Eugene Yan • 10/19/2025

Advice for New Principal Tech ICs (i.e., Notes to Myself)

This article offers guidance for new Principal Tech Individual Contributors (ICs), drawing from the author's Amazon-centric experience. It outlines key mindset shifts, such as moving from hands-on coding to technical vision and cross-org influence. It emphasizes the varied 'flavors' of the role, the need to act as a part-time leader across functions, and the critical importance of communication and alignment over simply being technically correct.

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#software engineering #career development #technical leadership