Archive - Strategize Your Career

Your combination of skills is your career advantage

An M-shaped career strategy for software engineers: combine useful strengths and make sustained progress with a main goal and side quests.

Oct 25 • Fran Soto

Before You Tag Another Colleague

Think through what needs resolving, ask clearly for what you need, and contribute judgment when you use AI.

Oct 18 • Fran Soto

Faster coding, slower shipped features

Find the bottleneck, make verification repeatable, and choose AI tools that help useful changes reach customers.

Oct 11 • Fran Soto

Before You Buy Another AI Subscription

Open-source alternatives across 19 workflows, from coding to voice. Choose your tools, bring your model, and know when to keep paying.

Oct 4 • Fran Soto

September 2026

Become an AI-Second Engineer

Everyone can generate code. Trusted engineers know what’s worth shipping, and use AI and mentors to build that judgment.

Sep 27 • Fran Soto

The 10 Habits for a Good Software Engineering Day

There is always more work than time. These protocols help you choose what matters, protect focused engineering work, and finish the day ready for…

Sep 20 • Fran Soto

You Don’t Have Time to Skip Software Quality

AI should accelerate delivery, not lower your standards. Turn engineering judgment into context, constraints, and checks that scale

Sep 13 • Fran Soto

Addicted to Coding

The 3 rules from Scarcity Brain that turn AI coding into a loop you want to repeat, without confusing more output with progress.

Sep 6 • Fran Soto

August 2026

You Need a Think Week

A practical system for escaping busywork, rebuilding clarity, and making better engineering decisions without taking a full week off

Aug 30 • Fran Soto

Don’t Become a Proxy Between AI and Code

A zoom-in, zoom-out system for increasing AI-assisted coding throughput without losing the technical judgment needed to improve it

Aug 23 • Fran Soto

More Agents Won’t Fix Your Productivity

Productivity after AI is less about typing and more about these 4 principles

Aug 16 • Fran Soto

Do You Actually Understands Your Codebase?

AI agents can improve code while eroding the shared understanding teams need to debug, evolve, and defend it.

Aug 10 • Fran Soto

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