Maddy Brown

I’ve been a SWE for the last 6+ years of my life. If I had to start all over again, I wouldn’t really invest in a course or resources without exploring by myself first. Here are 33 free roadmaps you can use today to start in any field in software engineering & crush it! 1. Backend Roadmap: https://roadmap.sh/backend & Frontend Roadmap: https://lnkd.in/dfk4-pa9 2. Full Stack Roadmap: https://lnkd.in/dRjCeDde 3. JavaScript Roadmap: https://lnkd.in/dA4ucqzz 4. TypeScript Roadmap: https://lnkd.in/dYdd4te4 5. React Roadmap: https://roadmap.sh/react 6. React Native Roadmap: https://lnkd.in/dBG72tqu 7. Vue Roadmap: https://roadmap.sh/vue 8. Angular Roadmap: https://roadmap.sh/angular 9. Node.js Roadmap: https://roadmap.sh/nodejs 10. CS Fundamentals Roadmap: https://lnkd.in/d7iDtkm6 11. GraphQL Roadmap: https://roadmap.sh/graphql 12. Rust Roadmap: https://roadmap.sh/rust 13. Go Roadmap: https://roadmap.sh/golang 14. C++ Roadmap: https://roadmap.sh/cpp 15. Java Roadmap: https://roadmap.sh/java 16. Spring Boot Roadmap: https://lnkd.in/dYRPibvp 17. ASP.NET Core Roadmap: https://lnkd.in/dfFXSAgZ 18. Software Architect Roadmap: https://lnkd.in/dDtNN-ch 19. Software Design and Architecture Roadmap: https://lnkd.in/dUHYkH95 20. System Design Roadmap: https://lnkd.in/d3S79YVJ 21. PostgreSQL Roadmap: https://lnkd.in/d8aTRkBD 22. SQL Roadmap: https://roadmap.sh/sql 23. MongoDB Roadmap: https://roadmap.sh/mongodb 24. AI and Data Scientist Roadmap: https://lnkd.in/dv7Tj4ft 25. Python Roadmap: https://roadmap.sh/python 26. Prompt Engineering Roadmap: https://lnkd.in/diZ2U4dG 27. DevOps Roadmap: https://roadmap.sh/devops 28. Docker Roadmap: https://roadmap.sh/docker 29. Kubernetes Roadmap: https://lnkd.in/dVGxcMKQ 30. Android Roadmap: https://roadmap.sh/android 31. Flutter Roadmap: https://roadmap.sh/flutter 32. UX Design Roadmap: https://lnkd.in/dWXzZgqu 33. Design System Roadmap: https://lnkd.in/dasuSJfZ

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I’ve been a SWE for the last 7+ years of my life. If I had to start all over again, I wouldn’t really invest in a course or resources without exploring by myself first. Here are 33 free roadmaps you can use today to start in any field in software engineering & crush it! 1. Backend Roadmap: https://roadmap.sh/backend & Frontend Roadmap: https://lnkd.in/dfk4-pa9 2. Full Stack Roadmap: https://lnkd.in/dRjCeDde 3. JavaScript Roadmap: https://lnkd.in/dA4ucqzz 4. TypeScript Roadmap: https://lnkd.in/dYdd4te4 5. React Roadmap: https://roadmap.sh/react 6. React Native Roadmap: https://lnkd.in/dBG72tqu 7. Vue Roadmap: https://roadmap.sh/vue 8. Angular Roadmap: https://roadmap.sh/angular 9. Node.js Roadmap: https://roadmap.sh/nodejs 10. CS Fundamentals Roadmap: https://lnkd.in/d7iDtkm6 11. GraphQL Roadmap: https://roadmap.sh/graphql 12. Rust Roadmap: https://roadmap.sh/rust 13. Go Roadmap: https://roadmap.sh/golang 14. C++ Roadmap: https://roadmap.sh/cpp 15. Java Roadmap: https://roadmap.sh/java 16. Spring Boot Roadmap: https://lnkd.in/dYRPibvp 17. ASP.NET Core Roadmap: https://lnkd.in/dfFXSAgZ 18. Software Architect Roadmap: https://lnkd.in/dDtNN-ch 19. Software Design and Architecture Roadmap: https://lnkd.in/dUHYkH95 20. System Design Roadmap: https://lnkd.in/d3S79YVJ 21. PostgreSQL Roadmap: https://lnkd.in/d8aTRkBD 22. SQL Roadmap: https://roadmap.sh/sql 23. MongoDB Roadmap: https://roadmap.sh/mongodb 24. AI and Data Scientist Roadmap: https://lnkd.in/dv7Tj4ft 25. Python Roadmap: https://roadmap.sh/python 26. Prompt Engineering Roadmap: https://lnkd.in/diZ2U4dG 27. DevOps Roadmap: https://roadmap.sh/devops 28. Docker Roadmap: https://roadmap.sh/docker 29. Kubernetes Roadmap: https://lnkd.in/dVGxcMKQ 30. Android Roadmap: https://roadmap.sh/android 31. Flutter Roadmap: https://roadmap.sh/flutter 32. UX Design Roadmap: https://lnkd.in/dWXzZgqu 33. Design System Roadmap: https://lnkd.in/dasuSJfZ

