
The tech industry in 2025 is evolving at an unprecedented pace, driven by advancements in AI, cloud computing, sustainability, and inclusivity. As a software developer, staying ahead of the curve means equipping yourself with the skills that will shape the future. Here are the top areas to focus on:

### **1. AI and Machine Learning for Developers**

AI is no longer confined to research labs; it’s powering real-world applications across industries. Developers should:

- Learn AI tools like OpenAI APIs and Google AI.

- Explore AI integration libraries such as LangChain for large language models (LLMs).

-   Understand the basics of machine learning and MLOps.

- Address ethical considerations like bias reduction and explainability.

### **2. Cloud-Native Development and DevOps**

Cloud computing dominates modern application deployment, making cloud-native and DevOps skills essential for scalability and reliability:

- Master containerization tools like Docker and Kubernetes.

- Explore serverless computing solutions (AWS Lambda, Azure Functions).

- Learn Infrastructure as Code tools like Terraform and Pulumi.

- Build CI/CD pipelines using platforms like GitHub Actions.

### **3. Edge Computing**

As IoT, 5G, and AR/VR technologies expand, edge computing is becoming critical for low-latency applications. Developers should:

- Familiarize themselves with edge platforms like AWS Greengrass.

- Understand distributed systems architecture.

- Build applications optimized for edge devices.

### **4. Advanced Frontend Development**

With user experience at the forefront, frontend technologies are rapidly advancing:

- Explore WebAssembly (Wasm) for high-performance web applications.

- Learn 3D rendering libraries like Three.js and Babylon.js.

- Focus on web accessibility and inclusive design.

- Develop Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) with offline capabilities.

### **5. Cybersecurity**

As cyber threats grow, secure development is more critical than ever:

- Practice secure coding techniques.

- Learn application security frameworks like OWASP.

- Understand penetration testing and vulnerability assessment.

- Study Zero Trust architecture.

### **6. Sustainability in Software**

The environmental impact of technology is a growing concern. Developers can:

- Apply energy-efficient coding practices.

- Optimize cloud usage for carbon efficiency.

- Use tools to measure the software’s carbon footprint.

### **7. Quantum Computing Fundamentals**

Though still emerging, quantum computing holds transformative potential in cryptography, AI, and optimization problems. To get started:

- Learn quantum programming languages like Qiskit and Cirq.

- Understand basic quantum mechanics.

Explore quantum algorithms and their applications.

### **8. Cross-Platform Development**

Cross-platform frameworks enable cost-effective, rapid app development. Developers should:

- Master frameworks like Flutter, React Native, and Ionic.

- Optimize apps for both mobile and desktop platforms.

Focus on performance optimization across platforms.

### **9. Blockchain Beyond Cryptocurrency**

Blockchain is expanding into industries like supply chain, finance, and healthcare. Developers can:

- Learn smart contract development using Solidity and Rust.

- Explore Web3 frameworks like ethers.js.

Identify blockchain use cases outside cryptocurrency, such as tokenization and identity verification.

### **10. Soft Skills and Team Collaboration**

Success in tech requires more than technical expertise. Developers should:

- Embrace Agile methodologies and effective team management.

- Hone communication skills for cross-functional collaboration.

- Leverage remote collaboration tools like Notion and Miro.

### **Bonus Areas to Watch**

- Synthetic Biology Tools: Software for bioinformatics and biotech applications.

- Generative AI Applications: Exploring novel use cases for generative AI.

- AR/VR and Mixed Reality: Developing immersive experiences for the metaverse and beyond.

By staying at the intersection of technical expertise and industry trends, developers can future-proof their skills and seize high-impact opportunities in the years ahead.



In the ever-evolving world of web development, having the right tools can make your life a whole lot easier. Here's a rundown of some must-have tools that can boost your productivity and streamline your workflow.

