- Namaswi Chandarana, a senior engineer at GameChanger, always dreamed of working in tech.
- She shared the four lessons she learned that helped her level up her tech career.
- She emphasized the importance of communication and the human side of tech.
Namaswi Chandarana dreamed of being a software engineer since childhood.
"As a kid, I always used to be surrounded by technologies," Chandarana told Business Insider. She said she built her first HTML page when she was in 8th grade and imagined herself working in computer-filled rooms in the IT field.
She followed this passion into a full-fledged tech career, completing her bachelor's degree in computer engineering at Mumbai University in India in 2017, and then earning a master's degree in computer science from the University of Illinois Chicago in 2019.
Soon after graduation, she got a job as an engineer at GameChanger.
Doing well in tech requires understanding the human side of the industry
GameChanger was Chandarana's first full-time job, and she took the position having little experience as an iOS developer. Being an introvert increased her challenges, she said.
"It wasn't easy for me to communicate and speak up at first — especially as one of the very few women in the room," Chandarana said. "I was under the impression that I was expected to know everything, as I was a master's graduate."
She had a tech buddy to support her during the initial transition and then paid close attention to her colleague's work styles, adopting their most efficient habits and an attitude of "never stop learning." She also learned what she calls "the most important survival skill" in a tech job — communication.
In March 2023, after four years at the company, she was promoted to senior engineer. Chandarana shared with Business Insider her top four lessons that helped her level up in her tech career.
"This isn't just about code — it's about transformation, resilience, and the human side of tech that we rarely discuss in the industry," Chandarana said.
1. Foster team success over individual achievement
As a junior engineer working alongside more experienced teammates, Chandarana initially focused on proving her individual worth.
"I hesitated to participate in pair programming sessions or share knowledge in team discussions, fearing that asking questions or showing uncertainty would make me appear less competent," she said.
However, observing her teammates' collaborative approach revealed a different path to success.
"They regularly shared insights, debugged together, and made decisions collectively," Chandarana said. "This open exchange of ideas led to better solutions than anyone could've developed alone."
She also saw how their collaborative problem-solving allowed them to resolve issues in minutes, rather than the hours it may have taken alone, which helped her improve her problem-solving speed.
2. Close communication gaps across technical and non-technical teams
Initially, Chandarana made the common engineer's mistake of using technical jargon in meetings, discussing concepts like transaction event listeners and backend validations. But the confused looks she got from product managers and designers quickly revealed that her approach was ineffective.
She took the hint and shifted gears, implementing three complementary strategies that she said turned the tide and transformed the team's communication.
First, Chandarana created a comprehensive yet accessible overview document that explained features through the lens of user and business impact with real-world examples, rather than technical specifications, making it relevant to product managers and designers.
Second, she established a collaborative approach to how the company's systems handle unexpected failures and user errors. Working closely with the design team, her team translated technical error states into user-friendly messages, holding workshops to walk through different error scenarios.
Her third strategy involved creating visual representations of complex workflows, mapping every possible user journey. "The visual approach helped team members quickly grasp system interactions and identify potential gaps in our implementation plan," Chandarana said.
3. Manage competing priorities without burning out
Early in her career, Chandarana found herself constantly context-switching between her daily tasks, responding to messages, and debugging issues. This reactive approach left her exhausted without a sense of real progress.
The turning point came when Chandarana implemented the Eisenhower Matrix to categorize work based on urgency and importance in order to structure her day around the priority of tasks
"For instance, when faced with a production bug and an upcoming feature deadline, I could quickly determine that the production issue needed immediate attention, while the feature work could be rescheduled with proper communication to stakeholders," Chandarana said.
She began protecting her productivity through structured work blocks, particularly when working on projects that required deep concentration.
"By establishing 'no-meeting focus hours' and batching similar tasks together, I reduced the mental overhead of context switching," Chandarana said.
4. Overcome imposter syndrome as a woman in software engineering
Often the only female engineer in the room at the time, Chandarana initially struggled with self-doubt and hesitated to speak up in technical discussions. A mentor's simple advice — to contribute at least one thing in every meeting — became a powerful tool for boosting her confidence.
"This practice helped me overcome the initial barrier of participation and gradually led to more substantive contributions," Chandarana said.
She also learned to document her contributions systematically, keeping track of technical decisions she influenced and the impact of her solutions. She believes that this documentation not only helped her during performance reviews but also served as a personal reminder of her growth and capabilities.
"When imposter syndrome struck, I could look back at these concrete examples of my impact on the team and product," Chandarana said.
Her most important realization as a woman in software engineering was that experience doesn't always equal expertise in every area.
"Even highly experienced engineers have knowledge gaps, and my insights could add value regardless of my tenure," Chandarana said. "This understanding helped me overcome self-doubt and contribute more effectively to technical discussions."
Do you have a story to share about how you climbed the career ladder in tech? Contact this editor, Jane Zhang, at [email protected].