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Once you’ve worked long enough as an SWE (spent 8 years like me), facing every disaster you can imagine and been humbled by every sort of problem at companies like Meta, Google, LinkedIn, and Amazon. As a Software Engineer, I want to tell you that your fundamentals set the tone for your career. It’s never about how many frameworks you know. → It has and always will be about how quickly you adapt to new ones. It’s never about writing the most lines of code. → It has and always will be about writing code that’s easy to read, debug, and maintain. It’s never about building the fanciest system from day one. → It has and always will be about solving the actual problem and scaling only when needed. It’s never about acing every interview or online test. → It has and always will be about solving problems nobody saw coming—while under pressure. It’s never about holding a prestigious job title. → It has and always will be about the impact you create for your team and customers. It’s never about being the smartest person in the room. → It has and always will be about helping others get better alongside you. It’s never about knowing every tool out there. → It has and always will be about picking the right tool for the job, even if it’s not trendy. It’s never about chasing 100% code coverage. → It has and always will be about understanding what’s truly critical to test. It’s never about running after every shiny new technology. → It has and always will be about mastering the basics that never go out of style. It’s never about perfection on the first try. → It has and always will be about getting feedback, iterating, and learning as you go. No matter where you work or how senior you get, the engineers who last are the ones who stay grounded in the basics, solve real problems, and help others win. That’s what sets you apart.

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💸 Ever wondered how software engineering salaries actually break down? In this video, I cover the 4 key components of a typical SWE compensation package: 1. Base 2. Bonus 3. Equity 4. Signing Bonus It’s something I wish I had learned earlier, especially as a new grad. Salary is so much more than just your paycheck. 👉 What else would you want me to cover next? Negotiation tips? Cost of living differences? FAANG vs startups? Drop your questions below, I’ll make a follow-up! :) #TechSalaries #SoftwareEngineering #SalaryTransparency #CareerGrowth #NegotiationTips

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Imagine you just joined Google as an SWE. It’s your first week, and you’re overthinking everything. You’re surrounded by world-class engineers, new systems, and an overwhelming urge not to mess up. The pressure to prove yourself is real, and so is the anxiety…so what should you do? Over the years, I’ve moved across orgs, teams, and sometimes, entire companies. Here’s exactly what I did (and still do) to ramp up faster and enjoy the process without letting anxiety win → Don’t let yourself stay stuck. If you’re blocked for more than 30 minutes, ask for help. Share what you’ve tried, show initiative, and intent. → Read way more code than you’re assigned. Dive into related modules, historic PRs, and old design docs. The context you gain helps you spot patterns and avoid mistakes. → Ask about the story behind the system. Find out why things are built a certain way, what’s failed before, and what’s on the roadmap. Understanding the “why” beats memorizing the “what.” → Volunteer for unglamorous work. Take ownership of tests, docs, or nagging integration bugs. This is where you quietly learn the most and build your internal network. → Offer help before you’re an expert. Chime in when you see questions, review PRs, or share a script. Even small contributions get you noticed for the right reasons. → Connect with skip-levels and cross-team leads. Set up short intros to learn about the broader vision and team priorities. You’ll spot opportunities to add value beyond your immediate tasks. → Document what you learn as you go. Share notes, update READMEs, or post quick how-tos in team channels. Your future self and your teammates will thank you. → Shadow someone during incidents or launches. Sit in on debugging sessions or war rooms, even if you’re just observing. You’ll see how senior folks think, react, and communicate under pressure. → Keep a running list of “how did that break?” moments. Every time you see a system fail or a hotfix go live, dig in. Reverse-engineering past problems is the fastest way to understand the architecture. → Show up with curiosity and intent, every day. Don’t just tick off JIRA tickets. Look for the bigger picture. People notice when you genuinely want to learn and contribute, not just “do your job.” Some orgs assign mentors, some don’t. Either way, these habits put you in the driver’s seat. Ramping up is less about brilliance, more about consistent intent. And the ones who learn this early end up leading teams later.

