The Complete Software Developer’s Career Guide

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Keep An Achievements Library

The Complete Software Developer’s Career Guide Review First Look

Keep a spreadsheet of every major task that you complete. If possible, include metrics that might be relevant.

For example:

  • “I improved the speed of a critical SQL query by over 200%”

  • “Completed feature X which lead to X number of new clients for the company over the next 6 months.”

  • “Learned about the SQL APPLY operation and used it to migrate company X’s data 50% faster than before.”

This will be helpful for you to look back at privately and see what you’ve accomplished. We all get down sometimes and fall into seasons when it feels like we aren’t progressing.

It will also help when the time comes to re-do your resume. You’ll have lots of ammunition.

Navigating The Stages Of Your Career

Before looking at the specifics of how you can start to grow your reputation and grow in your career, you should get an idea of what general career stage you are at.

I use a simple framework to layout the common career path stages that most software developers will find themselves in.

The stages are:

  • Tech Leader

These stages are not job titles. They represent a developer’s real experience and competence.

It’s been said that someone with 10 years experience might, in practice, have repeated the same 1 year of experience over-and-over!

Let’s take a look at these stages to get an idea of where you fit and where you might want to go in the future.

What Is It About

The book is a practical guide on how to successfully navigate and advance your software development career. The best parts of the book is about the soft skills necessary to advance your career. The book describes the importance of and how to learn things such as: playing better with your teammates, developing leadership skills, making yourself more noticeable in your company, and etc.

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Chapter 50 Keeping Your Skills Up To Date

If you are following my posts for a little while you already know that I consider not keeping up to date one of the biggest mistakes that developers make . The author also covered this topic at his book.

You will learn how to plan it and how to take action on it. He also covers how to find which topics you should work on.

More than anything, the author brings to you real practice advices, as keeping up to date is a real practical thing to do!

Conditionals And Control Flows In C++

The Complete Software Developer

Conditional statements specify if a different statement or block of statements should or should not be executed. They are often called selection constructs. The two types of general conditionals are the switch case and ifthen construct. The usual logical conditions used in C++ from mathematics can be used for performing various actions for various decisions.

  • Less than: a < b
  • Not Equal to: a != b

The following conditional statements are used in C++:

  • If is used for specifying a code block for execution if a specified condition is true. The syntax used is:-

if {

// block of code to be executed if the condition is true

  • Else is used for specifying a code block for execution, if the condition is false. The syntax used is:-

if {

// block of code to be executed if the condition is true

} else {

// block of code to be executed if the condition is false

  • Else if is used for specifying a new condition to test, if the first condition is false. The syntax used is:-

if {

// block of code to be executed if condition1 is true

} else if {

// block of code to be executed if the condition1 is false and condition2 is true

} else {

// block of code to be executed if the condition1 is false and condition2 is false

  • Switch is used for specifying multiple alternative blocks of code for execution. The syntax used is:-

variable = ? expressionTrue : expressionFalse

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If You Think Books Are Outdated

In the technology world information becomes obsolete faster than in any other industry. Thats why a lot of techies prefer reading blogs and articles over books. Any technology book published today will likely become outdated tomorrow.

However, Im an avid supporter of reading books to advance your career. And here are Mark Zuckerbergs words to back me up:

Books allow you to fully explore a topic and immerse yourself in a deeper way than most media today

I Took Ownership Of My Career

Faced with the reality of career progression as a software developer, I decided to make an intentional effort to take ownership of my career.

What does that mean, you ask?

Taking ownership of your career means that you realize your career is an organic thing that you can either nurture and grow, ignore or even damage.

It’s like a garden: deciding what seeds to plant, where to plant, how to nurture your plants, deciding what plants to sow more of, etc.

If you are intentional about planting and maintaining your garden then you should get results.

If you don’t maintain your plants then your garden will most likely get grown over with weeds and not do so well!

And, if you don’t plant any seeds yet expect a garden to appear – well, that’s kinda crazy.

Your career is the same! If you simply expect that “doing a good job” will land you promotions or position you as a competitive asset in the job market then it’s just like that last analogy of ignoring your garden!

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What Is C++ And Why Is It Important

C++ is a general-purpose programming language that is the successor of the C language and was developed for enhancing it by including an object-oriented paradigm. It is a compiled and imperative mid-level language. This gives it an added advantage of effective and easier low-level programming for drivers, kernels, and the like to high-level applications such as games, desktop applications, etc. The basic code structure and syntax of both C++ and C are the same.

The key advantages of using C++ programming are as follows:-

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Career Guide For Software Developers

The Complete Software Developer’s Career Guide Book Review | Ask a Dev

The Ultimate Software Development Career Guide in the Age of Technology Disruption

Want to stand out amongst other software developers, whether in your job search, within your company or in your career? Are you tired of being passed over for opportunities, feeling like you don’t belong in tech, or that your talents are undervalued?

