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The One Skill Every Engineer Needs That Isn’t Taught in Bootcamps
Writing code is the easy part. The hard part — and the skill that makes you indispensable- is learning to explain your thinking.

Hello “👋”
Welcome to another week, another opportunity to become a great DevOps and Software Engineer
Today’s issue is brought to you by TheEngineeringLadder→ A great resource for devops and software engineers. We break down career-changing lessons in DevOps and Software Engineering to help you level up fast.
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When I was starting out, I thought being “good” meant writing the cleanest code.
I spent hours perfecting syntax, naming variables, and refactoring functions — convinced that’s what would get me promoted.
Then one day, in a code review, my senior looked at me and said:
“The code looks fine. But walk me through why you did it this way.”
I froze.
I could talk about what I did. But not why. And in that silence, I realized something:
The real skill isn’t just building. It’s explaining your thinking.
Bootcamps Teach Code. Real Life Teaches Communication.
In bootcamps, you ship projects that “work.”
In jobs, you ship projects that must be understood, maintained, and defended.
That’s where communication makes the difference.
Can you explain to a product manager why you chose approach A instead of B?
Can you describe to a teammate how your code flows — without them opening the editor?
Can you justify your design decisions in simple, non-technical language?
If the answer is no, you’ll always feel “junior,” no matter how many languages you know.
The Interview Wake-Up Call
In one DevOps interview, I was asked a simple question:
“Explain how your last CI/CD pipeline worked.”
I thought showing them YAML would be enough. It wasn’t. They wanted me to tell a story.
What problem the pipeline solved
The steps it took
Why I chose that tool
How it reduced errors or saved time
That’s when I understood: the best engineers don’t just build solutions — they translate them into stories everyone else can understand.
Why This Matters
Influence: Senior engineers get promoted because they can explain decisions to stakeholders, not just peers.
Collaboration: Teams move faster when ideas are clear and decisions aren’t hidden in one person’s head.
Trust: Interviewers and managers trust you more when you can break down complex work simply.
How to Build This Skill
You don’t need a communication class. You need practice.
This week, try this:
Take one piece of work you’ve done (a project, script, or pipeline).
Write a short “explainer” for it.
Problem it solved
Tools you used
Why you chose them
One lesson you learned
Share it with a friend, colleague, or even on LinkedIn.
You’ll be shocked how much clearer your own thinking becomes once you write it down.
Final Thoughts
Code gets you hired.
Communication gets you promoted.
Master both — and you stop being “just another developer.”
Coming up next week:
Getting Unstuck: How Senior Engineers Solve Problems Faster — I’ll share the frameworks I use to break through when I’m staring at the screen with no clue what to do next.
If you’re looking for a supportive community to help you grow faster, check out MentorAura.
We’re building the next generation of real-world engineers. And we’d love to have you with us.
P.S. If you found this helpful, share it with a friend or colleague who’s on their DevOps or Software engineering journey. Let’s grow together!
Got questions or thoughts? Reply to this newsletter-we’d love to hear from you!
See you on Next Week.
Remember to check out MentorAura → A powerful, all-in-one platform crafted to guide aspiring and seasoned tech professionals through their career journeys. MentorAura offers structured mentorship programs, career development tracks, industry-grade challenges, personalized learning paths, and community support. It’s your gateway to mastering tech skills, building a standout portfolio, receiving expert guidance, and connecting with a vibrant community of future innovators.
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Weekly Backend and DevOps Engineering Resources
The DevOps Career Roadmap: A Guide to Becoming a World Class DevOps Engineer by Akum Blaise Acha
API Versioning 101 for Backend Engineers by Akum Blaise Acha
System Design 101: Understanding Database Sharding by Akum Blaise Acha
Why Engineers Should Embrace the Art of Writing by Akum Blaise Acha
From Good to Great: Backend Engineering by Akum Blaise Acha
System Design 101: Understanding Caching by Akum Blaise Acha
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