once you feel comfortable as a junior or mid-level engineer, it’s easy to get stuck. You know your tools. You write clean code. You follow the rules - KISS, DRY, SOLID. Good, this is the baseline. But here’s the thing: knowing all the design patterns isn’t what makes you senior.
They’re useful, sure. But learning acronyms isn’t the same as real growth. It helps, but it’s not THE THING. To move forward, you have to start thinking differently.
Here are three ways to do that.
And hey, I’ve recently found out some of you didn’t even know there’s a mobile app for this. On the mobile app you can find even more daily tips and conversations in our community chat. I recommend it.
Get comfortable with unclear tasks
Want to level up fast? Learn to handle messy, unclear problems.
As a junior engineer, you probably needed very clear instructions to get started. That’s ok. That’s normal. But if you want to grow, you need to practice figuring things out even when details are missing.
Effective engineers don’t wait around for perfect specs. They ask the right questions, connect the dots, and move forward with what they know. That’s not magic - it’s context.
You can build this skill by digging deeper into the work you’re already doing. Ask things like:
Why are we building this?
Who is this helping?
What happens if we don’t do it?
The more you understand, the less direction you’ll need. It takes time, but it’s worth it. If you want to start somewhere, start with these three key questions.
Start taking ownership
A lot of engineers think they need to be promoted before they can “own” something. But actually, ownership is how you earn that promotion.
Taking ownership means being responsible for something over time. It’s more than just writing code and tests. It’s about making sure things work, fixing issues, and helping others use or understand it too. Complete ownership.
Look for things on your team that need care:
Is there an old service no one wants to touch? Learn it.
Is there a process that wastes time? Improve it.
Is there a part of the codebase causing bugs? Take it on.
Stick with it. Learn it intimately. Take pride in improving it. That’s what real ownership looks like - and it builds trust fast.
Think about the product
Effective engineers don’t just care about the code. They care about what the code does - and who it helps.
Ask yourself:
Is this feature useful?
Will it help the company?
Has anyone talked to the users about it?
Bugs, improvements and optimizations are no different too. There’s even a trap with optimizations. We need to always question whether there’s a more valuable thing to work on right now.
If not, speak up. Ask questions. Share ideas. Even better, look for ways to improve the product beyond what’s been asked. Help everyone clarify the vision. Clear the path for yourself and others.
This is what it means to think like the product engineer. And when you start thinking this way, people notice. The point is not to create friction, it is to make sure we’re creating value.
Final thoughts
Becoming a more mature engineer isn’t just about writing better code. It’s about thinking differently.
Handle unclear problems
Take responsibility for your work
Focus on helping the product succeed
You don’t need a title to start acting like a senior. Just start where you are and become one.
If this helped you, share it with someone who might need it too. Let’s all grow together.