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

Key skills to develop

Heather selected her top five skills to develop to excel in your career. These are skills she looks for when hiring and in her community engagement work. You can improve your skills in these areas by practicing them with other people in various scenarios, even beyond your work life, such as in your personal or family life. These skills will help to enhance and improve your life in general, as well as your career:

  • Communication: In order to be able to progressively enhance other soft skills, you need to be an effective communicator. One of the more important aspects of communication that may seem counterintuitive is listening. You need to listen more than you speak. This can be difficult for many people. Remember to listen or read to understand something, not in preparation to simply respond and put across your point of view. Really try to understand what the other parties are trying to communicate.
  • Collaboration: You need to be an excellent communicator...