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There have been a lot of layoffs lately—and it’s tough on everyone. But I want to take a moment to talk about how especially hard it is for software engineers. When most people get laid off, they can focus 100% of their time and energy on applying to new jobs. For software engineers? It’s a different kind of grind. Not only do we have to apply and network—we also have to study. LeetCode. System design. Technical interviews. Coding challenges. It’s like prepping for an exam while trying to find a job, often under intense financial and emotional pressure. So if you know an engineer who was recently laid off—check in on them. Send them a referral. Offer a mock interview. Even just a word of encouragement goes a long way. It’s rough out there. Let’s support each other however we can.

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Seriously ask yourself if you want to go beyond Senior or even Staff Engineer. There is a reason why so many people max out and it isn't technical talent. Its responsibility. A Staff engineer will have to do some Product and Project Management work as well as be the go-to mentor for any new folks on the team, usually owning a fairly large swath of code. Senior Engineers have a beautifully simple job of executing on the work and tasks that they are given even if there is innovation and ambiguity. You are responsible for you and the work at the end of the day. Above that? The management grows.🌱 Senior Staff own entire platforms and orchestrate active feature work, operations, architecture, documentation, and mentorship within the group. It's their job to usually distribute out the fun work while they figure out how to make everything work together. Principal is managing or advising multiple platforms and systems while usually performing a Sr. Staff job in one place and doing a Staff Engineer/Manager job elsewhere or on behalf of organizations. That is all a ton of responsibility and accountability at Sr Staff+. It does mean that you get pinged with every Sev1 when it happens, even when its not in your per-view, and critical operations are your responsibility to fix or to do as much as you can to help. You don't fully clock out, you just clock in when needed. So, if that sounds awful and you don't delight with analytics dashboards dancing in your head every night....maybe Senior or Staff is the best place to be. Enough power to affect change, but not so much power as to be a Source that keeps the lights on.💡

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No SWE recalls every bug they fixed. No SWE remembers every meeting they’ve attended. No SWE can pull out proof of impact on the spot when review season hits. But the best engineers I’ve worked with and have seen constantly climb the ladder in their career? They can (without having a photographic memory) How do they do it? They keep a personal worklog, they track their progress daily and it changes everything. I’ll be honest, I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve nudged folks on teams to start this one habit, especially in those early career years: Here’s why Keeping a worklog is a gamechanger: → Standups: You don’t scramble for updates. You walk in, scan your log, and your work speaks for itself → Performance reviews: When it’s time to talk about promotion or pay, you’re not digging through emails trying to remember what you did. You’ve got a timeline of real wins, right there. → Self-awareness: Over months, patterns show up. You see where you’re getting stuck, where you shine, and where you can ask for help or level up. → Storytelling: Your log is the story of your growth. The little wins, the firefights, the team moments, all of it’s there. I’ve been keeping one for years and It’s never been about tracking every task, it’s about recording the meaningful things, the actual needle movers. Sometimes, I open up a year-old entry and see how far I’ve come or spot the places I kept tripping. It keeps me humble, but also shows progress nobody else sees. And recently, I've been journaling with ChatGPT, doing so, for the last 2 months. If you haven’t started a worklog, start today. Doesn’t need a fancy tool. Could be Notion, Google Docs, or a plain text file. Write down the highlights, what you built, fixed, shipped, learned. One small habit. Huge payoff over time. And when it’s time to show your value? You won’t just remember, you’ll prove it. Trust me, I wish I’d started even sooner.

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You’re not stuck at the Junior SWE level because of your coding skills. Or because "there's no budget for promotions.” You’re stuck because your thinking hasn’t leveled up yet. When I was a Junior Engineer at Postman, my questions looked like this: "Which API do I need to use?" "How do I implement this feature?" I was always stuck in the WHAT and HOW. I thought my job was just to write good code. But when I joined OYO as a Senior Engineer, my mindset started to shift. My questions changed: "Why are we building this widget?" "How will this feature affect the user experience?" "Will this improve conversion rates or create more confusion?" I was thinking about WHY we were doing things, not just HOW to do them. Junior Engineers ask: WHAT do I need to do? HOW do I code this? Senior Engineers ask: WHY are we building this? WHAT impact will this have on our users? Is this aligned with our business goals? Most engineers stay stuck at junior levels because: They never move beyond just writing code. They don’t focus on the bigger picture or business impact. They keep waiting for instructions instead of taking ownership. Sit in on meetings with senior engineers, product managers, or business leaders. Listen to the questions they ask and the problems they care about. This is exactly how I grew from a junior engineer at Postman to a senior engineer at OYO and eventually landed my dream job as a Senior Software Engineer at Microsoft (L63). Change your questions. Change your thinking. And watch your career grow.