The top skills to learn in software development in 2025


AI agents are transforming the way we approach software development. These agents are more than just tools; they are autonomous systems capable of perceiving, deciding, and acting on their own to solve complex problems. Whether you’re a seasoned developer or just exploring AI for the first time, understanding AI agents and their potential can open the door to creating truly innovative applications.

## What Are AI Agents?

Imagine a software program that doesn’t just follow predefined instructions but can sense its environment, make decisions, and take actions to achieve a goal. That’s what an AI agent does. These agents operate in a loop: they perceive input, process it to make decisions, and then perform actions based on those decisions.

There are several types of AI agents, each suited to different tasks:

- Reactive Agents: These are straightforward and respond directly to the current situation without referencing past experiences. Think of them as rule-followers.

- Deliberative Agents: They rely on reasoning and planning, often using a model of their environment to make informed decisions.

- Learning Agents: These agents get smarter over time, adapting to new inputs and refining their actions through methods like machine learning.

- Multi-Agent Systems: Sometimes, multiple agents work together, either collaborating or competing to achieve individual or shared goals.

## Why Are AI Agents So Powerful?

AI agents bring a new level of intelligence and automation to software systems. They’re capable of handling repetitive tasks, enhancing user experiences with personalization, and scaling operations in ways that traditional systems can’t match. For example, imagine an AI-powered customer service bot that not only answers questions but learns from each interaction to improve its responses. Or think about an AI agent in logistics, optimizing routes in real time to save fuel and reduce delivery times.

The flexibility and autonomy of AI agents make them ideal for applications across industries, from healthcare and finance to gaming and e-commerce.

## How Developers Can Work with AI Agents

Building an AI agent might seem daunting, but with the right approach and tools, it’s a manageable and rewarding process. Here’s how you can get started:

### Define the Problem

First, identify what you want your AI agent to accomplish. Be clear about its goals and the environment it will operate in. For instance, is it a chatbot for customer service? A recommendation engine? An autonomous drone? Knowing the specifics will guide your design choices.

### Choose the Right Tools

The tools you use depend on your project’s complexity. Platforms like LangChain are excellent for creating agents powered by large language models (LLMs), while TensorFlow and PyTorch are great for training custom models. If you need scalability, consider distributed systems like Ray’s RLlib.

### Design the Architecture

AI agents typically include these core components:

- Perception: This is how the agent gathers input, whether through natural language processing, computer vision, or sensor data.

- Decision-Making: The brain of the agent, where it decides what actions to take. This might involve simple logic or advanced machine learning algorithms.

- Actions: The output or tasks the agent performs, like sending a message or moving an object.

- Feedback Loop: This allows the agent to learn from its successes and failures, improving over time.

### Train Your Agent

If your agent uses machine learning, it’ll need training. Gather relevant datasets and use tools like TensorFlow or PyTorch to train your model. Testing is equally crucial—simulate real-world scenarios to ensure your agent performs well before deploying it.

### Deploy and Monitor

Once your agent is ready, it’s time to put it into action. Deploy it in your target environment, whether that’s a web app, a mobile app, or an IoT device. Monitoring is essential to track performance and make updates as needed. Many tools offer dashboards and analytics to help you keep an eye on your agent’s behavior.

## Real-World Applications

AI agents are already making waves in various fields:

Virtual Assistants: Siri, Alexa, and Google Assistant are prime examples, helping users with tasks like setting reminders or controlling smart devices.

Customer Support: Chatbots powered by AI agents handle queries, freeing up human agents for more complex tasks.

Business Automation: Agents can schedule meetings, draft emails, or analyze reports.

Gaming: Non-player characters (NPCs) in games use AI agents to interact with players dynamically.

Healthcare: AI agents assist in diagnosing conditions, analyzing medical images, or even offering mental health support.

## Best Practices for Developers

If you’re ready to dive into building AI agents, keep these tips in mind:

- Start Small: Don’t aim for perfection right away. Build a simple prototype to validate your idea.

- Use Pre-Trained Models: Save time by leveraging existing models for tasks like language processing or image recognition.

