Staying Technical in Tech
Moving up in a technical career involves a shift in responsibilities—from doing deep hands-on work to becoming a force multiplier by coaching other engineers and designing strategies and systems aligned with business goals. This transformation demands a new set of skills: public speaking, technical presentation development, cross-functional communication, and the ability to influence without direct authority.
Principal or Staff-level engineers (titles may vary between organizations) are typically expected to develop and apply these capabilities as part of their role.
The Core Question: How Do You Keep Your Technical Skills Sharp?
It’s a question I’ve been wrestling with personally. And the truth is—it’s easier said than done, especially when your day-to-day responsibilities revolve around empowering others instead of writing code.
The answer is: it’s not easy.
Staying technical requires intentional effort. You're balancing soft skills, strategic thinking, and people leadership—and still trying to keep up with the latest tools, programming languages, and trends in the tech industry.
3 Ways I Stay Technical as a Principal/Staff-Level Engineer
Here are a few things that have helped me maintain deep technical expertise as I’ve advanced in my career:
1. Contributing to Open Source Projects
Whether I’m building a tool I’ve been thinking about, learning a new language, or contributing to a project I’ve benefited from, open source gives me the space to stay hands-on and keep learning.
It also keeps me connected to how real-world development evolves across different tech stacks and frameworks.
Some examples are:
2. Speaking at Tech Conferences and Meetups
Presenting technical topics forces me to distill complex ideas clearly—deepening my own understanding in the process. It's also a great way to stay visible and engaged in the broader tech community.
If you're looking to improve as a technical communicator, public speaking is one of the best ways to level up.
3. Writing This Blog
Reflecting on my work and sharing it publicly keeps me accountable and helps me refine my thoughts on both technical concepts and engineering leadership challenges.
Blogging is also a great way to build your personal brand and document your learning.
Making Time for It All
So how do you do this on top of your day job? Again, it’s not easy. But here’s what’s worked for me:
Working a bit during nights and weekends (easier said than done, I know)
Consistent reading (luckily, I enjoy this part)
Being comfortable with being uncomfortable—learning new topics and skills I may know nothing about yet
Final Thoughts
Staying technical as you grow in your engineering career isn’t about clinging to code—it’s about staying curious, making space for hands-on learning, and continuously sharpening your ability to lead with context and clarity.
It’s a balancing act. But if you value it, it’s absolutely worth the effort.
