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The Coding Career Handbook

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Getting Started

Preface: Real Talk

Part I: Your Coding Career

Introduction: Your Coding Career Principles Over Titles Company Types Career Layers Diversity The Five Career Stages Quiz Yourself on Your Coding Career

Code Newbies

Introduction: Code Newbies Explore Podcasts and Content Build Community Gain Team Experience

The (First) Job Hunt

Introduction: The (First) Job Hunt Do the Math Do the Work Staying Motivated While You Search Getting the Interview Types of Interviews Outside the Interview Quiz Yourself on the (First) Job Hunt

Junior Developer

Introduction: Junior Developer Finding Your Groove Making Mistakes Adding Value Growing Your Knowledge Quiz Yourself on Junior Developer

From Junior to Senior

Introduction: From Junior to Senior Acting for the Job You Want Marketing Yourself as a Senior Engineer Junior Engineer, Senior Engineer To Stay or to Go Quiz Yourself on From Junior to Senior

Senior Developer

Introduction: Senior Developer Solutions vs. Patterns Velocity vs. Maintainability Technical Debt Prudent Debt Reckless Debt Mentorship, Allyship, and Sponsorship Business Impact Quiz Yourself on Senior Developer

Beyond your Coding Career

Introduction: Beyond your Coding Career Engineering Management Product Management Developer Relations Developer Educator Entrepreneurship Quiz Yourself on Beyond your Coding Career

Part II: Principles

Learn in Public

Private vs. Public Getting Started But I’m Scared Teach to Learn Mentors, Mentees, and Becoming an Expert Why it Works Quiz Yourself on Learn in Public

Clone Open Source Apps

Why Clone Open-Source Apps?Make it Better

Know your Tools

Introduction: Know your Tools Avoid Fear of Missing Out (FOMO)Beyond the Tool Quiz Yourself on Know your Tools

Specialize in the New

Introduction: Specialize in the New Technology Complements Lindy Compounding Quiz Yourself on Specialize in the New

Open Source Your Knowledge

Introduction: Open Source your Knowledge Open Knowledge Open-Source Knowledge Personal Anecdote Why Open Source YOUR Knowledge Tips Quiz Yourself on Open Source your Knowledge

Spark Joy

Introduction: Spark Joy Why it Works Sparking Joy in Code Sparking Joy in PRs and Issues Sparking Joy in Docs Sparking Joy in Demos and Products The Extra Mile Quiz Yourself on Spark Joy

The Platinum and Silver Rules

The Platinum Rule The Silver Rule Quiz Yourself on the Platinum and Silver Rule

Good Enough is Better than Best

Introduction: Good Enough is Better than Best The Problem with Seeking “The Best”The Dangers of False Confidence Quiz Yourself on Good Enough is Better than Best

First Principles Thinking

Introduction: First Principles Thinking Logic Epistemology Applications Quiz Yourself on First Principles Thinking

Write, A Lot

Introduction: Write, A Lot Why Developers Write Documentation Career Capital What Writing Does for You How to Become a Good Public Writer Going Public The DIY Ph.D Committing to Writing Quiz Yourself on Write, A Lot

Pick Up What They Put Down

Introduction: Pick Up What They Put Down What happens when you do this?Why does this work on them?Why does this work on you?Quiz Yourself on Pick Up What They Put Down

Part III: Strategies

Intro to Strategy

Strategy in Your Coding Career What is Strategy?How Do I Use Strategy?Quiz Yourself on Intro to Strategy

Learning Gears

Explorer Settler Connector Miner Why Gears Quiz Yourself on Learning Gears

Specialist vs. Generalist

Introduction: Specialist vs. Generalist Leverage vs. Self Sufficiency The “Full-Stack” Developer “T Shaped” and “Pi Shaped”Look Inside, Not Out When in Doubt, Specialize Quiz Yourself on Specialist vs. Generalist

Betting on Technologies

Introduction: Betting on Technologies Data-Driven Investing How to be Early The Value of Values Quiz Yourself on Betting on Technologies

Profit Center vs Cost Center

Introduction: Profit Center vs Cost Center Definitions: Profit, Cost, and Investment Center “Close to the money”Profit Center, Cost Center The Developer’s Choice Quiz Yourself on Profit Center vs. Cost Center

Engineering Career Ladders

Introduction: Engineering Career Ladders When and Why to Ladder What Companies Want Individual Company Ladders Quiz Yourself on Engineering Career Ladders

Intro to Tech Strategy

Introduction: Intro to Tech Strategy Software is Eating the World Horizontal vs. Vertical Business Models Platforms and Aggregators Other Strategic Perspectives Quiz Yourself on Intro to Tech Strategy

Strategic Awareness

Introduction: Strategic Awareness Concern vs. Influence Levels of Concern Bias to Action Understanding Technology Adoption Technology Value Chain Systems Thinking Other Strategies for Strategic Awareness Quiz Yourself on Strategic Awareness

Megatrends

Introduction: Megatrends Definitions Examples of Megatrends Building Your List of Megatrends Quiz Yourself on Megatrends

Part IV: Tactics

Negotiating

Introduction: Negotiating

Patrick McKenzie on Salary Negotiation

Haseeb Qureshi on Ten Rules for Negotiating

Josh Doody on Fearless Salary Negotiation

How to Learn in Private

Introduction: How to Learn in Private Improving What You Consume Getting More Out of What You Consume Go Meta Quiz Yourself on How to Learn in Private

Design for Developers in a Hurry

Design for Developers in a Hurry Spark Joy Repo Layout Typography Color Palette and Backgrounds Icons and Illustrations Easter Eggs

Lampshading

Introduction: Lampshading When You’re Very Senior When You’re New Storytime!Lampshading The Stupid Question Safe Harbor

Conference CFPs

Introduction: Conference CFPs Watch a lot of Talks Pick a Conference Pick a Topic Pick a Genre Pick a Title Write an Abstract Building a CFP Process Example CFPs and Peer Review

Mise en Place Writing

Mise en Place Writing Writing isn’t Just Writing Components of Pre-Writing The Pre-Writing Workflow The Infinite Kitchen Improvisation is Okay Quiz Yourself on Mise en Place Writing

Side Projects

Introduction: Side Projects Code-Life Balance Project Ideas Project Advice Further Inspiration

Developer’s Guide to Twitter

Introduction: Developer’s Guide to Twitter Getting Started What Do YOU Want?What I Want from Twitter Your Twitter Feed Join the Conversation Being Helpful on the Internet Twitter as a Second Brain Dealing with Haters Definitely Bad Ideas Final Thoughts

Marketing Yourself (without Being a Celebrity)

Introduction: Marketing Yourself You Already Know What Good Personal Marketing Is Personal Branding Personal Anecdote Time!Brand Templates Consistency You Need a Domain Picking a Domain Blogging Marketing Your Business Value vs. Your Coding Skills Marketing Yourself in Public Marketing Yourself at Work Things That Do Not Matter Appendix: Marketing Hacks

The Operating System of You

Introduction: The Operating System of You Coding Career Habits Your “Hardware”Your “External Devices”Your "Scheduler"Your “Kernel”

Conclusion

The Emotional Journey of Your Coding Career

Patrick McKenzie on Salary Negotiation

Let’s discuss Patrick McKenzie’s thoughts on salary negotiation.

Summaries of experts

There are three people who dominate the discussion on Developer Salary Negotiation right now: Patrick McKenzie, Haseeb Qureshi (especially for early careers), and Josh Doody. Throughout the next few lessons, I cover their main talking points, occasionally adding commentary.

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