career development

Hiring for Your Best Software Team Possible

Software teams spend a lot of time thinking about processes and requirements for development so that we can build great software systems. However, we seem to think much less about how to hire the people for the teams that will build those systems. Consider these points to assemble your best possible team.

Steve Berczuk's picture
Steve Berczuk
Woman listening Develop Your Listening Skills to Become a Better Leader

Listening is key to effective people management and professional mastery, but it may be the most underrated leadership skill. Having a model for what good listening is, and some techniques to practice, can help you become not only a better listener, but also a better leader and learner.

Steve Berczuk's picture
Steve Berczuk
Stop Faking It: There Are Better Ways to Acquire Technical Skills

Everyone wants to hire someone who can “hit the ground running.” But seeking a candidate who has all nine of the core skills listed on the job description shouldn't be the goal; instead, it's more important to find someone who can learn quickly, collaborate with others, and acquire those skills through work.

Matt Heusser's picture
Matt Heusser
Want to Be More Productive? Work Less

Although some organizations reward working long hours, that practice is actually counterproductive. After a certain point, more work does not mean more productivity. In fact, due to distractions and fatigue, eventually the more you work, the less productive you become. What's your ideal work-life balance?

Steve Berczuk's picture
Steve Berczuk
5 Ways to Have More Impact When You Talk

Whether proposing ideas at a meeting, talking with team members, or giving a formal presentation, certain ways of speaking can be annoying to listeners and, ultimately, water down your message. To have more impact when you talk and make your ideas really shine, avoid these five common bad habits.

Naomi Karten's picture
Naomi Karten
Finding a Job You Love (or Loving the Job You Have)

If you don't love with your job, that's OK—not everyone does. But you can find ways to try to love it, or at least tolerate it. The key may be to do the job to the best of your ability so at least you can feel good about yourself. In the process, you’d be setting the stage for eventually finding a better job.

Naomi Karten's picture
Naomi Karten
What It Takes to Become an Expert

Malcolm Gladwell introduced the 10,000 Hours of Practice rule, which he claims is how long it takes to truly master a skill. The exact number may not be important, but it surely does take time and practice to hone our skills. Taking a quick coding course is useful, but to be an expert, there's no shortcut.

Lee Copeland's picture
Lee Copeland
Why Most Testers Hit a Developmental Wall

With automation, continuous integration, agile, and a slew of other testing innovations, the field has evolved into something new. However, one of the major issues that many testers are running into is that while the occupation itself is expanding, their own personal growth isn’t keeping pace.

Josiah Renaudin's picture
Josiah Renaudin