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People don't study electrical engineering for the money, that's for sure. Before Nvidia popped off, there was almost no question whether you'd rather be a hardware engineer or a FAANG software engineer. Less money, fewer massages, no respect: it's a no-brainer. So why are hardware engineers paid so much less? It's mostly that software productivity has outpaced hardware productivity by orders of magnitude. A group of a few people can build and deploy a website or an app that touches hundreds of millions of users. Meanwhile, there are companies with thousands of employees that can't sell a single chip. Part of the problem is structural: manufacturing chips is the most complicated thing humans have ever done, and the resources and engineering talent that go into every new node is truly mind-boggling. But much of the problem is that our tools are failing us. The processes around designing and verifying chip designs are basically the same today as they were 10 or even 20 years ago. And the software? Still slow, still buggy, still depressing to work with. A new generation of AI tools has the potential to fundamentally alter the EDA landscape. At Silogy we're starting with what for me was the most annoying part of DV: debugging failing tests. Issues that would have taken me hours to uncover now take minutes to vibe-debug. We're creating a paradigm shift in how verification engineers do their jobs. And hopefully that will come with some big raises.

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Looking for a software job? You NEED to read this. 8 things I would do if I were looking for a SWE job right now: Let's not sugarcoat it. The job market is absolutely brutal right now. I wish I could work with everyone 1:1, but I can't. So, this is for everyone I'm not able to coach: 1️⃣ 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁𝘀 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝗵𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝘄𝗮𝘆 𝗳𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁𝘀. This is the first thing I work on with every one of my clients. Get clear on what you're best at, and focus your materials around it. If you're not clear on: 1. What you do 2. Why it's valuable 3. Who you do it for Employers will pass over you. 2️⃣ 𝗢𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗶𝘇𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗲𝗱𝗜𝗻 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗶𝗹𝗲 Your LinkedIn profile is more than an online resume. It's your personal landing page. Expect every recruiter and hiring manager to check your LinkedIn an interview. If it looks sloppy, they might reconsider their decision. (Free guide in the comments) 3️⃣ 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝘂𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗯𝗲 𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗺𝗺𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 Recruiters are skimming resumes for 7 seconds. It can't be full of fluff. Every word needs to earn its place on your resume. Add keywords where it makes sense, but don't keyword stuff. Focus on outcomes more than day to day responsibilities. Most of resume optimization comes from trimming fat, not adding content. 4️⃣ 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗶𝗻𝗽𝘂𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗽𝘂𝘁𝘀 Most job seekers have no concrete idea how much effort they put in. Many have a rough idea, but it's a feeling more than solid data. Track your actions to review at the end of each week. Without data and reflection, you can not improve. 5️⃣ 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗼𝗻 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗲𝗱𝗜𝗻 LinkedIn isn't just a job board. Invest time in actually using the platform. Post. Reshare. Comment. DM. Don't wait for opportunities to come to you. Force opportunities with your activity. 6️⃣ 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗵��𝗺 The biggest networking mistake job seekers make is asking strangers for favors. Before you ask someone for a favor, turn them into an advocate. Build your network like you're building new friendships. If you can, do them a favor before asking for one back. 7️⃣ 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲. Your time is your most valuable asset in the job search. Most people waste their time because they don't know what they should focus on. Don't be like most people. Invest time into daily planning and reflections. It's worth the effort. Trust me. 8️⃣ 𝗗𝗼𝗻'𝘁 𝘁𝗿𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗼 𝗶𝘁 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗲 Surround yourself with a support system to stay sane. Friends. Family. Other Job Seekers. A mentor or coach. There's no reason to make the job search harder by doing it alone. Start taking back control of your search in this crowded market. You got this. I'm rooting for you. P.S. Any tips you want to add?

