Platform Engineering is the Most In-Demand Skill Nobody is Talking About

Most engineers are optimizing for the wrong skills.    In this episode, I sat down with Thanagai Velour — VP of Engineering at Expedia — to talk about what's actually getting engineers hired (and promoted) right now. We break down the rise of platform engineering, why FinOps is shifting from an accounting function to a core engineering discipline, and how AI is changing what it means to be a software engineer in 2025 and beyond. If you're a software engineer, DevOps engineer, or SRE looking to level up your career, this is the episode you can't skip.   What we cover:  📌 Why platform engineering is the highest-leverage role in tech right now  📌 What FinOps actually is — and why every engineer needs to understand it  📌 The "P-shaped engineer" framework and why companies are hiring for it  📌 How AI agents are replacing grunt work — and what that means for your career  📌 Red flags VPs see on resumes (and how to avoid them)  📌 The difference between outputs and outcomes — and why it determines your promotions  📌 Why "why" matters more than "how" in every technical interview    🔔 Subscribe for weekly tech career strategy, insider hiring insights, and interviews with executives who actually make the hiring decisions   Use "techjobberpod_20" for 20% off the FinOps site certs found here: https://www.finops.org/training-certi... for the  FinOps Certified Practitioner  FinOps Certified Engineer  FinOps Certified FOCUS Analyst  FinOps Certified: FinOps for AI For FinOpsX, the event in San Diego this summer, use code "TECHJOBBERPODX26", which can be redeemed here: https://x.finops.org/register/ . It gives $200 off the ticket price! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.