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Start for freeNavigating the Path to Distinguished Engineering Roles
Becoming a distinguished engineer or a staff engineer in the tech industry is more about shifting the industry's direction and significantly contributing at the platform level than just technical skills alone. It involves creating impactful changes that resonate on an industry-wide level and helping companies expand their engineering capabilities exponentially.
The Journey of Thiago Ghisi
Thiago Ghisi, a Director of Engineering at Nubank, has traversed an incredible path in his tech career. Having worked at prominent companies like Apple, Amex, and ThoughtWorks, Ghisi's experiences offer invaluable insights into achieving success in tech. Beyond his professional accomplishments, Thiago is a deep thinker who shares his wisdom through podcasts and social platforms, enriching the tech community with his perspectives on career growth, management success, and the evolving landscape of technology.
Key Insights for Aspiring Tech Leaders
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Contributing Beyond Code: Success in engineering roles, especially at higher levels like staff or distinguished engineers, goes beyond coding. It involves identifying and addressing upcoming challenges, mentoring others, and influencing the broader company direction.
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Understanding Management Success: For tech managers transitioning from hands-on coding roles, success becomes less about immediate problem-solving and more about strategic thinking, people management, and long-term impact. Thiago emphasizes the importance of delivering company needs while retaining and nurturing talent as fundamental to effective management.
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Career Growth and Expectations: Navigating a tech career in 2024 requires adaptability and a willingness to take on challenges that may not have clear, immediate solutions. Thiago discusses the importance of context in defining what success looks like in various managerial and technical roles, highlighting the nuanced differences between companies and stages of growth.
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The Role of AI in Tech Careers: Thiago also touches on the potential impact of AI on tech careers, suggesting that AI could make software development more accessible, thereby changing the dynamics of startup creation and challenging established tech giants. He sees AI not just as a tool for generating code but as a means to enhance productivity, creativity, and problem-solving across different aspects of tech roles.
Conclusion
Thiago Ghisi's journey and insights underscore the multifaceted nature of success in tech careers. Whether you're an aspiring engineer or a seasoned manager, understanding the broader impact of your work, mastering soft skills, and staying adaptable in the face of technological advancements are key to advancing in this dynamic field.
For more wisdom from Thiago Ghisi on building a great tech career, watch the full conversation here.
