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Soft Skills Engineering

Jamison Dance and Dave Smith
Software Development
Software Engineering
Team Dynamics
Career Development
Work-Life Balance
Remote Work
Engineering Management
Job Market
Workplace Culture
Workplace Dynamics
Artificial Intelligence
Productivity
Salary Negotiation
Project Management
Career Transition
Layoffs
Scrum
Startups
Big Tech
Technical Skills

It takes more than great code to be a great engineer. Soft Skills Engineering is a weekly advice podcast for software developers about the non-technical stuff that goes into being a great software developer.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes524Founded10 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
Technology

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Artwork for Soft Skills Engineering

Latest Episodes

This is a rerun of episode 331.

In this episode, Dave and Jamison answer these questions:

*

Listener ninjamonkey says,

I am a new grad who is half a year into the role now at a very large company. Recently, a senior engineer on my team aske... more

In this episode, Dave and Jamison answer these questions:

*

I stayed too long at my first company and now my career is ruined?

Hi both, long time listener. (Since I graduated university 4 years ago actually and felt I could never find a job b... more

In this episode, Dave and Jamison answer these questions:

*

Dwill Ainghell asks,

During the golden era of software development, it was commonly stated that you should always negotiate job offers. The argument was that the company has invested... more

In this episode, Dave and Jamison answer these questions:

*

Hey Dave & Jamison,

Long time listener. Love the podcast.

I recently rejoined a remote team that I worked with in the past. I was super stoked to rejoin this team because they were... more

Key Facts

Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

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Recent Guests

Dr. Strangecode
Senior developer at a mega corp (guest on the episode's Q&A segment)
Mega corporate employer
Episode: Episode 502: Management keeps leaving and I hate using AI to code

Hosts

Jamison Dance
Co-host of Soft Skills Engineering; focuses on combining humor with thoughtful career and engineering guidance.
Dave Smith
Co-host of Soft Skills Engineering; known for pragmatic advice on career, management, and software engineering.

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars from 1.4k ratings
  • Ethics is a soft skill too

    Multiple discussions of LLMs but no mention of the catostrophic social and ecological impacts of their widespread use.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Ghostbrite
    United States5 months ago
  • Wow

    I’ve seen a lot of people complaining about sound but the sound is perfect. The content is amazing given I’m a kid and this explains my dream job so well. Keep it up please.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Edawgg44
    United States9 months ago
  • The missing puzzle piece for a worrier entering (or growing in) the career field

    For someone who likes to be prepared and wants to be prepared to make the BEST decisions, this podcast is the (formerly) missing puzzle piece. As important as technical know-how is social know-how and this podcast covers that topic fantastically.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    DimensionlessDave
    United States2 years ago
  • Worthwhile topics but excessive time-wasting

    E.g. in the episode titled “Dark patterns…”, it took more than 5m:30s to actually address the question

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    Noffica
    Canada2 years ago
  • Good, clean, and fun.

    Jamison and Dave are both the right mix of funny and serious.

    Great soft skill advice and how to common sense.

    Glad I finally get to listen to them.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Tim from Victoria
    Australia2 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

The show blends practical soft-skills with humor and relatable dev stories.
Audio quality has been a pain point for some listeners, but the content remains valuable.
Audience appreciates how content translates to day-to-day work and career growth.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#221
United States/Technology
Apple Podcasts
#143
Canada/Technology
Apple Podcasts
#37
Ukraine/Technology
Apple Podcasts
#47
Poland/Technology
Apple Podcasts
#51
Ireland/Technology
Apple Podcasts
#68
Taiwan/Technology

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Episode 519: Why does my team not have a tech lead and rumors!
Q: What should I do if I'm being scrutinized for vibes by people who don't understand my work, and my manager says I'm doing fine?
Ask clarifying questions about the specific behaviors driving the perception, seek information, and adopt small, low-cost habits to show engagement (camera on, active participation, clear communication of what you're doing and why it matters).
Episode 519: Why does my team not have a tech lead and rumors!
Q: Hi D&J, how do I fight a vibe complaint when the data says I'm crushing it?
Focus on visibility of impact: articulate objectives, share what you've done, and communicate results so business folks understand how engineering work translates to outcomes for the company.
Episode 521: negotiating . . . now? and doing good work is not enough for promotion?
Q: What is the correct course of action in today's environment for negotiating offers when unemployed or under leverage?
The hosts advise considering leverage, the company's size, and the field's current dynamics; in many cases, staying conservative and not negotiating aggressively is prudent, especially with big companies where wiggle room is limited. If you're earlier in your career, strong performance can justify promotions, but leverage and timing are crucial.
Episode 516: Not a baby and my product manager doesn't know the product
Q: In my current organization, I have a tech lead role on an internal platform team and struggle with product managers who don't understand the technical domain. How do I express that the road map should be managed by someone technical?
They discuss the value of having a Technical Product Manager or PM with strong domain knowledge, and suggest paths like coaching, hiring for the right skill set, or potentially organizational changes to ensure PMs are capable of guiding technically complex products, while acknowledging the challenges of changing roles in a company.
Episode 516: Not a baby and my product manager doesn't know the product
Q: My company follows Scrum with daily standups. We got a new Scrum master who is very formal and procedural, and I struggle with our daily meetings.
The hosts suggest that the problem is often the role fit and the way standups are run; they recommend making standups shorter or higher-level, using a parking lot for deeper discussions, and improving communication with the PM/EM while recognizing the constraints of a new Scrum Master learning the context.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
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Frequently Asked Questions About Soft Skills Engineering

What is Soft Skills Engineering about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Two veteran software engineers share practical guidance on the non-technical side of engineering, from career strategy and management to collaboration, ethics, and navigating AI-driven changes. Episodes consistently blend candid storytelling with actionable tips, balancing technical context with personal anecdotes and humor. The show often centers on real-world workplace dynamics, decision-making, and career longevity in tech, making it a helpful listen for developers who want to grow beyond pure coding. A standout is the approachable, human-focused angle on topics like leadership, performance, and how to work effectively in teams amid automation and organizational shifts.

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Which podcasts are similar to Soft Skills Engineering?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Soft Skills Engineering:

1. The Stack Overflow Podcast
2. Syntax - Tasty Web Development Treats
3. The Pragmatic Engineer
4. Software Engineering Daily
5. Software Engineering Radio - the podcast for professional software developers

How many episodes of Soft Skills Engineering are there?

Soft Skills Engineering launched 10 years ago and published 524 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Soft Skills Engineering?

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What guests have appeared on Soft Skills Engineering?

Recent guests on Soft Skills Engineering include:

1. Dr. Strangecode

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