Book Image

Developer Career Masterplan

By : Heather VanCura, Bruno Souza
5 (1)
Book Image

Developer Career Masterplan

5 (1)
By: Heather VanCura, Bruno Souza

Overview of this book

Written by industry experts that have spent the last 20+ years helping developers grow their careers, this book offers invaluable insights and guidance tailored to the specific needs of technical professionals. By discovering the secret of continuous learning and adapting in the ever-evolving field of software development, you’ll explore various learning paths with formal and informal methods, as well as gain an understanding of the value of certifications to validate your skills. This book will teach you the significance of building a strong support network, holding crucial conversations, and taking ownership of your career growth. You'll delve into acquiring both soft and hard skills, becoming a well-rounded and sought-after developer. Packed with practical examples, stories of successful developers, and real-world applications, the chapters will equip you with actionable advice on how to push beyond your comfort zone and embracing communities to enhance your teamwork abilities. Additionally, you’ll uncover the benefits of joining open-source projects, speaking at conferences, and building a personal brand to amplify your visibility and reputation. By the end of this book, you'll have a well-laid-out long-term and short-term plan for your career progression, equipping you with advanced technical skills, strategic thinking, and the ability to effectively manage relationships within your organization.
Table of Contents (21 chapters)
1
Part 1 The Basics: Learn and Practice the Technical Skills
7
Part 2 Get Involved: Participate in the Community
13
Part 3 Create Impact: Share and Lead

Holding crucial conversations

The best help someone can give you is to have a deep conversation with you, about your current situation and where you want to go. If you have a chance to have a conversation like this, not only should you take it, but make sure you make the best of it.

The more you understand what the person is telling you, what the tip is, or how to apply it, the better results you’re going to have. So, when asking for help, make sure that you ask lots of questions.

Many times, I’ve had people approach me and ask how to do a specific thing and I tell them and can see they understand what I’m saying, but they still don’t see how to apply it, or even don’t believe it is possible.

Usually, the reason is that they don’t see the connection to their current situation.

I may linger for a bit, to see if they will ask follow-up questions, and most times there aren’t any. So, I ask questions instead, to try to uncover...