From Junior to Senior Developer and Beyond: Farhan Thawar (VP of Engineering, Shopify)

Software engineers, like any other person can get stuck. Their personal development slows down, their career may not move in the direction they want to go to.Great engineering managers and leaders can do a lot to stop that from happening, facilitate growth for their developers and advancement from junior engineer to the senior level and beyond that. Get the know-how from Farhan Thawar, VP of Engineering, Shopify!In this interview we're covering:Differences between a junior and a senior engineerThe best way to level up coding skillsPotential career roadmaps in software developmentA manager's methods to develop the career of their engineersA company's options to facilitate professional developmentCreating a career plan in software engineeringMotivating developers to keep honing their craftIncorporating soft skills trainingExcerpt from the interview:"I was talking to one of our senior developers about a promotion. The next career level from there is either staff engineer or engineering manager. This person was interested in the staff engineer route.We figured out that to move up the ladder, this person at this time needed to have an impact beyond his group. Helping with building software for Shopify in a broader context is the job of a staff engineer. So this person shifted focus toward that.We checked in again after six months. He was doing well, and he was about to receive the promotion, but it turns out that he didn’t enjoy the staff engineer work. He saw how it would broaden his skills, how he’d work with other groups, and he didn’t want to do that.Here's what we did..."Click here to read the full interview!

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Level-Up Engineering brings you actionable management insights straight from top tech leaders. Each episode tackles real challenges faced by engineering managers—like hiring, motivating teams, and scaling organizations—and shares how they have navigated them. Discover best practices in management and leadership to master the art of understanding people and organizations, just as well as you understand code. Brought to you by **Apex Lab**, a software development agency creating stress-free, expert-led digital products. Tune in to level up your skills and take your team to new heights! Learn more at [apexlab.io](https://www.apexlab.io/). Got feedback or want to be featured on **Level-Up Engineering**? Reach out to us at [podcast@apexlab.io](mailto:podcast@apexlab.io).