Develpreneur: Become a Better Developer and Entrepreneur

Rules are meant to be broken, and sometimes there is a reason for veering from standards.  We often do this to build a one-off or maybe a proof-of-concept.  These are situations where we have a form of excuse to try out a new language or create something quickly instead of "correctly."  The rules are different for these projects, so what should we include in our planning? Avoiding POC Problems A c...

Sooner or later, most of us have a desire to search for a new job.  This situation can arise from negative things like personal conflicts and lack of challenge or can be looking for a better position.  In any case, there are good and bad reasons and timing for a job search. The Obvious Timing We will quickly get the most apparent situation out of the way.  There are times the market is perfect for...

When we build a personal brand, there is a certain amount of "bragging" we need to do.  This form of marketing can be seen as pure narcissism at times.  While that is not a concern as much as we may think so, it is still an area worth considering.  Sometimes you can go too far, and then is it marketing or narcissism? Donald Trump and Oprah Winfrey Two perfect examples of over-the-top marketing are...

Technology moves fast and is not likely to slow down.  Therefore, cutting-edge knowledge we have today can quickly lose its value.  Nevertheless, just as a car that loses a lot, but not all, of its value when you drive off the lot.  We also still have value in those old and rusty skills from our past.  There are modern needs and baseline knowledge that can be assumed from those past projects.  Do...

We spend a lot of time doing the work that makes us a better developer.  Nevertheless, there is still some work we need to do as part of selling those skills.  Research and preparation for a job or interview are highly valuable tasks for us to take on.  These steps can help us feel comfortable and impress in an interview or as part of our brand site. Answering Questions - Solving Problems You will...

We often overlook the non-professional work we do in our life.  It is easy to throw work experience on our resume when we got paid.  However, what about volunteer work or maybe even side-effects of living our life?  There is life experience we can lean on at times that will even put us ahead of the competition for a job or project. Scheduling and Managing There are a lot of people in the technical...

We have looked at our professional experience and addressing it on a resume or personal branding site.  In this episode, we look at the other major area of our background and how to handle listing education.  Degrees are easy.  However, there are also many different forms of knowledge that we want to include. Partial Diploma and Post Degree Work We first look at the cases where we have done work i...

There countless things we do during our careers that are easy to forget yet make us better.  In this episode, we look at counting conferences as professional experience.  We can easily overlook these valuable times spent in an immersive few days.  However, that would be a mistake on our part.  Here are some things to consider as you add conference attendance to your resume or brand. A Known Quanti...

We talked about a personal brand website.  In this episode, we focus on the personal portfolio.  This content is work examples, deliverables, and possibly even applications.  The bonus for this form of delivery is that your reader can experience the content rather than read it.  Let's look at some ways to make this content sing and avoid hitting sour notes. Keep Their Attention We need to start wi...

All of us should have a personal branding website of some sort.  This goal can be achieved through a blog site, a web site that displays our portfolio, or a page on LinkedIn.  Whichever approach we take, there is the information we should include the stuff we can avoid.  This site tells our story and should do so in the way we want to tell it.  When you create this material, do not be shy or humbl...

A frustrating part of my education was a need to show my work.  I always wanted to get to the answer, and showing work slowed me down.  However, work examples are an important part of our application process for a job or project.  Potential employers can learn a lot from the deliverables we have produced.  Therefore, we must present that content in a way that is easy to read and promotes our perso...

Our continued drive to become a better developer will eventually lead to certifications.  Therefore, it will lead to those certifications expiring.  While some authorities do not expire their certs, there is a useful lifespan for any technology.  In this episode, we look at how to handle those expired certifications on a resume or when applying for a position. Expired Certifications Have Value The...

We have looked at a focused form of a resume with the mini-resume.  However, we tend to have a lot of excess in our resume as our career goes on.  This excess may be due to a large number of projects, employers, or both.  It may also come from older skills becoming useless in the modern-day.  A focused resume tackles those struggles. The Focused Resume We have looked at a mini-resume that is a mar...

We have looked at resumes small and large during this season.  However, it is worth our time to examine a mini resume.  This format gets to the point and is a focused sell for a position. We also can create one tightly focused document and use it as a template for others. The Mini Resume It helps to start with a definition and goal.  The purpose of this document is to provide the reader with a pag...

One of the best ways to build experience and grow your skillset is through a side hustle.  There is nothing wrong with using that side hustle experience in your resume.  On the contrary, it can be the information that puts you over the top for that dream job. Valid Side Hustle Experience There are good and bad uses of this experience.  Flagrant misuse of a title (e.g., CEO of your one-person compa...

We have looked at resumes that are too large or too small.  Now we discuss what makes one "just right."  In this episode, our focus is on resume extras or bells and whistles.  These are items that might make our resume more impressive, or they could just make it gaudy or desperate. Resume Extras That Matter - Complementary Skills There are almost always experiences we have that are close to a need...

This episode delves into a problem that may seem a non-issue.  We look at what to do with a large resume.  The thin resume challenge may seem like a significant obstacle.  However, we can have too much information and end up effectively hiding the most critical data.  That can be a fatal step in landing a job or project, so we need to be aware of how to handle this. A Large Resume From Detailed Ex...

We all have started our professional life with that most challenging obstacle in front of us, experience.  I think all of us have experienced the challenge of getting experience when every job seems to require it.  This common chicken-or-egg situation is not hopeless.  We can put together a compelling case even when we have minimal experience in specific areas or skills. Minimal Experience or None...

We kick off the new season on career improvement with an episode to set the table.  We take a look at what we will cover and how our attitude can drive success. Our path is not always easy.  However, it should be enjoyable.  When you are unhappy at your job, it is time to look elsewhere.  There is no need to be miserable. Both Sides of The Table This season will look at several topics from both th...

As we reach a milestone episode number (350), it is a good time for us to look closer at milestones.  These project management tools may appear to be tags or labels along our path.  However, they are more than that and are a valuable way to drive us through to completion.  Also, they can be points in time that allow us to take a step back and ensure we are still on track. Milestones can be a clean...

We spend a lot of time talking about planning and setting schedules.  This activity is a necessary process.  However, we should learn from our past and adapt our schedule when possible.  There is no sense in scheduling ourselves into an unworkable schedule.  Sometimes a few schedule adjustments make the difference between glorious success and burnout. All Plans Go Out The Window In Reality There i...

We all make mistakes.  Even our best intentions can lead to errors.  Thus, we can make best practice mistakes.  While this may seem like an impossible situation, you will soon see that it is common.  Knowing the recommended approach does not mean we will follow it nor even that we should. Rules Are Meant To Be Broken The first thing to consider in avoiding best practice mistakes is whether your si...

Urban legends cover a broad range of topics and often have a feel of being correct, even when they are not.  This phenomenon is not restricted to saying "Beetle Juice" three times.  There are all sorts of urban legends that we run into, and they extend into the world of best practices.  These examples feel like they are the right thing to do, but may even be the opposite. The Foolishness of Crowds...

Software developers and designers are often asked for a recommendation to approach a solution.  The implication is that we know the right decision.  We often join in on this assumption and will debate or argue that our way is the best option.  While there may be a "best approach" to our problems, it is worth digging deeper into the costs associated with the right decision. Arguing For The Right De...

It is time to end another season.  At this point, we need to revisit the idea of software architecture deliverables.  In particular, we should spend some time thinking about how we communicate our architecture. Multiple Audiences for Software Architecture Deliverables First and foremost, there are a couple of levels of audiences that your deliverables will need to address.  This situation is alway...