How to Master Software Engineering (From Junior to Architect)
Beyond Coding27 Elo 2025

How to Master Software Engineering (From Junior to Architect)

Feeling overwhelmed by the constant change in software engineering? After 25 years in the industry, CTO Joris Kuipers shares a pragmatic roadmap to not just survive, but achieve true mastery in your craft, whether you're a junior developer or a seasoned architect.


In this episode, we cover:

How to focus your learning when new technologies emerge daily

The ideal environments for junior and senior engineers to thrive

Why rapid, frequent deployment is SAFER than slow, careful releases

The critical feedback loops you must have to accelerate your career

How to move beyond rigid processes like Scrum to deliver real value

This is for any software engineer who wants to stop just "doing the work" and start building a deeply fulfilling and successful career by mastering their craft.


Connect with Joris:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jkuipers


Full episode on YouTube ▶️

https://youtu.be/pNtkOZuWetg

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Timestamps:

00:00:00 - The #1 Thing That Gives a 25-Year CTO Energy

00:02:39 - How to Maintain Mastery When Tech Constantly Changes

00:05:30 - The Chicken-and-Egg Problem of Learning on the Job

00:08:49 - What Junior Developers Should Master First

00:11:39 - The Danger of Starting Your Career at a Small Startup

00:14:45 - How to Persuade Senior Engineers to Change Their Ways

00:17:33 - Why I Don't Want to Be a Full-Time Coder Anymore

00:20:14 - The Right Way to Ask Your Senior for Help

00:22:42 - Why We Stopped Doing Story Point Estimations

00:25:39 - The Problem with Managers Who Lack Technical Depth

00:29:26 - Why Integration is the Future of Software Engineering

00:33:11 - The Dark Side of Accessible Cloud Infrastructure

00:35:34 - Why You MUST See Your Code Running in Production

00:37:35 - Should Developers Be On-Call for Their Own Code?

00:41:38 - The Surprising Reason Faster Deployments Are Safer

00:45:57 - Why Small, Frequent Changes Reduce Your Risk

00:49:09 - How Your Environment Makes or Breaks Your Career

00:52:10 - The Good News: Learning Gets Easier Over Time

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