Caution! Don’t coast into being a great coder, use this insight to create a plan instead
It was a cold midwestern day. I started tinkering with my wife’s car. First, I replaced the spark plugs. Then I started to pull apart the fuel injection.
The sun began to set. I wasn’t quite sure how to replace the fuel injectors. On that Saturday.
Sunday morning, I went to the auto parts store. I got a few parts and got back to work. Some of the parts fit fine.
Then as I neared the completion something broke.
Limits
Optimism can only get you so far. Realistic assessments of our limits can be helpful in car repair and careers.
I drifted into my mechanical limits. My development career had drifted as well. I needed direction. Talking to a friend in Human Resources she recommended a career plan.
Career Plan
So from there, I did some digging to find out what that entails.
A development plan is the creation of achievable and measurable goals that an employee works towards to progress along their chosen career path. — peoplegoal.com
To avoid the drift of my career I needed a target. Initially, in my technical career, I chased a raise. I was moving onto a new job every couple of years.
Assess
I began programming C and PL/SQL. By searching around I determined what skills were in demand and what I would like to do.
My focus was to learn more Java and web skills. It took time but I started to gain some understanding.
Create
I began to put together some career goals. I pursued a Java certification. Learning about web skills was eye-opening. There was a lot to learn.
Check-in
Studying the web I went down a few wrong turns. As a novice, I wasn’t sure what to study. For instance, things like HTML were easy. CSS was way more complicated than I first thought.
Soft Skills
Coding can be a solo activity. It doesn’t need to be. Make sure you add soft skills to your plan.
Collaboration is fundamental for great teams. Agile teams cooperate constantly. Learn to mob and pair.
Lead
Have you been here before? The person leading the meeting is floundering. Do you think they have a clue?
The best anecdote for that is to try leadership ourselves. Leading a meeting or team is more difficult than you think.
Volunteer to lead something. It will open your eyes. Ask for help too. Great leaders are willing to share their expertise.
Promotion
Seeking out a promotion can be a wonderful goal. New challenges and skills to learn. This can be a catalyst for career growth.
Perhaps you are a Junior Developer, what skills do you need to make the next step? Talk with your leader to understand the process.
One word of warning. It helps to understand what that next role entails. For instance, as a leader and Scrum Master, I found myself in many meetings. I prefer more focused working time. Know what your preferred work environment is.
In the end, having a development plan is a requirement for your coding career. Don’t leave your career progression to chance. Understand your limits and craft the next steps.