Software Engineer Growth Program: Get a Promotion, a Raise, or Land a Better Job

New
·

7 Weeks

·

Cohort-based Course

Learn the skills and frameworks top engineers use to grow in their careers

Students from

Delta
Airbnb
Omnicell
Meta

Course overview

A clear roadmap to your next promotion, raise, or career move

You’re great at what you do. You deliver results, solve complex problems, and help your team win. But you’ve probably realized that doing good work isn’t always enough.

You still get passed over for promotions. Your impact isn’t always clear. And you’re not sure what’s actually holding you back.


That’s where the Software Engineer Growth Program comes in.


This course gives you the clarity, systems, and confidence to move your career forward.

You’ll learn how to communicate your value, manage your time strategically, build stronger relationships, and make your impact visible.


By the end of the program, you’ll have

- A clear roadmap for your next promotion or role

- The ability to communicate and lead with confidence

- Systems to manage your time and priorities

- A track record that makes your impact impossible to ignore

- More ownership and satisfaction in your growth


You’ve mastered the technical side, now it’s time to master those soft skills that are easy to overlook.


What to Expect

This seven week program combines on-demand lessons, live coaching, and hands-on exercises that turn learning into action.

You’ll apply proven frameworks like the Opportunity Identifier and Track Record System, and get personalized feedback on how to grow your visibility, influence, and performance.


Course Content

Week 1: Mindset for Growth

Shift from passive to proactive. Learn how to take ownership of your career trajectory and adopt the mindset of engineers who grow faster, influence more, and stay ahead.


Week 2: Communicate with Impact

Communicate with clarity and confidence across peers, leads, and executives—so your message lands, decisions move faster, and your value is recognized.


Week 3: Master Your Time

Plan, prioritize, and protect your focus. Build systems that help you deliver high-quality work consistently—without losing balance or burning out.


Week 4: Build Intentional Relationships

Develop trust-based relationships that expand your influence and make collaboration easier. Learn how to gain allies, give accountability, and repair friction with maturity.


Week 5: Contribute Beyond Code

Go beyond execution. Identify high-impact opportunities, take initiative, and multiply your team’s effectiveness using the Opportunity Identifier Framework.


Week 6: Get Recognized

Turn your growth into visibility. Learn how to track your impact, communicate results clearly, and build a professional reputation that earns recognition, promotions, and raises.


Week 7: Optimize for Performance

Scale your performance through systems, preparation, and AI-assisted execution. Learn to operate efficiently and sustainably at the next level.

Who is this course for

01

New Grads who want to grow faster, build confidence, and shorten the time it takes to reach strong compensation and a solid career path

02

Mid-Level Engineers who want to break through the plateau, communicate their impact clearly, and accelerate toward Senior

03

Senior and Staff Engineers who want to scale their impact, lead larger efforts, and prepare for Tech Lead, Staff+, or early management roles

Prerequisites

  • Software engineer role (BE, FE, Fullstack, iOS, Android, AI)

    Best for New Grads, Mid-level, Senior, and Staff engineers.

  • Currently working in a full time position

    Students employed benefit most since they can apply skills immediately. We also cover career transitions and hiring processes.

What you’ll get out of this course

A Proven Track Record System

Learn how to capture your achievements and impact in a way that makes performance reviews, promotion packets, and raise conversations effortless and evidence-based.

Time Management Tools and Frameworks

Build systems that help you prioritize effectively, stay focused on high-impact work, and create more space for life outside of work.

Strategies for Tough Conversations and Relationships

Gain scripts and frameworks for giving feedback, managing friction, and maintaining healthy accountability with peers, leads, and managers.

A Clear Roadmap for Your Next Promotion or Role

Understand what’s expected at each level, identify gaps, and develop an actionable plan to reach your next milestone with confidence.

The Confidence and Influence to Lead Effectively

Learn how to communicate with authority, align cross-functional partners, and guide your team toward shared goals—even without formal management authority.

Become a Force Multiplier by Scaling Your Efforts

Drive team and organizational impact through scaling, enabling others, and systems thinking.

What’s included

Justin Otero

Live sessions

Learn directly from Justin Otero in a real-time, interactive format.

Lifetime access

Go back to course content and recordings whenever you need to.

Community of peers

Stay accountable and share insights with like-minded professionals.

Certificate of completion

Share your new skills with your employer or on LinkedIn.

Bonus: Job search strategies

Resume templates and other strategies to help find your next role.

Maven Guarantee

This course is backed by the Maven Guarantee. Students are eligible for a full refund up until the halfway point of the course.

