• Interview for Managing Your Career as a Developer

"Managing Your Career as a Developer" interview with Scott Knaub

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Michael Smith: This time we are talking with Scott Knaub about his Fusebox and Frameworks-05 talk "Managing Your Career as a Developer". So why should a developer come to your session Scott?

Scott Knaub: Most developers are focused on increasing their technical skills with the goal of getting a better job and higher pay. But there are many other aspects of a career that must be considered along the way. This session will help expose some of the myths of getting a promotion and give a perspective that will help developers take control of their careers.

MS: What can happen when developers don't follow your tips?

SK: A developer can end up being trapped by the technical skills they've developed instead of those skills opening up new opportunities for them.

MS: Ouch! Are there any other outcomes you look at other than money?

SK: Money should be considered only one aspect of a career. There are five areas I'll discuss in order to help a developer stay balanced in life.

MS: When you talk about a "balanced life" this is starting to sound like you'll be teaching yoga or something. :-)

SK: [grin] Even though I live in California, I don't know how to do yoga. The balance I'll present relates to the areas of a developer's responsibilities. We are drawn in many directions in each day. Some of these directions move us closer to our goals while others distract us from what is truly important.

MS:So what are the other areas to balance?

SK: Each developer should set goals in five areas of life: physical, emotional, educational, professional, and financial. During the conference we see how each area affects all other aspects of life.

MS: Sounds good. Are there any common mistakes that people make with their careers?

SK: Let's consider an auto dealership as an example. I learned long ago that the best car salesperson will not be promoted to be sales manager...because they are most valuable to the company when they are selling cars. One mistake a developer can make is to become too specialized. This is usually a goal the developer sets, but this can become a career cul-de-sac instead of a road to promotion.

MS: Makes sense. What about the opposite issue of someone who is promoted to manager because of their technical skill?

SK: Some seasoned developers can move into management and be an inspiration to all. But if a developer's people skills are not considered, and the developer is promoted solely on their technical skills, the situation can play out in two ways:

1. Let's say the developer wants to continue to write code and not manage others. In this case the developer may not make time to learn how to manage people and try to keep a finger in every project. This can turn into a frustrating experience for the new manager and those being managed.

2. Or perhaps the highly competent developer really wants to manage, but has devoted so much time to increasing his technical prowess that he is not equipped to manage others. The newly promoted manager can become a heavy-handed supervisor or the "I-just-want-to-be-your-friend" type of manager. Either way the stress levels will rise for everyone involved.

MS: Does learning frameworks such as Fusebox help a developer's career or hinder it?

SK: All learning has merit. The choice to learn something new gives a person a fresh viewpoint within the context of being a developer, manager and in other areas of life. For example, FLiP allows someone to learn how to effectively manage a project from start to finish. This greatly helps a developer while they are coding and when they are managing.

MS: Cool. So are there any alternative to the tech track or manager track career path?

SK: The alternative to climbing the corporate ladder is to own the ladder. Being self-employed or starting a business that employs others is another choice. My father is a great example of the American Dream. He started working for a company when he was young. After working for over 20 years, he bought the entire company from the owner. In an instant, he went from being an employee to being the employer. We just need to remember what my father quickly learned - running a business requires an additional set of skills, but when it is done properly the rewards are great!