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If you're a Senior Engineer looking to move up, the next role will likely be a Staff Engineer. And in this guide, Shruti shares tips from her own experience of getting promoted to Staff Engineer at PayPal and Slack. She talks about what Staff Engineers do (and how it's different from Seniors), why you might not be getting promoted, and how to take that next step. https://lnkd.in/g58dnFEG

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A friend of mine was making $75k annually as a SWE till last year, In 2024 he decided he will double his income in 2025 and he actually did. He recently joined Adobe as a SWE. I asked him how he managed to prepare for Interviews with a job, and he said this: 1. Know your strengths and weaknesses Map your strengths and weaknesses. Strong topics? Brush up occasionally. Decent ones? Practice till they shine. Weak spots? Hit them hard first. Goal: Everything decent, a few standouts. 2. Pick Smart Fights Time’s tight, so skip random LeetCode. He stuck to 1 Easy, 3 Mediums, 1 Hard daily — Company-focused. Trend-based. Goal: To solve 75% medium problems and 50% hard problems in a week without a hint. 3. Practice like you are in Interview Interviews are all about conveying your thought process in time constraints. So, he timed himself: 20 mins for Mediums, 40 for Hards, plus a weekly mock run. Goal: Performing your best in the limited time. 4. Document Everything Grinding without notes is pointless. He kept a cheat sheet of tricky problems, edge cases, key concepts—in Notion. Reviewed weekly, built flashcards. Goal: A go-to doc for revising whole DSA in a week 5. Talk the Walk DSA skills aren’t enough if you can’t explain them. He practiced out loud, recorded himself, and joined mock groups. Goal: Confident, structured answers. Strategic prep beats blind hustle. You can change the course of your career in 2025. It's only the matter of when you decide to make a change. Follow Suresh G. for more content around System Design, Interview Prep & SW Engineering

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Want to hire engineers who stick? Drop the unicorn hunt. Focus on real skills, not fantasy lists. The hiring landscape for embedded systems engineers is brutal. You’re tasked with finding talent that blends hardware savvy with software wizardry, thrives under real-time constraints, and can write code that squeezes into the tightest of spaces. It’s a niche, high-stakes game. But here’s the kicker: your biggest obstacle might not be the talent pool. It’s your own HR team. We’ve all seen those job descriptions that read like a wish list for a mythical creature: - "10+ years of C++ on bare-metal systems" - "Expertise in AI/ML AND RTOS AND FPGA" - "Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering REQUIRED" Sound familiar? These fantasy lists aren’t just unhelpful-they’re actively harmful. Here’s what happens when HR gets it wrong: ❌ You end up with a candidate pool of zero. ❌ The hiring process drags on for months. ❌ Your team suffers from missed deadlines and mounting pressure. Let’s be clear: the best embedded engineers aren’t defined by a laundry list of buzzwords. They’re problem-solvers. They’re adaptable. They know how to navigate the quirks and chaos of real-world systems. What we really need is a shift in mindset: → Stop focusing on years of experience; focus on hands-on impact. → Prioritize core competencies over exhaustive checklists. → Collaborate with HR to align on realistic, role-critical needs. The next time you’re handed a unicorn job description, push back. Use data to show what’s realistic. Reframe the role around what actually matters. Educate HR on why embedded is different. It’s not about creating friction-it’s about building a process that works. Pushing back isn’t just about making your life easier. It’s about securing the talent that will stick, perform, and drive your team forward. Want to build a high-performing team without the hiring headaches? Let’s talk. #EmbeddedSystems #EngineeringRecruitment #HiringDoneRight #RunTimeRecruitment

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I feel like a broken record. I just had another software engineering manager tell me how surprised they were at the lack of quality applicants for their senior engineer opening. I explained how there is a misconception that really good software engineers are just applying to all kinds of roles. It's not the case. They are very strategic about where they apply if they apply at all. I want to make myself clear that I'm speaking about top talent. These are engineers that are not only able to build cool products, but raise the bar for companies. They have the ability to solve very complex problems that impact the bottom line. Want someone who can just fill a seat? Sure, just wait for the applicants to come in. Need someone who impacts the entire company? You need to go find them. 

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The Struggle of Being an Early Career Engineer: Asking the "Right" Questions Ever asked a question, but felt like you didn’t even know what you were looking for? It’s like trying to find a piece to a puzzle when you don’t even have the box to see the picture. You’re not sure if it’s a what, how, where, or why. But here’s the thing: Asking questions is still progress. Even if you don’t have the full picture yet, you’re moving closer to it with each query. As an early-career engineer, it’s all part of the learning process. The key is to ask, explore, and let your curiosity lead. So, ask away… even if you’re not 100% sure what the question is yet. You’ll get there!

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