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SELF.IMPROVE()BUILDING A TECHNICAL CAREER
NDC LONDON 2017
WHO AM I?Hi! I’m Erika
(I’m @eacarlson, too.)
I’m a software developer.
I work at Detroit Labs in Detroit, Michigan.
I train and coach software developers.
WHAT IS THIS?
STEP 1: JUNIOR DEVELOPER
STEP 2: WEIRD MIDDLE AREA
1. BEGIN WITH THE END‣ Build your career around 2 questions:
‣ Where are you going?
‣ How are you getting there?
‣ Ask yourself the following questions every 6-12 months:
‣ What do I want my career to support?
‣ What are my tangible & intangible career goals?
‣ What obstacles are preventing me from reaching my goals?
‣ What am I doing to work toward my goals?@eacarlson
2. LEARN TO LEARN‣ Learning is one of the most essential pieces of being a
developer
‣ Learning is a skill in and of itself
‣ Components of effective learning:
‣ Ask good questions
‣ Identify appropriate resources
‣ Recognize & apply general principles
‣ Filter out noise@eacarlson
2. LEARN TO LEARN‣ Rapid, effective learning is a key business &
interpersonal skill as well as a technical skill
‣ Know your learning style
‣ Opportunities for learning:
‣ Group: Conferences, classes, workshops, meetups, user groups
‣ Solo: Mentoring, coaching
‣ Self: Books, tutorials, projects@eacarlson
3. LEARN TO TEACH‣ Levels of Knowledge
‣ Understanding
‣ Applying
‣ Teaching
‣ Components of effective teaching:
‣ Seek feedback & make real-time adjustments
‣ Offer constant opportunities for practice
‣ Allow students to fail@eacarlson
3. LEARN TO TEACH‣ Benefits of teaching:
‣ Deepen knowledge of teaching topics
‣ Learn to build rapport with a room
‣ Practice breaking down complex concepts
‣ Develop communication skills
‣ Learn to give & receive effective feedback
‣ Practice public speaking
@eacarlson
4. JOIN A COMMUNITY‣ The software community is an incredible source of
learning, growth, and professional & personal support
‣ Tap into your local community at events, and more broadly through Slack, Twitter, and other networks
‣ Professional contacts are among your most valuable career resources
‣ Emphasize quality over quantity & giving over getting
‣ If you don’t have a community, create one!
@eacarlson
5. KNOW THE BUSINESS‣ Most of us are writing code to make money, whether
for ourselves and/or someone else
‣ If you’re working for a client, learn everything you can about their business model
‣ If you’re working on a product, learn that product inside out, upside down and backwards
‣ Business knowledge facilitates communication with stakeholders, and builds trust by allowing you to make educated recommendations about the product
@eacarlson
6. ENGAGE IN GROWTH WORK‣ Growth work means intentional growth, over and beyond
learning through daily experience
‣ Examples of growth work include:
‣ Setting & working toward professional goals
‣ Developing new skills
‣ Asking others for feedback
‣ Actively working to identify & overcome weaknesses
‣ Working with a mentor or professional coach@eacarlson
7. GIVE & RECEIVE FEEDBACK‣ Feedback is one of the most effective ways to improve
individual and team performance
‣ Positive feedback helps you recognize and cultivate your strengths
‣ Constructive feedback is invaluable in helping you determine where you need to improve and grow
‣ Seek feedback from a mix of colleagues
‣ Giving and receiving feedback are both valuable skills worth developing
@eacarlson
7. GIVE & RECEIVE FEEDBACK‣ 5 quick strategies for doing feedback better:
‣ Accept positive feedback graciously; don’t deny or minimize; simply say “thank you”
‣ Accept constructive feedback without arguing, pushing back, or getting emotional; simply say “thank you for the feedback”
‣ Allow yourself to “sit” with constructive feedback until you feel less emotional about it; then decide if and how to act
‣ When giving feedback, be specific, thoughtful, and direct; ask before giving unsolicited feedback
‣ Always assume positive intent@eacarlson
8. BUILD AN ESCAPE HATCH‣ The ability to build your career hinges on the ability to
leave situations that are toxic, damaging, or causing your growth to stagnate
‣ Develop career security by:
‣ Building your professional network
‣ Keeping your skills current through continuous learning
‣ Making your work visible and searchable
@eacarlson
9. CARE FOR YOURSELF‣ Caring for your body, mind, and heart are essential to
healthy career growth
‣ Software development is physically sedentary and has the potential to be psychologically stressful
‣ The ability to “work from anywhere” can be a significant perk, but it leaves software developers prone to overworking
‣ Even if you do everything else right, poor physical or mental health can destroy your career
@eacarlson
9. CARE FOR YOURSELF‣ Take a “self-care inventory”:
‣ Am I physically healthy enough to participate in the activities and relationships I want to?
‣ Am I emotionally healthy enough to enjoy the activities and relationships I want to?
‣ Am I suffering from any illnesses that are or could be stress-related?
‣ Does my work contribute more positively or more negatively to my physical and emotional health?
‣ Are physical or mental health challenges interfering with my ability to do my job to the best of my ability?
@eacarlson
10. LOVE YOUR DRAGONS‣ Fears represent your greatest opportunities for growth
‣ Your fears are not an irrevocable part of who you are
‣ Take a “fear inventory”:
‣ What am I afraid of?
‣ What’s the underlying fear?
‣ What steps could I take to overcome this fear?
‣ What could I gain by moving beyond this fear?
@eacarlson
QUESTIONS?
@eacarlson
