Becoming the best engineer at your company isn’t just about writing perfect code. It’s about understanding people, systems, and how your company truly operates behind the scenes.
The most respected and effective engineers combine technical skills with influence, trust, and a deep understanding of their environment.
This is something I learned from my peers and a YouTube video. Thought I could share this with you all!!
🔑 What It Means to Be a Competitive Engineer
Instead of just working tirelessly (which can lead to burnout), aim to become a competitive engineer — someone who:
- Earns trust from both engineers and business stakeholders.
- Gets to choose what projects to work on.
- Has the freedom to sometimes bend rules to get things done.
- Is frequently requested to be on high-impact projects.
- Accumulates “social capital” through reputation and relationships.
🧠 It’s Not Just About Code
Engineering isn’t only about systems and syntax. It’s also about:
- Influence and relationships.
- Understanding who has decision-making power.
- Knowing how people and teams interact.
- Recognizing that not everyone has the same level of impact.
🚀 Make the Most of Your Start
Your first 1–2 weeks at a new company are a grace period — a unique window to explore without pressure to deliver code. Use it wisely.
✅ What to Focus On:
- Understand the System: How are the systems built? Where does data flow?
- Seek Tribal Knowledge: Look for important, undocumented insights.
- Meet People: Begin forming relationships across teams.
- Observe Culture: How do people work, communicate, and make decisions?
Here are actionable strategies to develop your influence and become a go-to engineer:
1. Use Your Start Wisely
- Don’t rush to push code.
- Explore, ask questions, and observe.
- Build a mental map of systems and people.
2. Learn How Things Are Built
- Study existing codebases.
- Follow how experienced engineers structure and approach problems.
- Use code reviews as learning opportunities.
3. Understand vs. Use
- Learn to treat some parts of the codebase as black boxes.
- Understand what they do, not necessarily how they work internally.
- Focus on using them effectively.
4. Identify the “Wizards”
- Watch who others turn to for help.
- Pay attention to who gets mentioned in tough situations.
- These are your key people — the ones who drive impact.
5. Get Close to the Wizards
- Learn from them by observing, asking questions, and joining discussions.
- Aim to earn their respect and become someone they enjoy working with.
- Ideally, turn one into a mentor.
6. Be Friendly and Easy to Work With
- Make a consistent effort to be kind and approachable.
- Even when busy, maintain a positive and respectful attitude.
- Likability matters — people prefer to work with those they enjoy being around.
7. Remember Personal Details
- Pay attention to your coworkers’ interests, backgrounds, and preferences.
- You can even keep informal notes to help you build stronger relationships (just like a good salesperson might).
8. Do Great Work
- Deliver high-quality code and solutions.
- Take initiative to improve processes or systems.
- Let your work speak for itself — but don’t be afraid to talk about it.
9. Connect Across Teams
- Build relationships with non-engineers, especially in product, design, and business.
- Understand how your work impacts the broader organization.
10. Be Helpful (Even on Small Things)
- Don’t shy away from small or unglamorous tasks.
- Helpfulness builds reputation and trust.
11. Communicate Clearly
- Explain your ideas in simple, structured ways.
- Regularly update others on your progress.
- Make your work visible.
12. Make Real Friends
- Aim to build genuine relationships at work.
- Trusted friendships can unlock better collaboration and support.
Your aim is to be trusted, respected, and visible across the company. When high-priority work comes up, your name should naturally be suggested, not just because you’re technically strong, but because you’re someone people want to work with.