- Iterate Constantly: Your agent will get better with each update. Use user feedback and performance data to refine it.

- Consider Ethics: AI should be fair, transparent, and respectful of privacy. Always evaluate your agent’s impact on users.

## Final Thoughts

AI agents are revolutionizing how software is built and used. By automating complex tasks and adapting to dynamic environments, they’re enabling developers to create smarter, more efficient systems. Whether you’re building a simple chatbot or a sophisticated multi-agent system, the possibilities are vast. Embrace the potential of AI agents, and you might just create something that changes the game.



AI agents are transforming the way we approach software development. These agents are more than just tools; they are autonomous systems capable of perceiving, deciding, and acting on their own to solve complex problems...

Understanding AI agents and how to build with them as a developer


If you think technical skills alone will make you a good developer, you're wrong. I've seen countless developers who are great at writing code but unbearable to work with. They make projects stagnate, create bottlenecks, and ultimately impact the product's success.

So, let's get right into it. These are the soft skills you need to master to become an exceptional developer:

## Overcommunication > Undercommunication

For the love of God, communicate. If you finish a task, send a message to the appropriate stakeholders. Don't wait for your weekly standup, and don't wait for them to ask you. A personal pet peeve of mine is asking a developer if they're done with XYZ and hearing, "Oh yeah, I finished that the other day." Your team might work with tickets, and marking something as "Done" might seem sufficient, but in general, if someone is waiting for you to complete something, please keep them in the loop about its progress.

## Think about the product, not about yourself

Certain tasks fall into a gray area regarding whether they should be handled by the backend or the frontend. Regardless of your role, don't push tasks to another team just because you don't feel like doing them. Remove yourself from the equation, think honestly about what makes the most sense, and make a decision based on that. If people suspect that you make decisions based on how much you feel like working on a given day, you're toast.

## You are not your code

Don't take feedback personally. 99% of the time, feedback is meant to help you grow. Additionally, you'll often work on features that end up being scrapped. Don't fall in love with your code—accept that business needs change, products evolve, and your job is to write code that aligns with those changes.

This doesn't mean you shouldn't speak up if you notice something wrong in the development process that causes people to change their minds constantly and waste resources. However, if the change is based on a good reason, just accept it, suck it up, and rewrite the code.

If you think technical skills alone will make you a good developer, you're wrong. I've seen countless developers who are great at writing code but unbearable to work with. They make projects stagnate, create bottlenecks, and ultimatel...

The 3 most important soft skills you should learn as a developer


The term "Web3" has been buzzing around tech circles for a few years now, but as we move through 2024, its presence is maturing into real-world applications. Whether you view it as the next logical step for the internet or a buzzword in search of a purpose, Web3 represents a shift in how we think about ownership, decentralization, and user empowerment online. So, what exactly is Web3, and what opportunities does it present for developers today?

## What is Web3?

Web3 represents a transformative vision of a decentralized internet where users regain control over their data and interact directly with one another without the need for intermediaries. Unlike Web2, which is dominated by centralized platforms like Google, Facebook, and Amazon, Web3 is underpinned by blockchain technology, enabling a range of revolutionary features.

Trustless transactions allow users to interact directly without relying on a trusted third party, fostering greater autonomy and security. Tokenized economies introduce digital tokens that incentivize and reward participation in novel ways. Users gain true ownership of their data, digital assets, and NFTs (non-fungible tokens), reshaping the concept of digital property. Additionally, decentralized applications (dApps) operate on decentralized networks rather than centralized servers, ensuring transparency and resilience.

## Web3 in 2024

In 2024, Web3 is demonstrating that it is more than just a fleeting trend or speculative bubble, with tangible progress in several key areas.

