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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
Startups
Big Tech
Technical Skills
Workplace Communication

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.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes516Founded10 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
Technology

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Artwork for Soft Skills Engineering

Latest Episodes

In this episode, Dave and Jamison answer these questions:

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Hi from a long-time listener and first-time caller. I need some advice on a toxic workplace situation.

I’m currently unhappy with my job due to a difficult dynamic with a colleague. ... more

In this episode, Dave and Jamison answer these questions:

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My parent organization has trust issues: we registered on a recent survey as one of the lowest across the bigger software org (thousands of employees).

There are two groups: function... more

In this episode, Dave and Jamison answer these questions:

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How long until I am ethically obligated to let my company know I’m doing no work? There was a big re-org at the company I recently joined. It’s a huge financial company, so there’s a l... more

In this episode, Dave and Jamison answer these questions:

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Should I declare my struggle with this AI world we live in here? Nah. I mean, I’d like the hype to die down, a lot, but we keep getting new tools and I get to experiment, so here we ar... more

Key Facts

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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 States3 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 States7 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 Statesa year 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
#182
United States/Technology
Apple Podcasts
#158
Canada/Technology
Apple Podcasts
#194
United Kingdom/Technology
Apple Podcasts
#116
Australia/Technology
Apple Podcasts
#58
South Korea/Technology
Apple Podcasts
#63
Philippines/Technology

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Episode 513: Forgotten employee and what skills actually matter in the AI world
Q: What should I focus on learning now to not become obsolete in one to two years?
Invest in architectural thinking, system-level design, and the ability to direct LLMs effectively; deepen understanding of how the system works, its failure points, and security considerations; use just-in-time learning to fill gaps as needed, rather than deep-diving into every topic upfront.
Episode 513: Forgotten employee and what skills actually matter in the AI world
Q: How long until I am ethically obligated to let my company know that I'm doing no work?
Begin documenting the situation and escalate to a manager or scrum master as soon as possible; if there is no manager, use official channels like a company website contact to report being unassigned and provide a story that explains your lack of work while avoiding a blame-focused tone.
Episode 512: Can non-engineers really contribute code with AI and not sharing
Q: Should I declare my struggle with this AI world we live in here?
The hosts frame the question as about whether non-engineers should contribute, emphasizing the balance between potential benefits and the costs of review, deployment, and maintaining quality.
Episode 511: Should I take a temporary management position and performance-based bonuses
Q: Should I take a temporary management role and pursue a performance-based bonus?
The hosts conclude that attempting management in a temporary situation can be worthwhile for learning and visibility, and that while bonuses are tricky, gaining context and storytelling to back your case is essential; don't expect perfect, objective metrics, and be prepared to defend your contributions with strong narratives.
Episode 509: I hate AI software dev, so should I become a manager and leading, not doing
Q: How can I figure out if engineering management is the right choice for me without jumping into the role?
They recommend introspection about satisfaction with the day-to-day of engineering versus leading a team, trying a low-friction internal move (if possible), and using concrete steps like defining clear outcomes, seeking mentorship, requesting smaller scope leadership opportunities, and obtaining manager support before making a formal switch.

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 Changelog: Software Development, Open Source
2. The Stack Overflow Podcast
3. Syntax - Tasty Web Development Treats
4. The Pragmatic Engineer
5. CoRecursive: Coding Stories

How many episodes of Soft Skills Engineering are there?

Soft Skills Engineering launched 10 years ago and published 516 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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