Course syllabus

7 live sessions • 49 lessons • 7 projects

Week 1

Jan 12—Jan 18

    Mindset: Develop the Mindset to Grow, Adapt, and Win at Work

    8 items

    Practice Exercise

    1 item

    Jan

    16

    Session 1

    Fri 1/162:00 AM—3:30 AM (UTC)

    Feedback (Optional)

    1 item

Week 2

Jan 19—Jan 25

    Communication: Adapt in Different Situations

    6 items • Free preview

    Communication: Handle Tough Conversations

    3 items

    Practice Exercise

    1 item

    Jan

    23

    Session 2

    Fri 1/232:00 AM—3:30 AM (UTC)

    Feedback (Optional)

    1 item

Week 3

Jan 26—Feb 1

    Time Management: Tools for Managing Time Effectively and Reducing Stress

    8 items

    Practice Exercise

    1 item

    Jan

    30

    Session 3

    Fri 1/302:00 AM—3:30 AM (UTC)

    Feedback (Optional)

    1 item

Week 4

Feb 2—Feb 8

    Relationships: Build Strong Relationships That Expand Your Influence

    4 items

    Practice Exercise

    1 item

    Feb

    6

    Session 4

    Fri 2/62:00 AM—3:30 AM (UTC)

    Feedback (Optional)

    1 item

Week 5

Feb 9—Feb 15

    Contributions: Add Value Beyond Your Role and Become a Force Multiplier

    2 items

    Practice Exercise

    2 items

    Feb

    13

    Session 5

    Fri 2/132:00 AM—3:30 AM (UTC)

    Feedback (Optional)

    1 item

Week 6

Feb 16—Feb 22

    Recognition: Get Your Work Noticed and Communicate Your Impact

    5 items

    Practice Exercise

    1 item

    Feb

    20

    Session 6

    Fri 2/202:00 AM—3:30 AM (UTC)

    Feedback (Optional)

    1 item

Week 7

Feb 23—Feb 26

    Optimizing Performance: Perform at a High Level Without Burning Out

    3 items

    Practice Exercise

    1 item

    Feb

    27

    Session 7

    Fri 2/272:00 AM—3:30 AM (UTC)

    Feedback (Optional)

    1 item

Bonus

    LinkedIn Optimization Webinar

    2 items

Course schedule

4-6 hours per week

  • Thursdays

    6:00-7:30pm PST


  • Weekly projects

    2 hours per week


Meet your instructor

Justin Otero

Justin Otero

I’m a seasoned engineering leader and software engineer career coach. Today, I serve as a Director of Engineering at Navan, a $7.5B+ tech company, where I lead cross-functional teams and scale systems, people, and impact.

With over 14 years in tech, I’ve built product teams from the ground up, mentored dozens of engineers, and led major technical initiatives across both startups and high-growth companies.


Through Value Driven Careers, I help software engineers grow beyond just technical skills — building visibility, influence, and a consistent track record of impact that leads to real career growth.


I’ve had the opportunity to speak on AI adoption, developer productivity, and career advancement, and serve as a Judge & Contest Chair for SkillsUSA Nevada. I also mentor rising talent through programs like Climb Hire and 1,000 Dreams Fund.


Outside of work, I’m passionate about real estate investing, staying on top of the latest tech trends, and giving back to the community through mentorship and speaking engagements.

What people are saying

        "I used to have a feeling that I was behind and didn’t know what to do about it. Through this program, I learned how to identify those gaps and now I have the tools to fix them. Now I’m growing much much faster."
Gabriel Burgos

Gabriel Burgos

Fullstack Engineer
        "This program is a treasure trove of tools. Without it, I'm not sure how long it would take me to get this knowledge just from my own experience." 
Alex Yablontsev

Alex Yablontsev

Software Automation Engineer
        "Justin Otero brings the kind of steady, insightful leadership that only comes from real experience. His clarity, calm, and wisdom make him not just a coach—but the kind of leader others should aspire to become."
Christopher Peret

Christopher Peret

Founder & CEO

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Join an upcoming cohort

Software Engineer Growth Program: Get a Promotion, a Raise, or Land a Better Job

Cohort 1

$695

Dates

Jan 13—Feb 27, 2026

Application Deadline

Jan 6, 2026

Learning is better with cohorts

Learning is better with cohorts

Active hands-on learning

This course builds on live workshops and hands-on projects

Interactive and project-based

You’ll be interacting with other learners through breakout rooms and project teams

Learn with a cohort of peers

Join a community of like-minded people who want to learn and grow alongside you

Frequently Asked Questions

A pattern of wavy dots

Join an upcoming cohort

Software Engineer Growth Program: Get a Promotion, a Raise, or Land a Better Job

Cohort 1

$695

Dates

Jan 13—Feb 27, 2026

Application Deadline

Jan 6, 2026

$695

USD

7 Weeks