Decentralized Finance (DeFi) platforms such as Uniswap and Aave continue to innovate by offering financial services like lending, borrowing, and trading without the need for traditional banks. Blockchain gaming and play-to-earn models are gaining momentum, with projects like Axie Infinity evolving into ecosystems where players can earn real-world income. Web3 is also revolutionizing digital identity, as decentralized ID protocols and wallets enable users to control their online identities without relying on centralized platforms. In industries such as food, fashion, and logistics, blockchain technology is enhancing transparency and traceability in supply chain management. Additionally, content creation platforms like Mirror.xyz are empowering creators to monetize their work directly, moving away from ad-driven revenue models.

However, despite these advancements, Web3 adoption remains uneven. While early adopters and enthusiasts experiment with the technology, many mainstream users still find it confusing or unnecessary. Bridging this gap between innovation and accessibility remains one of the biggest challenges for Web3 developers and advocates.

## What can I do with this?

As a developer, Web3 presents an exciting and expansive playground full of possibilities. One of the primary areas to explore is building decentralized applications (dApps). To get started, you'll need to learn blockchain programming languages like Solidity (for Ethereum) or Rust (for Solana). Smart contracts, which are self-executing agreements on the blockchain, are a crucial component of dApps, so understanding them is key. Development tools like Hardhat and Truffle can help with building and testing, while deploying your dApp on popular blockchains such as Ethereum, Polygon, or Binance Smart Chain will make it accessible to users.

Another area to delve into is tokens and NFTs. As a developer, you can create fungible tokens using ERC-20 standards or build non-fungible tokens (NFTs) using ERC-721 or ERC-1155. Additionally, the NFT space opens up possibilities for developing marketplaces, games, or art platforms. A strong understanding of tokenomics is also beneficial, as you’ll be designing economic models to incentivize user participation and growth within these ecosystems.

Web3 offers the opportunity to contribute to existing blockchain protocols, many of which are open-source. You can engage in core development by writing improvement proposals, such as Ethereum Improvement Proposals (EIPs), or work on extending platforms like Chainlink or Filecoin by developing new modules or plugins. This contribution can significantly enhance the capabilities of existing Web3 ecosystems.

For frontend developers, Web3 introduces a critical opportunity to improve the user experience. Blockchain interactions can be complex and intimidating for new users, so building intuitive UIs is vital. You can integrate blockchain functionality using libraries like ethers.js or web3.js, and create wallet connectors that work smoothly with MetaMask or WalletConnect to help users interact with your applications.

Building middleware and APIs is another essential avenue for Web3 developers. These tools bridge the gap between Web2 and Web3, allowing for cross-chain interoperability and improved data indexing for decentralized storage systems like IPFS. Companies such as Alchemy and Infura provide infrastructure, but there is still plenty of room for innovation in these areas.

Decentralized identity and DAOs (Decentralized Autonomous Organizations) are rapidly growing fields within Web3. Developers can create tools for decentralized identity verification or build platforms and frameworks that support the management of DAOs. As the Web3 space continues to evolve, these technologies will play an increasingly important role in shaping the digital landscape.

However, there are several challenges developers must be aware of when working in Web3. Scalability remains a major issue for blockchains like Ethereum, with high fees and slow transaction speeds. Fortunately, Layer 2 solutions like Optimism and Arbitrum are helping to address these challenges. The user experience is also a critical barrier to mass adoption, as wallets, dApps, and blockchain concepts can be overwhelming for new users. Security is another concern, as smart contracts are vulnerable to exploits, making secure coding practices essential. Lastly, the regulatory landscape for Web3 projects is still evolving, and developers must stay informed about the varying legal approaches governments are taking toward crypto and blockchain technologies.

The term "Web3" has been buzzing around tech circles for a few years now, but as we move through 2024, its presence is maturing into real-world applications. Whether you view it as the next logical step for the internet or a buzzword in search of a purpose, Web3 represents a shift in how we think about ownership, decentralization, and user empowerment online...

What the hell is Web3?


