What Decades in Software Engineering Teaches You
From Data Engineering Central Podcast by Data Engineering in Real Life
March 11, 2026 · 1h 6m
About this episode
The episode features a discussion with veteran Software Engineer John Crickett about building a successful engineering career and the impact of AI on the field.
In this episode of Data Engineering Central, I sit down with a veteran Software Engineer John Crickett ; with decades of experience in the industry to unpack what really matters in building a long and successful engineering career. We talk about how he first got into software, the early jobs and tools that shaped his thinking, and the massive technology shifts he’s witnessed across decades of engineering—from early stacks and tools to today’s AI-assisted workflows. * We also dive into the difference between coding and real-world software engineering, what separates junior, senior, and principal engineers, and why many developers misunderstand what it takes to grow in this field. * We discuss leadership vs individual contributor paths, the origin of his Coding Challenges platform, why algorithm puzzles dominate developer culture, and what actually makes engineers improve quickly. Finally, we tackle the big question everyone is asking right now: how AI is reshaping software engineering , and what skills will matter most over the next decade. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit…
People in this episode
Host: Data Engineering in Real Life
Guest: John Crickett
Topics covered
- software engineering
- career development
- technology shifts
- AI in software
- engineering roles
- leadership vs individual contributor
Keywords
- software engineering
- career growth
- AI-assisted workflows
- junior vs senior engineers
- coding challenges
- algorithm puzzles
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Data Engineering Central, Coding Challenges, AI
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