3 Coding Role Models Questions
Photo by Vidar Nordli-Mathisen on Unsplash
All software developers are a work in progress. We all need to improve, whether this is our first job or our 50th job.
“I haven’t quite had 50 jobs, but I’ve had a few. I can share my experience of these software engineering positions with you (I have on this blog) by distilling this down to 3 tight questions that software developers should ask themselves when they’re thinking about what they should do in terms of their career.”
The vital questions
No matter your current situation you should ask yourself these questions as a software developer.
Who is your role model?
“Picking a role model isn’t anything to do with picking ‘the perfect person’. It’s about aligning values and ideas with someone you can learn something from.
They don’t need to be in your company. They don’t even need to be in your area of specialization.
If you don’t have a role model, get one. Thank me later.”
What does your role model do that you don’t?
“My role model is taller than I am. They aren’t even a software developer. Yet I still look up to them.
Once you have a role model you should think about why they are your role model. Drill down on what they are doing but you aren’t.
Learn to behave more like them in the ways that matter to you. Understand who you want to be so you can develop an action plan to become the best person you can be.”
What are you going to do differently to your role model?
You won’t want to be a clone of your mentor. You wish to take the good parts of them and understand where you can improve to their level. You can then develop a plan to understand what needs to be done.
What are you going to do?
When are you going to do it
“Rather than just thinking about being a clone of your mentor you should think about what the differences are between you and could be.
Amazingly enough, not all software developers are great coders, but can still make great role models in terms of communication, teamwork or business acumen.
You need to know when to give and when to go.”
Conclusion
Those three things aren’t that difficult.
Who is your role model?
What does your role model do that you don’t?
What are you going to do differently?
If you can get those done, you’re already moving in the right direction!
“Ultimately, this direction should lead you towards becoming a better software developer.”