How to Advance Your Career Beyond Technical Skills

Don’t make my mistakes all over again yourself. It took 2 layoffs before I realized that no matter how technical I was, technical skills alone were not enough. Ask people with the job you want, “What’s your biggest challenge?” Ask those who can hire you for that role, “What problems do you need people to solve?” It’s not technology. It took me 5 years to realize that business-facing consultants make 3X-5X more than technical consultants. I spent years grinding to get to $130/hr. then tripled my rate in a year by shifting to products and strategy. Technical skills are short-term #career accelerators, but their value plateaus after about 5 years. Value-centric business and technical capabilities are long-term career drivers. After seeing me on a recent Supply Chain Now podcast, I had two potential clients reach out. One said, “You simplified the tech and explained the direction of travel without jargon. I know what’s coming and what to do about it.” I used to think that the more technical and granular I got, the more competent I sounded. It’s actually the opposite. First principles are the expert’s language. Simplicity = mastery. Technologies come and go, but capabilities like communication skills, product monetization, #strategy, and go-to-market are evergreen. The recipe for success is pairing technical expertise with evergreen abilities. No matter what happens next in #AI, business leaders will always need people who can turn technology into new revenue, growth, and higher margins. Value-centric capabilities future-proof careers. Learn from people who’ve been there. Talk to people who are where you want to be. You’ll have fewer career setbacks and more opportunities to advance.

If I could go back in time, I'd tell myself this ONE thing: Technical excellence alone won't advance your career. Here's why: Many years ago, I was the engineer who thought great code was enough. I believed if I built exceptional systems, my career would naturally progress. I stayed heads down, focused on solving problems rather than sharing solutions. The painful truth I learned? Visibility matters as much as ability. I watched engineers with average technical skills advance faster because they communicated their impact clearly. They didn't just build - they made sure everyone understood the value of what they built. They translated complex technical decisions into business language leaders could appreciate. The shift that changed everything wasn't learning a new framework or mastering another language. It was treating communication as a technical skill that needed the same deliberate practice as coding. I started preparing for meetings with the same rigor I applied to system design. I documented my wins with the same care I documented my code. I explained my decisions in business terms, not just technical ones. This mindset shift accelerated my career more than any certification ever could. Stop hiding behind your code. Start building your presence. Time to join the 1% club! Your future self will thank you.

Remember when we thought being amazing at coding was enough? Yeah... I learned the hard way that wasn't true. If you're wondering why your Python skills aren't getting you promoted, let me share what I wish someone had told me earlier. Being great at tech stuff is just step 1. Here's what actually got me promoted 3 times in one year: 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝟭 – 𝗕𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗻 • Finish projects on time • Learn how your team's "hidden rules" • Be known as someone who gets stuff done 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝟮 – 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗱 • Figure out what's needed before your boss asks • Understand why you're doing each project • Say yes to tasks that stretch your skills 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝟯 – 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 • Connect your work to saving money or making money • Learn how your company actually makes a profit • Explain your results so anyone can understand 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝟰 – 𝗛𝗲𝗹𝗽 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘀𝘂𝗰𝗰𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼𝗼 • Make friends with people in other teams • Share what you know with others • Help new people learn the ropes Here's what I figured out: Most smart data people stay stuck because they think better code = better career. 𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁'𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗶𝘁 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀. To move up, you need: Good tech skills + Business impact + People skills. Work on all three at the same time? You'll get promoted while others wonder what they're missing. Stop being the smartest person who never gets ahead. Start building the complete skill set that actually gets you promoted. Follow me, Jaret André for real, practical career advice that actually works.