Programming Lessons Learned In 2010!
Here are some of the most important programming lessons that I learned in 2010 about being a software engineer.
- I never really truly the importance of a large professional network until I lost my long term contract back in March. I overcame my lack of effort of building a professional network to build a large professional network of over 1,600 direct connections in LinkedIn and a total network of over 14 million connections.
- Never count on a contract lasting as long as you expect. Contracts can and will end abruptly seemingly with notice. 2 of my contracts there lasted shorter than excepted but I was able to rebound quickly due to my large network. Protect yourself at all costs.
- Consulting vs Full Time Employment – Does it really matter if your making $40-$50 a hour if the job only lasts 3 months and it takes another month to find work? The hassles and stress of uncertainty contracting making a semi stable (at least for a few years) salary worth it (70-80 let’s say). At least you have benefits and vacation time. Despite what I’ve said over the past few years this can sometimes be worth it when you need some stability and want to settle down.
- The Right Location - In the event of finding your ideal location to work and settle down being a full time employee can and does makes sense especially when you are living in areas not normally known for having a ton of tech jobs.
- Recruiters Drive Me Nuts – Not all recruiters are good and not all of them are bad. Never deal with a recruiter in India if you are a US Citizen. They will stalk you. On numerous times I have had them call using fake caller id numbers and call 5 and 6 times a week. You’d think they’d get the hint if I don’t return a call I’m not interested. Recruiters will also not tell you the truth all the time. Recruiters also seem to think that they are the only 1 or 2 companies that are looking for work for you.
These are the most important programming lessons I’ve learned in 2010.
Sunday, December 19th, 2010