Skip to main content

Your 30-Day Action Plan (Mid-Level)

5 min read

Backend

Weeks 1-2: Direct one feature with AI from spec to ship. Week 3: Own one system doc. Week 4: Update resume with outcomes, not tasks.

Devops

Your 30 days: Automate one manual process with AI, own one post-incident review, and document one runbook no one else could write.

Eng Manager

Focus on visibility: one project lead, one 'go-to' area, one external post or talk. Management brand compounds slowly — start now.

Your 30-Day Action Plan (Mid-Level)

TL;DR

  • Week 1: Prove you can direct AI. Week 2: Deepen one specialization. Week 3: Build visibility. Week 4: Cement your position and prepare for uncertainty.
  • Marcus-level engineers need to show they're evolving. This plan does that.

Here's a plan a 5-year backend engineer could actually execute. No theoretical upskilling. Concrete moves.

Week 1: Direct, Don't Just Code

  • Day 1-3: Pick one feature or refactor. Use AI to generate the bulk of the implementation. Your job: spec clearly, review rigorously, integrate and test. Document the workflow.
  • Day 4-5: Share what worked (and didn't) with one teammate or your manager. "Here's how I'm using AI to 2x my output on X."
  • Day 6-7: Identify one recurring task you'll always run through AI from now on. Make it a habit.

Week 2: Own Something Deep

  • Pick one area where you want to be "the" person — a system, a domain, a process. Could be something you already touch; now you own it fully.
  • Produce one artifact: A runbook, an ADR, a doc that no one else could write. Share it. You're building the "go-to" reputation.
  • Volunteer for one hard problem in that area. Solve it. Document the solution.

Week 3: Build Visibility

  • One external output: Blog post, LinkedIn take, talk proposal, or OSS contribution. Topic: something you've learned — ideally involving AI or your specialization. Ship it.
  • One internal moment: Lead a design review, present at team meeting, or mentor someone on something specific. Be visible to your org.
  • Update your profile: LinkedIn, GitHub, personal site. Make sure it says what you do and what you own, not just where you work.

Week 4: Cement and Prepare

  • List your "keep" arguments: What would break if you left? What do you own? Write it down. Use it in your next 1:1 or review.
  • Update your resume with outcomes, not tasks. "Reduced incident rate by X" not "Maintained microservices."
  • Reach out to one person in your network — former colleague, conference contact. "Hey, how are things?" No ask. Just connection. Optionality compounds.

Quick Check

You're a 5-year engineer with 30 days to become indispensable. What's the RIGHT order?

You read about the mid-level squeeze. You worry. You take a course. You don't change how you work. Six months pass. Same output. Same risk.

Click "30-Day Plan" to see the difference →

Do This Next

  1. Block time. Treat this like a project. 2-3 hours per week minimum. Put it on the calendar.
  2. Pick your weakest week and do it first. If visibility is hard, do Week 3. If direction is new, do Week 1. Momentum matters.