Monday, August 6, 2018

Growing your developer career: four core skill areas

August 6, 2018

Introduction


It is such a joy to receive an email and then suddenly I found that I am reading a good article. Here is the link from the code pointers.

I like the blog and it is so good to read so many topics.

My notes


Developer skills is the multiplication of four areas, fundamentals, technology and shipping experience, soft skills.

Foundation vs technology


Related to myself, I just stopped subscription of pluralsight.com and fronendmaster.com last month since I like to focus on fundamentals of computer science, algorithm and data structure. I choose to work on more on fundamentals instead of technology for the time being.

Shipping (experience)


Let me copy the list of examples here from the blog:
Importance of good logging
Risk/ value tradeoffs when adding dependencies
Long term maintainability of a code base
Value of good API design and documentation
Not over or under designing
The value of simplicity

Related to my experience, I learn how to have a good API design and documentation as a solo programmer since Nov. 2016. I started to ask questions on codereview.stackexchange.com, and got feedback on my coding style, C# language skills, and other problem solving area. Small things like English writing and make the question as simple as possible.

The value of simplicity is my top rating one. I understand how important it is for me to keep thing simple. I have to cover so many areas as a full stack web programmer, I know that my time is limited and I have to make tradeoffs.

Soft skills


For some reason, it is easy to neglect developing your soft skills at some stage. Don't fall into that trap.

I like to copy the advice from the blog, areas you should pay attention to:

Communication
  Listening
  Presentation
  Writing

Leadership
  Empathy
  Influence
  Integrity

Team work
  Conflict resolution
  Collaboration
  Motivation

Time management

Let me think about three areas related to soft skills.

I like to add a personal story here.

Learn to appreciate what you have


I like to explain to appreciate what I have, a small career holding on my hand called a programmer lasting eight years working for a Canadian manufacturer company. It takes so much effort for me to be independent, and also learn to contribute the economy through my current job, I went through so many years education and research in United States.

So many people helped me in the past, specially in United States, Florida from 2000 to 2010, I do not want to let those people down. I also like to try to do my best to contribute something in Mathematics, Science and computer science. There are so many things I like to work for and make the society much better to live and enjoyable.

“I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want” (Philippians 4:12, NIV). A spirit of thankfulness makes all the difference.

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