In the ever-evolving world of web development, having the right tools can make your life a whole lot easier. Here's a rundown of some must-have tools that can boost your productivity and streamline your workflow:

1. **[Visual Studio Code](https://code.visualstudio.com/):** Also refered to as VS Code, this free, open-source code editor from Microsoft is a favorite among developers. It supports a wide range of programming languages and comes with features like debugging, intelligent code completion, and built-in Git integration. Plus, its extensive library of extensions allows you to customize it to fit your specific needs.

2. **[Git and GitHub](https://github.com/)**: Version control is crucial in development, and Git is the go-to system for tracking changes in your code. Paired with GitHub, it facilitates collaboration, allowing multiple developers to work on a project simultaneously without stepping on each other's toes.

3. **[Chrome Developer Tools](https://developer.chrome.com/docs/devtools/)**: Built directly into the Google Chrome browser, these tools let you inspect and debug your code in real-time. You can analyze load performance, inspect the DOM, and even simulate different device screens to ensure your site is responsive.

4. **[Tailwind](https://tailwindcss.com/)**: If you’re tired of writing custom CSS from scratch or managing large style files, Tailwind CSS might be your new best friend. It’s a utility-first CSS framework that lets you style your components directly in your HTML using pre-defined classes. Tailwind makes it easy to create responsive, consistent designs without the headache of naming conventions or custom stylesheets. Plus, it’s highly customizable, so you can adjust it to fit your project’s branding or unique needs.

5. **[Postman](https://www.postman.com/)**: When working with APIs, Postman is invaluable. It allows you to test API endpoints, send requests, and view responses, making the process of debugging and developing APIs much more straightforward.

6. **[Figma](https://www.figma.com/)**: For design collaboration, Figma is a game-changer. This cloud-based design tool allows multiple people to work on a project simultaneously, making it easier to bridge the gap between designers and developers.

7. **[ESLint](https://eslint.org/)**: Maintaining code quality is essential, and ESLint helps by analyzing your JavaScript code to find and fix problems. It enforces consistent coding styles and can catch potential errors before they become issues.

8. **[Netlify](https://www.netlify.com/)**: Deploying web projects is a breeze with Netlify. It offers continuous deployment from Git, serverless functions, and a global CDN, ensuring your sites are fast and reliable.

Incorporating these tools into your workflow can significantly enhance your efficiency and the quality of your web development projects. Staying updated with the latest tools and technologies is key to staying ahead in the ever-changing landscape of web development.


Tools every web developer should know


If you're reading this knowing that as soon as you get home you're going to put on your PJs and watch *Breaking Bad* for the 10th time, stop right now. *Breaking Bad* is awesome, I know, but you know what's also awesome? Having multiple income streams. Like my gal Codie Sanchez says, "The best self-care is making more money." Yes, of course, you're allowed to relax, but if you're a developer in 2024 and don’t have some sort of side hustle going on, you’re putting those skills of yours to waste! So get off the couch, find a nice clean desk, and get to work. Here are five things you should be doing to make a little (or a lot) of side money as a dev.

### **Sell components**

You can sell your components now, what a time to be alive. Just go to [Frontwork](https://frontwork.dev/component-marketplace), sign up, and start uploading. I _probably_ wouldn’t quit my job to do this full time, but it’s a nice way to make a little side money, and it doesn’t require a ton of work. Just try to sell something other than a button.

### **Sell APIs**

Similar to above, you can create APIs, and sell them. You can create them from the ground up and offer them on places like [Rakuten](https://developers.rakuten.com/#software), [ApiLayer](https://apilayer.com/) and [RapidAPI](https://rapidapi.com/products/build-apis/). Another thing you can do is creating APIs tailored to individual clients' needs, and charging them directly. 

### **Sell templates on Notion**

If you don’t know what Notion is, check their page here [Notion](https://www.notion.so/). In a nutshell, it’s a collaboration platform, where you can find databases, boards, anything for note-taking and data management. And the beauty of it is, you can sell your templates there. If you want to learn how to create and sell templates on notion, watch this [video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IrIAmq80VEE). There’s this self-proclaimed “Notion Guy” called [Easlo](https://twitter.com/heyeaslo), he started making and selling Notion templates in 2021 and by 2022, he was making [$20,000 of passive income per month](https://twitter.com/heyeaslo/status/1578022305946443778?s=20). Not too shabby.

