From Contributions to Career: Leo Kettmeir's Path to Deno | Beyond Coding Podcast #169

Soft Skills

Communication is a crucial skill for engineers, yet many excel without it. Leo Kettmeir shares that some engineers can solve issues without any verbal or text communication, which can lead to misinterpretations 1. He emphasizes the importance of being able to write proposals and communicate ideas clearly, even though he finds it challenging himself. Patrick Akil agrees, noting that soft skills are becoming increasingly important in solving problems and gaining business buy-in 2.

Just don't be an asshole. It's quite simple.

--- Leo Kettmeir

Despite differing opinions on the necessity of soft skills, both agree that basic text communication is essential for explaining changes and reasons behind them.

   

Generalist vs Specialist

The debate between being a generalist or a specialist in engineering is nuanced. Leo Kettmeir sees himself as a mix of both, with specific knowledge in web standards but also general skills in Rust 3. He explains that specialization can help secure jobs but may limit opportunities if the skill is too niche. Patrick Akil adds that automation tools and abundant information can accelerate learning for new engineers.

Find something you want to build, even if you don't want to build, but find something you might be interested in.

--- Leo Kettmeir

They suggest that aspiring engineers should focus on projects that interest them to gain deeper knowledge and skills.