Reference Library

Field Notes

The team’s writing on blind spots colleges skip, the specific things that actually get CS/IT students hired or quietly rejected.

Illustration representing field notes and engineering knowledge
American Express American Express / Career Direction

I almost turned down a PM role bacause I thought only Coders “Made It”

You might discover that the role you were meant for isn't the one you spent four years preparing for.

7 min read Read
JP Morgan Chase JP Morgan Chase / Technical Craft

The Feature I Built Perfectly — For the Wrong Problem

Sometimes the highest-impact engineering decision is realizing that the best solution isn't more software—it's a better process.

6 min read Read
Microsoft Microsoft / Hiring Signals

The Interview Where I Said “I Don't Know That Yet”

The best candidates aren't the ones who never say "I don't know." They're the ones who know exactly what comes after it.

5 min read Read
American Express American Express / Technical Craft

The Bug That Went to Production (And What I Did Next)

The bugs you remember aren't the ones that break your code—they're the ones that inconvenience someone you've never met.

7 min read Read
American Express American Express / Technical Craft

The 3 AM Call That Taught Me More Than a Semester Did

The day you're responsible for keeping a system alive is the day you truly begin learning what software engineering is.

8 min read Read
PayPal PayPal / Hiring Signals

The Best Candidate I Ever Rejected

The best interview answers rarely begin with technology. They begin with a problem worth solving.

7 min read Read
PayPal PayPal / Industry Survival

The Meeting Where I Finally Said “I Disagree”

Sometimes the most valuable thing a junior engineer can contribute isn't another idea—it's the courage to say, "I think we're missing a risk."

7 min read Read
JP Morgan Chase JP Morgan Chase / Career Direction

My First Performance Review Wasn't About My Code

Companies don't promote repositories. They promote people others want to build those repositories with

8 min read Read

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