### **Sell a course**

This one requires a bit more time, but the reward is also higher. You might think, “but, there’re so many courses out there already 😭”, and yes, there are, that’s why you should find a niche. Sell a course on how to build a rental site like Airbnb. Sell a course on how to create NPM packages. Most courses focus on more general stuff, “learn Python, learn JS, build an app using the MERN stack…”, do something more specific, and if you get 0 buyers, at least you learned how to make a course, you improved your teaching skills, and you have something cool to add to your CV. 

For places to sell your course, you can check platforms like Udemy, Khan academy and tuto.com.

### **Freelance**

You’ve heard this one before, but freelancing is a great way to both make money _and_ become a better developer (in most cases), and you can do it without leaving your full time job. Here’s two ways to go about it:
 
**- Side hustle.** I spent a good amount of time freelancing on weekends, while keeping my full time job. It was a lot of work. It was also a lot of money. So, if you want to go down this route, make sure you’re up for spending a couple of weeks/months coding after work and on weekends. To find clients you can try good old Upwork and Fiverr. Bare in mind though, taxation will be a b*tch. Taxes vary depending on where you live, but in my case, whatever money I was making on the side, was getting taxed just as regular income, at the highest tax bracket. This means I was keeping half of what I was getting paid. This wouldn’t have happened if I was freelancing full time because then I can benefit from “small businesses” schemes and what not. Nevertheless, I think it’s still worth it if you want to do it for just a while, maybe you love it and you start doing it full time, which bring me to my second point.

**- Full time freelance.** This is where things get interesting. The downside of freelancing is always inconsistency. Will you have a job lined up once your current project is over? Maybe. Probably, if you’re organized and know how to hustle. But the stress of not knowing discourage a lot of people from going down this route. The upside? You can make **good** money, and on your own terms (sort of). At the end of the day, you’re still working for someone. You still have to work with deadlines, go through feedback rounds and build something for someone else. But you can dictate your rate, you can dictate how many hours a week you’re going to dedicate to it, and you can do it when and wherever you want, as long as you deliver. You can try the platforms mentioned before to find work, but I had better luck finding gigs through my network. Ask friends, make a post on Linkedin, put it in the slack group from your coworking space. The good thing is that once you get a client, if you do a good job, that client will recommend you, and you’ll eventually get to a place where clients approach you, not the other way around.



If you're reading this knowing that as soon as you get home you're going to get on your PJs and watch Breaking Bad for the 10th time, stop right now...

Five ways to make money as a developer


Oh, god bless the digital age. Remember when people had to go through the classifieds with a highlighter in hand looking for jobs? You might be too young to have seen that, but needless to say, we have it way better now. Still, looking for a job can be as thrilling as finding a semicolon missing in your code (without ESLINT). But don't worry, I came here to give you a hand and bring you a list of job boards that are actually worth your time. So settle in, have your CV ready, and start applying.

* [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/feed/)
* [Indeed](https://indeed.com/)
* [X-Team](https://jobs.x-team.com/)
* [RemoteOk](https://remoteok.com/)
* [YCombinator](https://www.ycombinator.com/jobs)
* [WellFound (formerly AngelList)](https://wellfound.com/jobs)
* [Honeypot](https://www.honeypot.io/en/)
* [Remote](https://remote.com/jobs)
* [EchoJobs](https://echojobs.io/)
* [Working Nomads](https://www.workingnomads.com/jobs)
* [We Work Remotely](https://weworkremotely.com/remote-jobs/search)
* [Key Values](https://www.keyvalues.com/)
* [Ladders](https://www.theladders.com/jobs/search-jobs)

Oh, god bless the digital age. Remember when people had to go through the classifieds with a highlighter in hand looking for jobs?