The technology landscape has evolved and software is changing the world. Therefore, it’s no wonder that the career path of software developers is very different now compared to a decade ago. In this book, I will be sharing practical advice and useful tips to help you succeed in the software development industry. The book is organised into 4 parts – Exploring, Landing, Performing and Accelerating.

Regardless of whether you are thinking about starting a career as a software developer, or wanting to make an impact as an experienced software developer, or considering a slightly different technical role, or thinking about making the leap into people management, this book is for you.

There is also a bonus chapter for women in technology because I am a huge advocate for women in technology. If youre a woman in technology, you will probably find yourself nodding along as you read the chapters in this section. If youre not a woman, Id still encourage you to read it as this section will increase your awareness on the important issue of gender inequality in technology and help shed some light on womens perspectives of things.

Part II: Landing

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Common Headers And Libraries In C++

Many libraries in the C language have functions predefined to make programming much easier. Header files are the files containing the set of standard predefined library functions. To use a header file in programming, you must include it with the C preprocessing directive #include. Header files have a .h extension In C++. However, unlike C, not all header files need to end with the .h extension.

The Syntax for using header files in C++ and C are:-

#include < filename.h>

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Who Should Read This Book

Entry-Level Developers

This book will show you how to ensure you have the technical skills your future boss is looking for, create a resume that leaps off a hiring manager’s desk, and escape the “no work experience” trap.

Mid-Career Developers

You’ll see how to find and fill in gaps in your technical knowledge, position yourself as the one team member your boss can’t live without, and turn those dreaded annual reviews into chance to make an iron-clad case for your salary bump.

Senior Developers

This book will show you how to become a specialist who can command above-market wages, how building a name for yourself can make opportunities come to you, and how to decide whether consulting or entrepreneurship are paths you should pursue.

Brand New Developers

In this book you’ll discover what it’s like to be a professional software developer, how to go from “I know some code” to possessing the skills to work on a development team, how to speed along your learning by avoiding common beginner traps, and how to decide whether you should invest in a programming degree or “bootcamp.”

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Chapter 52 Speaking And Conferences

Speaking has many things to do with reputation and personal branding, and the author gave a great focus on it.

As John says: I think every software developer should try their hand at speaking.

He also goes deep into the conferences matter: attending, planning, what to do and how to take the most benefits from them.

So if you were wondering if theres a good book out there that could help you improve your career, heres a great one!

Types Of Software Development

Book Review: The Complete Software Developers Career Guide

Software development can be broken down into several different areas. So, as a software engineer, you can choose your area of focus according to your interests.

Software developers make different kinds of software to suit the needs of customers and consumers. Letâs take a look at the primary types of software development below.

Web Development

Web development is the part of software development that concerns the creation of websites and web applications. They are created using programming languages such as JavaScript , PHP, and HTML.

Application Development

Application Development is the development of applications that perform specific tasks on either a Windows or Mac operating system. These applications carry out day-to-day tasks ranging from basic jobs such as calculation to advanced tasks like editing in .

Mobile Software Development

The mobile app development field has increased four folds in just the past decade. A smartphone is considered smart, largely due to its operating system, which enables it to perform many tasks that could not have been performed by basic phones.

With the rise in the number of smartphone users, the requirement of apps that can perform the tasks that a user would need a computer to execute is increasing every day.

System Software Development

System software is basically the software that runs a machine. It is also called an operating system. This is the most important type of software, as no machine can run without it.

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Get Involved In The Community

One of the things I regret not doing sooner is getting involved in the developer community.

This will help you find jobs, make new friends, find mentors, and make you feel like you a part of something bigger than just yourself and the company you happen to work for.

Figure out who the “best” developers are for your particular field and interests.

Follow them on Twitter and start reading and commenting on their blogs.

Other things you can eventually get into:

  • Start contributing to open source projects
  • Start an open-source project
  • Attend local user groups, meetups and conferences

Basic Variable Types In C++

Named storage that programs can manipulate is a variable, and they have a specific type in C++ that can be distinguished by the memory size, the layout, the range of values stored, and the set of operations applied to the variable.

The variable name can comprise digits, letters, and the underscore. It has to begin with either an underscore or a letter. C++ is case-sensitive. Down below are the basic types of variables in C++:-

Type & Description

  • Bool: Stores either true or false value.
  • Char: Is an integer type that is a single octet or one byte.
  • Int: The most natural size of integer for the machine.
  • Float: Represents a single-precision floating-point value.
  • Double: A double-precision floating-point value.
  • Void: Indicates the absence of type.
  • Wchar_t: It is a wide-character type.
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    Technical Knowledge Alone Isn’t Enough

    Early in his software developer career, John Sonmez discovered that technical knowledge alone isn’t enough to break through to the next income level – developers need “soft skills” like the ability to learn new technologies just in time, communicate clearly with management and consulting clients, negotiate a fair hourly rate, and unite teammates and coworkers in working toward a common goal.

