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Software Development Career Advice

It can be hard to find software development career advice with the politics at most companies.

Who do you trust? And how do you know the advice doesn’t have a hidden agenda behind it?

I’ll share advice here that I wish someone would have told me in my software development career.

Hard-won advice to help you have a realistic mindset and healthy expectations over your career in software development.

Many people think about technology, salary, and promotions when they think of their software development career.

But I think it’s more important to understand the dynamics of people and snags you can get into with how your expected to work.

I hope this helps you stay growing in your software development career!


All Content about Software Development Career Advice

If Your Tech Job is Comfortable, You’re in Danger

October 16, 2024 | 20:57

Learn how to recognize and break free from complacency in your tech career to avoid stagnation, job insecurity, and missed opportunities.

Think Your Corporate Job Is Secure? Think Again

October 2, 2024 | 24:16

Discover the hidden risks of corporate job security and learn how self-employment can offer more freedom, growth, and control over your career and income.

Real 10x Programmers Are SLOW To Write Code

September 18, 2024 | 14:51

Be a 10x programmer by writing less code, streamlining features, minimizing complexity, and maximizing team efficiency.

How To ACTUALLY Get Your Boss To Listen

September 11, 2024 | 18:39

Learn proven strategies to get your boss to listen, convince your manager, and persuade them to act on your concerns.

Does LinkedIn Brainwash You Into Hating Your Job?

August 19, 2024 | 18:32

LinkedIn is a great resource for connecting with people, but it can also cause serious mental health challenges – and even lead to burnout.

Are You Truly Motivated To Change Your Tech Career?

July 22, 2024 | 6:17

Knowing how ready you are to actually make a change is important before you take any action that could alter the course of your life and career.

When Should a Programmer Become a Manager?

July 9, 2024 | 15:16

Does programming ever get tiring? Frustrated by being left out of decisions by the company? You may wonder if you should become a manager.

Why Do Programmers Accept Being Stuck in Their Career?

July 1, 2024 | 27:23

There’s some crazy stuff going down in the tech industry. But one of the biggest reasons programmers stop growing, is they don’t get help.

Can Programmers Be So Smart They Fool Themselves?

June 10, 2024 | 23:38

We can feel so strongly about experiences we’ve had, that they blind us from being open to other equally valid perspectives

Learning Addiction Keeps Programmers in Chains

May 6, 2024 | 18:00

Software engineers can cap their earning potential if they fall into common traps when learning is the absolute WRONG thing to do!

How Solopreneur Programmers Turn Content Into Cash

April 15, 2024 | 33:38

Making videos, podcasts, or blogs could be just what your career as a programmer needs. But it could also be a complete waste of time.

Can a “DIY Mindset” Keep Programmers From Growing?

April 1, 2024 | 14:03

Programmers love to “do it ourselves”, but this can make it harder to get help – when we actually need it.

Why Nobody’s Buying Your Ideas in Tech

March 25, 2024 | 27:58

How can you really connect with the person you’re convincing in tech, so they can understand the value you offer – and buy your idea?

Should You Fight Dirty to Climb The Tech Ladder?

March 18, 2024 | 20:54

After being manipulated by many other programmers and managers through political games, I was tempted to fight dirty.

Do Programmers Confuse Intelligence with WISDOM?

March 11, 2024 | 28:09

Why do people in tech careers often mistake intelligence for wisdom, and why is our industry so prone to making unwise decisions?

Why Most Programmers DON’T Last

March 4, 2024 | 18:56

A lot of tech career advice that promotes short-term thinking – be careful not to burn your bridges before you reach the finish line.

Is Your Tech Job Really Bad Enough To Quit?

February 26, 2024 | 27:54

It’s tempting to just bail the moment you don’t like some aspect of a tech job, hoping for greener pastures.

How Hard Tech Projects Make You a Stronger Person

February 6, 2024 | 30:27

The popular thing to do when faced with a toxic software project – is to complain. But you can use it to get stronger.

Do Programmers Actually ENJOY Being Miserable?

January 22, 2024 | 31:47

If you really want your job and life to get better, and to achieve better things in your software career – the complaining needs to stop.

Can You See The Red Flags Of A Toxic Tech Company?

January 15, 2024 | 29:21

If you’re about to get a new tech job, sometimes the red flags are obvious. But what happens when you want the gig anyway?