Best job boards to find your next software engineering job


I often read about people complaining that the market is so tough right now because they had five interviews in the last two months and didn’t get a callback. This isn’t the market being tough; that’s just them not performing well in interviews. There are many reasons why an interview can go wrong, from technical abilities to cultural fit, but I want to highlight four behaviors in particular that could be costing you your next job.

### **You're too cocky**

I once interviewed someone who, right from the start, seemed to have zero interest in being there. He was constantly yawning while I was talking and even picked up a call twice during the interview. This guy thought he was a "big shot" because he had freelanced for Google once, so in his mind, working for our small company was a done deal. And I completely get it — I mean, _Google_! 🙄

Funny thing is, he did terribly on the coding challenge. But honestly, even if he had aced it, I knew within the first five minutes that I wasn’t going to hire him. It doesn’t matter how amazing you are at coding (and again, he wasn’t); nobody wants to work with a pretentious jerk. So, if you’re heading into an interview with an impressive résumé, make sure you step off your high horse first—because no one wants to work with someone who’s a gigantic pain to be around.

### **You're getting mad?**

I was in the middle of a coding challenge with a candidate once, and he started getting mad at the code for not working. And I mean, literally mad. He would keep saying, frustrated, _"I don’t get it, this doesn’t make sense, why won’t it work?!”_. He went as far as to say the platform we were using for the challenge was faulty. Red flag 🚩.

The computer doesn’t make mistakes — your code is just wrong! Instead of freaking out and refreshing your IDE 20 times, take a moment to breathe, relax, and go over your logic from the start. But please, try to keep your frustration under control. The interviewers are assessing how you perform under stressful situations, and losing your cool isn’t a good look.

### **You're not asking questions**

Most interviewers will give you 10/15 minutes at the end of the interview to ask questions. So, **ask questions**. Asking questions equates to being interested in the position, but not only that, it equates to having opinions. And you know who (often) doesn’t have opinions? Junior devs. They don’t know what to ask, they don’t know what working environment they prefer, what company values they like… So when I interview someone that has absolutely ZERO questions by the end of it, I think they’re either not that interested in the position, or they’re not very senior.


And if you’re thinking, _“But what if they answered everything I wanted to know during the interview?”_ — there’s always something left unanswered. Ask your interviewer what they like most about working for the company. Or do the opposite: ask them what they don’t like. Inquire if the company has had layoffs in the past year. Ask about revenue or even request a short call with one of your potential future dev colleagues. Doing this shows that you mean business, that you don’t make decisions lightly, and that you’re serious about the opportunity. It also signals that if you’re putting in this much effort to get to know the company, you’re likely to stick around for the long run—rather than just collecting paychecks for six months and moving on to something more interesting (which, let’s be honest, could still happen, but you get the point).

### **You're treating the interview as an interview**

This might sound weird, but hear me out. Some of the best candidates I’ve interviewed shared the same trait: they treated the interview as a conversation. And at the end of the day, that’s what it is. I want to get to know you, hear your opinions, understand your thought process—not just a “question, answer, question, answer” format. Just have a conversation, like you would with a fellow developer at a bar (does that ever happen?).

Of course, the interviewer will take the lead and ask most of the questions, but you can loosen up a little and just... converse. I’ve been in situations where we had two or three perfectly qualified candidates who made it to the final stage, and you know who almost always got the position? The one who was the most chatty and relaxed during the interview. Don’t forget, cultural fit can be just as important as technical skills, so try to show that you'd be great at collaborating and exchanging ideas, rather than coming across as a “yes, no, okay, please” type.

I once interviewed someone who, right from the start, seemed to have zero interest in being there. He was constantly yawning while I was talking and picked up a call...

Best job boards to find your next software engineering job

Keep reading

The top skills to learn in software development in 2025

Understanding AI agents and how to build with them as a developer