    As John invested in these skills his career took off, and he became a highly paid, highly sought-after developer and consultant.

    Today John helps more than 1.4 million programmers every year to increase their income by developing this unique blend of skills.

    “If you’re a developer, green or a veteran, you owe it to yourself to read The Complete Software Developers Career Guide.” – Jason Down, Platform Developer, Ontario, Canada

    Chapter 48 Creating A Reputation

    Career guide: Software Developers and Programmers in Australia

    The author show here how you are supposed to work on your reputation in order the be a known professional. Lets be honest: do you believe that you will get the best opportunities if no one knows who you are?

    Skills like personal marketing, personal brand building and value creation are worked in details.

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    How To Learn Software Development: Step

    Letâs break down your journey to becoming a software developer into five simple steps.

  • Set a goal: Be very clear about your targets before you get started. You should have an idea of what coding is , why you are learning software development, and what you aim to get out of it.
  • Learn a programming language : Choosing a good programming language is a very important step. Every person has a natural comfort with some programming language. Take some time to find which language you are most confident with and then work on it.
  • Practice: Practice plays a vital role in learning any new skill, so the same goes for software development. The more you practice, the better you will get.
  • Learn the software development life cycle : The software development life cycle is a process commonly used by software developers and project managers to provide top-notch software to the public. The more familiar you are with this process, the better your software will be.
  • Work experience: Work experience can be a major boost to your resume. While you study, be on the lookout for internships so that you can gain valuable work experience.
  • What Is Software Development Used For

    Software development is an integral part of science. Its uses are vast and limitless, but here are some of its most essential uses.

    • Integration. Software development can help provide your company with an astounding level of integration, making it possible for employees to access materials from anywhere and on any device.
    • Convenience. Software development provides a tremendous amount of comfort to a user by simplifying workflow and providing us with huge amounts of information in an instant.
    • Better promotion and marketing. Software helps improve marketing and promotions by reducing expenses and saving time. It can facilitate the broadcast of advertisements worldwide in no time.
    • Improved communication. Software developments allow for easier and quicker transfer of data and information, which leads to enhanced communication.

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    Learning And Growing In Knowledge

    You need to keep learning! If you aren’t building your knowledge about software design, patterns, techniques, soft skills, etc. then you are going to stay stagnant.

    You need to have real-life experience and learn from real-world situations.

    But, you also need to push your knowledge about what tools and techniques are available to solve problems.

    If you are in the coder or junior developer stages, then I would suggest learning about general things like design patterns, “clean coding” and whatever languages, and frameworks you are using at work.

    Once you are at a more senior stage, then you want to start doubling down on some specialized topics. This will help you to stand-out and make sure that you become an expert in some area.

    Here are some general tips for learning and growing in your technical skills:

    • Figure out what tech stack you want to be skilled with and learn it in-depth
    • Read every day!
    • Map out your skills and figure out which ones you want to dig into and which ones you want to learn the fundamentals about
    • For skills where you want to know the fundamentals, the most important thing to understand is what problem does it solve?
    • For skills that you want to dig into, consider mentoring or high-quality training material
    • If your current job isn’t challenging, consider moving on to something more challenging

    My Top 5 Takeaways From The Book:

    The Complete Software Developer

    These takeaways are in random order and are not necessarily related to each other. These are just 5 pieces of advice I found to be the most useful for me:

  • The worst thing you can do to protect your job security is hoard the knowledge and be reluctant to share it with your team. Dont be that person, no one likes them. Ironically by keeping your team hostage youre actually more likely to lose your job. Instead, try to constantly learn new things and share it with others.
  • Always finish the side projects you start. Taking on a new personal project is always exciting, however after the first month the excitement starts to fade away. Suck it up and finish what you started. Its much more appealing to have a portfolio of finished projects, plus youll get in a habit of finishing what you started.
  • When starting a new business, dont try to get it perfect and dont worry too much about little details like logo and accounting records. Instead, focus on the things that will actually help your business grow. Try to get the least amount of work possible to get the business going.
  • Its up to you to improve your relationships with your boss, not the other way around. Sometimes software developers might have a sense of entitlement and not bother to communicate well with their superiors. Just remember that no one is irreplaceable.
  • If youd like to get more web development, React and TypeScript tips consider where I share things as I learn them.Happy coding!

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