Discussion on: What do you talk about during your one-on-one meetings with your engineering (or other) manager?

[Peter Kühne]

I conduct regular 1-1s with my teams and here are some ideas specifically for a new full-time software engineer:
1) What are your general expectations of me?
It's surprising how many people come to work not knowing what they are being evaluated on at the end of the year. Closing your stories before the end of the sprint is often only a small part of what you're expected to do.

1. What are your specific expectations of me? Everyone has development areas and as a new software engineer they are likely to be numerous and diverse (not judging, we've all been there). Find out what you specifically can do better. More documentation? Clearer non-technical communication with the help desk?
2. Did you know I did X? As well as knowing what's expected of you, you want to make sure your manager is aware when you meet and exceed those expectations. Sadly your manager won't see everything you do, so ensure that you celebrate your successes and analyse your failures.
3. What are some soft skills that I can improve? Software Engineering is far more than just coding. Clear communication is key, whether this is verbal or written. Presentation skills will always come in handy as does time management. Find out what you should work on to become a better engineer.
4. What career opportunities are there for me? It's never too early to start talking about career development, even if what you're envisaging will take five years to achieve. More importantly, your plans will change and you should be open to that. I've had several people declare their intent to always "remain entirely technical" and then become excellent technical project managers. Your manager can open opportunities to try different facets of your job.
5. What training is available to me? A good engineering department will have a number of training and shadowing opportunities. From technical to soft skills to subject matter training. Do what you can without affecting your core job responsibilities
6. How can I get more involved? There's more to your job than just coding. Managers are always looking for good interviewers for example. Mentoring interns or other new hires, representing the department at careers fairs, taking part in volunteering, contributing publicly to open source projects are all excellent way of raising your profile and that of your department.
7. Here are some things blocking me Your manager is not a mind reader, if there's something that's holding you back, let them know. Nine times out of ten, I can do something about it and if I can't, we can at least talk it through and find alternatives. From missing documentation to working remotely for a week to a PITA tool you want to rewrite.
8. I have some ideas on how to improve X Occasionally I have someone who just spends their 1-1 complaining and I get it, sometimes it's necessary to vent and that's OK. Coming to me with a proposed solution, however, will actually do something about it and means I don't have twenty engineers all waiting for me to fix something for them.
9. I want to know more about our vision Engineers build better products when they know how they'll be used and why they are needed. Take this a step further and make sure you understand where your product roadmap is headed and why. This stuff isn't (usually) secret and will give you an opportunity to plan your work ahead, knowing what's coming down the line. That throw-away prototype you just built? It's about to become a corner-stone application. The infinitely-extensible template class you just created? Being replaced next year.

Hope this helps!