Good engineering careers don't just happen by accident. It takes a deliberate approach.

My name is John L. Miller. I've spent the last 30 years working as a programmer and manager at Microsoft, Amazon, Google, Oracle, and many other places. Fifteen of those years were as a principal engineer, thirteen as a manager.

Watch my videos to learn from my mistakes and experience!

I'll post a new video every Friday morning Seattle (PDT/PST) time, and sometimes Tuesday mornings.

Why Principal Engineers Shouldn't Say No
5:25
Why Principal Engineers Shouldn't Say No
Beating Random with Heuristics is HARD!
9:23
Beating Random with Heuristics is HARD!
6 Tips for Senior / Principal Interview Prep
13:24
6 Tips for Senior / Principal Interview Prep
5 tips to be a more productive software engineer
15:33
5 tips to be a more productive software engineer
Internet privacy is an illusion!
6:03
Internet privacy is an illusion!
The Surprising Origin of Life Tables
6:37
The Surprising Origin of Life Tables
Amazon Echo: the 200 million unit failure
6:28
Amazon Echo: the 200 million unit failure
Software Engineering Process - tips from a principal engineer
16:26
Software Engineering Process - tips from a principal engineer
Dangers of Forming a 'V.Next' Team, from a principal engineer
11:09
Dangers of Forming a 'V.Next' Team, from a principal engineer
The Myth of Easy Code Re-use: be skeptical
10:39
The Myth of Easy Code Re-use: be skeptical
Be explicit to prevent disappointment in your next job!
8:56
Be explicit to prevent disappointment in your next job!
About Software Patents from a Principal Engineer
17:50
About Software Patents from a Principal Engineer
Starting Impossible Software Engineering Tasks - tips from a principal engineer
14:47
Starting Impossible Software Engineering Tasks - tips from a principal engineer
C++ or Java for commercial software?
11:39
C++ or Java for commercial software?
Should you be an AAA game developer?
14:16
Should you be an AAA game developer?
Does getting away to work, work?
9:55
Does getting away to work, work?
How to Scale Up Services (from a principal services engineer)
11:18
How to Scale Up Services (from a principal services engineer)
How to have a good principal design review
12:06
How to have a good principal design review
Would you be a good Software Engineering Manager?
10:35
Would you be a good Software Engineering Manager?
Solving LeetCode - 001 - TwoSum example from a hiring manager
9:00
Solving LeetCode - 001 - TwoSum example from a hiring manager
Tips from 30 years in Big Tech, for Managers
9:14
Tips from 30 years in Big Tech, for Managers
What makes a good or bad manager?
15:02
What makes a good or bad manager?
What does a software engineering manager DO?
18:06
What does a software engineering manager DO?
Should you work at a startup?
13:12
Should you work at a startup?
1-on-1 tips from a Principal Engineer / Manager
10:06
1-on-1 tips from a Principal Engineer / Manager
Money advice for your first high paying job.
17:09
Money advice for your first high paying job.
How Much Do You Need To Retire?
15:46
How Much Do You Need To Retire?
Building Big Software - Identifying an Opportunity
14:10
Building Big Software - Identifying an Opportunity
Why you should get out of QA / Testing
16:06
Why you should get out of QA / Testing
Building Big Software - Generating Requirements
14:09
Building Big Software - Generating Requirements