Is Programming Stealing Your Life Away?

January 3, 2024 | 29:56

Programming starts out like any other career – then one day you wake up addicted.

How To Stop Getting Overwhelmed By Your Tech Job

December 20, 2023 | 24:46

Dive into the heart of what makes our programming world so overwhelming and, more importantly, how you can navigate it with ease.

Don’t Believe The AI Hype! Do This Instead…

December 19, 2023 | 22:53

As a programmer, it’s important for you to see through AI sensationalism and make informed decisions about your career!

Why Programming Might Not Feel Fun Anymore

December 6, 2023 | 11:53

If you’re feeling like programming isn’t as fun as it used to be, you’re not alone. You should probably discover the root cause though!

Programming Burnout is Real – But You CAN Heal

November 6, 2023 | 44:56

Burnout is one of the most common dangers to programmers over their career, and I was no exception.

How To Know If Your Manager Is Trustworthy

October 23, 2023 | 29:10

Trusting people is getting tougher than ever these days, and nobody seems to have a harder time than programmers and managers.

Is Tech Lead the WORST Job For Most Programmers?

October 16, 2023 | 24:29

Understand the Tech Lead role in-depth, debunking myths and revealing key responsibilities to help you decide if it’s your ideal career path.

If Code Is Self-Documenting, Why Do Comments Exist?

August 3, 2022 | 14:23

Explore the balance between self-documenting code and comments in programming, and discover the best practices for clear, maintainable code.

200 Software Developers Told Me What They REALLY Want

June 26, 2022 | 15:36

I thought I knew what developers needed, but then I met over 200 people online to learn what unlocks their career. The results were surprising in some ways, and not in others….

Is There Really Such Thing As A GOOD Programmer?

June 14, 2022 | 14:28

It’s tempting to compare yourself to other devs or take assessments to see how you measure up, but it’s impossible to know if you’re a good programmer!

4 developer career desires youtube thumbnail
Why Are Programmers Never HAPPY With Their Job?

May 11, 2022 | 15:21

The 4 tech career desires is a concept I discovered through my first 3 years of career coaching.

canceling developers for mistakes youtube thumbnail
Canceling Programmers for Mistakes? You’re Next!

May 4, 2022 | 20:54

Today we’re going to talk about how canceling developers and other IT professionals for mistakes can hold you back from the career you want in software.

Pause Software Project
How To Pause A Software Project To Fix A Problem

July 17, 2018 | 8:34

Blocking multiple people to pause a software project so you can fix a problem can be hard if everyone’s focused on how much people are getting done.

Lead Software Developers By Letting Go
Lead Software Developers Better By Letting Go!

July 10, 2018 | 11:16

Over the years I’ve had to lead many software developers, and it’s become much easier since letting go of being seen as “the expert”.

Comparing Your Career To Other Developers
How To Stop Comparing Your Career To Other Developers

June 27, 2018 | 10:47

As you grow, it can be tempting to start comparing your career to other developers. But it’s a slippery slope that can easily send you off track.

Stop Learning Write Code
Know When To STOP Learning And Just Write The Code!

June 2, 2018 | 7:06

Software development draws us in with endless opportunities, but are they right for every project? There’s a time to stop learning and write code!

Safe Software Project Mistakes
Is It Safe To Make Mistakes On Your Software Project?

May 30, 2018 | 18:15

At some software companies, it can be hard for people to learn from mistakes they make together on a software project.

Software Project Help
I Got By On A Software Project With Help From My Friend

May 25, 2018 | 7:02

There’s no shame in getting help from a friend on a software project! In this episode I tell a story about how getting help was critical to my success.

Iain Lowe Interview 1
Iain Lowe on Software Estimation and Agile Dogma

May 19, 2018 | 1:10:42

Iain Lowe is an experienced software developer and manager based out of Montreal, Canada who I interviewed about healthy development topics.

Healing The Rift Between Programmers and Managers
Healing The Rift Between Programmers And Managers

May 4, 2018 | 24:19

It’s common in many companies for there to be animosity between programmers and managers. But it’s smarter to consider healing that rift.

Software Developers Promoted
What REALLY Gets Software Developers Promoted?

April 26, 2018 | 12:47

It can be confusing when most companies don’t make it clear how software developers can get promoted for more senior roles.

