The Mindset Edition
Ideas for marketing yourself, defining yourself by your language and focussing on the basics.
This week we’ll be talking about mindsets around being an engineer:
Marketing yourself
You are not a <language> programmer
Focussing on the basics
As always, I welcome your feedback. Just reply to this newsletter. Let’s go.
Marketing Yourself
"Surely I want to appeal to as many companies as I can... right?"
Wrong. Let's see why...
Let's start with the most obvious:
Specialist - deep knowledge in one topic - refactoring, design, architecture, performance
Generalist - shallow knowledge of many topics
Specialist - T-shaped skills
Generalist - _ shaped skills
Specialist - fixes deep complex problems
Generalist - fixes generic surface-level problems
Specialist - well paid
Generalist - poorly paid
Specialist - marketing that appeals to a niche
Generalist - marketing that appeals to no-one
Specialist - difficult to replace
Generalist - easy to replace
Specialist - harder to find (unless marketing is really good!)
Generalist - easy to find
Specialist - unique and interesting
Generalist - generic and boring
Specialist - obsesses over a few topics
Generalist - mildly interested in hundreds of topics
Specialist - less adaptable
Generalist - more adaptable
When selling yourself to employers, specialising is a powerful sales tactic.
If they need what you're selling, you move into a category of one.
You’re Not A Language Programmer
Stop thinking of yourself as a <language> programmer.
Question.
Why are you hired?
Why are you paid money?
There's not a competent business person who wants "a JavaScript developer".
Ok they say they want that... but what they really want is the business value delivered to the customer.
And more than that they want their business to grow.
So no, you're not a "Ruby programmer" or a "python wizard".
You're an engineer.
You solve problems.
And the language is just a tool to get there.
The best engineers use the right tool for the job.
And the best engineers don't see themselves narrowly as tied to a language.
Being an engineer is so much more than that.
And yes, this is the game the job market plays.
But you don’t need to buy into that once you’re in the job.
Focussing On The Basics
What is software engineering all about?
Is it building features?
Is it satisfying requirements?
Is it creating business value?
Jim Rohn said "there are two ways to make more money. One is to find more time. One is to provide more value."
There's an almost infinite amount of value you can give.
This week I've been challenged by various events to provide more value.
Maybe you can relate - as an engineer it's easy to get wrapped up in the tech.
In the possibilities.
In all the options.
And yet... the business is paying us real money to solve their problems.
Not problems we THINK they have...
...but the problems they actually have.
I got lost in my own head.
Overworking. Stressing about lots of small perfectionistic details.
Focus on getting the basics right.
Focus on the problems the business has.
Not the problems you think they have.
Want Some Help?
I have two options:
Book a 1 hour coaching session (normally $200, FREE for a limited time)
Have a great week!