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I would suggest a three part method to success. First, know what you do know and don't chase after everything you don't know. If you are good at php, use it. I
by trcollinson 10y ago
I would suggest a three part method to success.
First, know what you do know and don't chase after everything you don't know. If you are good at php, use it. If you understand rails, use it. If you are a master of all things RDBMS, use one. When you are looking to tackle a problem, don't look for a new technology, language, or paradigm to solve the problem. Use what you already know, and solve the problem.
Second, solve the problem. Also, don't pick a technology and then try to shoe horn that into the solution. In other words, when you have a new project, or an existing project that needs improvement, don't say, "Well I am going to need a, b, c, and d because every good project needs those!" Instead say, "What is the problem I am trying to solve? How do I define the problem? What value am I bringing?" Then find technologies and solutions to fit into the answers to those questions.
Finally, learn new things incrementally. For example, maybe you are working on a web project and need a good mobile first css framework (due to the answers you received from the questions in the second part above). You always use Bootstrap. You add bootstrap into the project (because you know bootstrap, see the first part above). You've never used Sass but you'd like to add that. This might be the right time to add it to your skill set and this project. Notice how you didn't add a whole new css framework, a whole new application framework, a whole new language, a new server technology, a new javascript framework... you added one new thing incrementally. You can do that as often as it makes sense. But never more often.
- pawanpe 10y agoI second this process. I follow little similar which is working well for me
- spikej 10y agoI agree. Every project (personal or otherwise) is a chance to try out one new thing -- it might even be a deep dive into using previously unused features in the library/framework that you've not used before
- itake 10y agoI think this makes sense if you are trying to build skills to start a company yourself, but I think if you want to ride the pay curve, you need to be more agile when it comes to learning new tech. It is a fact that php devs earn less than RoR engineers. If you want to stay at the top of the pay curve, you need to stay up to date with the latest 'sexy.'
- Kaizyn 10y agoAre you familiar with how compound interest works? Using this strategy, you may spend the first 2-5 years building up a broad but solid baseline of skills. After that, the amount of learning required to keep up with all the fads in technology would be very manageable by comparison.
- trcollinson 10y agoI am going to respectfully have to call you out on this one. First off, where is this fact that php devs earn less than RoR engineers? I am sure there was some who earn less and some who earn more. The point though it that if you are aligning yourself on the latest technology, you will absolutely always lose in the long run. I would say I am in the top 5% of engineers by salary in my area. I never lead out with the language or framework or cool new 'sexy' technology that I think a business should/could/has to use. When looking for employment I never even worry about what the company is currently using. I literally only worry about aligning myself with their business objectives. What are the problems they are facing? How can they decrease costs or, often more importantly, increase revenue? Why do they need me and how can I solve their problems starting immediately? Now, you might say, well then you won't get hired on everywhere you apply to. Absolutely! And thank goodness. If I walk into an interview and all the current employees can talk about is the finer parts of minutia within the latest build of Rails, I would rather not work with them. If all I can be asked is how many ways you can concatenate a string in .Net and an example of when to use each, again, I will pass on that company. (yes, I have been asked exactly that question, and there are more ways than you think). Why would I pass? Well they sure as hell aren't aligning themselves with the needs of their business, how am I going to? Trust me, if you would like to stay on the top of the pay curve, align yourself with business objectives, particularly those which align with money. Don't worry about the 'new sexy'.
- Kaizyn 10y agoAt first, I was afraid you were giving away the game on churning technology. But then I realised the sad thing is that no one will probably follow your advice, even though this is the best answer to this question.
- atmosx 10y agoGreat tips to claim back sanity in an ever-growing dynamic environment such as IT.