Product Manager Programmer Friend
A Product Manager Is A Programmer’s Best Friend!

April 24, 2018 | 28:43

Software developers are often frustrated when a product manager changes the design at the last minute. But product managers are a programmer’s best friend!

Accepting Circumstances Change Software Project
Accepting What You Can’t Change On A Software Project

April 9, 2018 | 12:56

Have you ever been confronted with accepting circumstances you couldn’t change on your software project that were really difficult?

Thinking About Programming At Home After Work
I Can’t Stop Thinking About Programming After Work!

March 29, 2018 | 8:02

There’s something about software development that makes it hard to stop thinking about programming after work.

Programmers Lose Hope
Why Do So Many Programmers Lose Hope?

March 9, 2018 | 20:26

Programmers can lose hope in just a few years in the industry if they don’t have the tools to cope with pressures unique to the job.

Take Credit for Software Ideas
Why Do People Take Credit For Your Ideas?

March 5, 2018 | 20:08

Ever had an idea for something on your software project, but someone else takes the credit? This sucks, there’s no way around it.

Software Industry Lies
5 Big Lies The Software Industry Tells You

March 2, 2018 | 12:05

Though having a career in software development can be exciting, there are software industry lies that if you believe – can ruin your career.

Narcissist
Is Your Software Development Leader A Narcissist?

February 20, 2018 | 14:25

Could it be that you’re on a project with a software leader that’s a narcissist – one who criticizes everything you do?

Best Software Project
Find The Best Software Project For Your Personality

February 19, 2018 | 20:28

You can find the best software project for your personality if you consider a few aspects of software companies I’ve learned.

programming is hard
Why Are You Making Programming HARDER?

February 17, 2018 | 17:09

I hear a common complaint that programming has gotten harder over the years. But often we do it to ourselves with how we work!

Programmer Flow State In The Zone
Programmer Flow State: “In The Zone” Coding

February 12, 2018 | 17:06

Once you’ve solved programming problems easier when “in the zone” or “flow state” – it can be hard to work any other way!

Earn Respect on a New Software Project
New Software Project? Earn Respect From Your Team!

February 10, 2018 | 19:14

Overcome walls people can put up – and instead have them welcome your suggestions on a new software project.

new framework
“New Framework Disease” (NFD) in Software Development

February 6, 2018 | 21:48

Technology addiction hurts your software development career if materialism makes you get caught in “new framework disease” and chase shiny objects.

DevOps CI/CD
What Is DevOps REALLY About? (Hint: NOT CI/CD)

February 5, 2018 | 15:28

There’s plenty of “fake news” from the software industry, so beware of the DevOps lie. In all the confusion – just follow the money to see why.

Software Project Death Spiral
Pull Your Software Project Out Of A Death Spiral!

February 4, 2018 | 14:36

If you get the feeling your software project is in a death spiral, there are several things you should try before you give up hope!

Programming Estimation
Programming Estimation – Estimate Software Tasks With Caution

February 1, 2018 | 13:06

Programming estimation is a dangerous activity that should be approached with caution! But it doesn’t have to be so stressful.

Say NO On A Software Project
Say NO On A Software Project – So They Will Listen!

January 31, 2018 | 12:11

How you say no on a software project can build resentment if you don’t establish clear boundaries – and decline the request with grace.

Software Tasks Will Be Late
What To Do When Your Software Tasks Will Be Late

January 30, 2018 | 10:48

How you handle late software tasks often has far reaching implications on your career, reputation and your health.

Software Project Burnout
Software Project Burnout: Is It Them Or You?

January 28, 2018 | 24:15

It’s easy to blame your company when a software project seems to require so many hours, that you suffer from software project burnout.

Imposter Syndrome Software Developers
Can Imposter Syndrome Help Software Developers Grow?

January 24, 2018 | 23:03

Imposter syndrome is something software teams often talk negatively about, but it can actually be a sign of growth.

Failing Software Project
Cope With A Failing Software Project

January 23, 2018 | 35:42

We all to realize we’re on a failing software project. What you do then will have a bigger impact on your health than your reputation.

anxiety of software development
5 Ways To Cope With The ANXIETY Of Software Development!

August 8, 2017 | 21:25

Anxiety can cause you to feel worried that you won’t get what you want out of your software development career, and it makes people do funny things…

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