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Tag: engineers

What Do You Call A Group Of Engineers?
Published 2021/10/24

What Do You Call A Group Of Engineers?

There are gaggles of geese.

A group of bears is referred to as a sloth of bears.

There are the well-known teams of oxen, hives of bees, and packs of wolves.

We even collectively group people together.

There are companies of actors. Bands of musicians. Regiments of soldiers.

Yet there are no generally well-known listings for Engineers.

Go ahead, look it up. After spending more than a few minutes of research here there is shockingly little in the way of generally agreed upon group nomenclature for some of the finest groups of humans to ever walk this earth.

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Oh, How Your Goals Will Change
Published 2021/09/26

Oh, How Your Goals Will Change

There are a few things that have become rote at certain events in our lives.

These events are not guaranteed for every person. However, they have become so embedded in our culture to have becomes almost cliched caricatures of the original meaning and intent. They are as embedded as decorating a tree at Christmas and finding candy-filled eggs at Easter.

Yet when it comes to jobs, making money, and being a professional there are also some tried and true customs.

These aren’t your familial holiday traditions.

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Your Salary And Title At Work Do Not Define You
Published 2021/08/19

Your Salary And Title At Work Do Not Define You

Think back to the last time you met someone new.

The circumstances may end up dictating the conversation – if you are on a sinking boat you probably won’t stop to chat with the person next to you while you are both trying to stay afloat.

However, in many social situations, meeting a new person often goes something like this:

“Hey, Kevin, I would like you to meet my [insert one of the following: friend/co-worker/teammate/acquaintance/random person I just met], so-and-so.”

“Hi, so-and-so! How are you?”

“I’m good. Thanks for asking. So…. what do you do for a living?”

It may not always happen that quickly and it may be asked in different forms, but thinking back over meeting new humans in my lifetime that question comes up a lot.

Which begs an even greater question: why do we insist on defining new people that we meet by their jobs?

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We’ve Got Talent, Yes We Do, We’ve Got Talent, What About You?
Published 2021/08/16

We’ve Got Talent, Yes We Do, We’ve Got Talent, What About You?

No, this isn’t a high school football game. Yes, this was channeled in the spirit of cheering everyone on.

However, instead of spirit, we need to talk about talent.

Inspiration comes from many places and will strike when you least expect it. Today, it came in the form of scrolling through one of my daily read websites.

This one was The Verge. While looking over the daily tech news they had a Vox Media careers blub nestled among the regular news about crypto-this and Apple that.

It simply read: “We’re building great things, and we need your talent“

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How High Do Developers Jump?Photo by Kid Circus on Unsplash
Published 2021/06/27

How High Do Developers Jump?

How high can you jump? The answer doesn’t really matter – the whole question is theoretical in any case. The real question is – when your boss tells you to jump what initial thrust is needed and at what angle to achieve the desired flight path while sailing through the air. It might also just be the case that your boss doesn’t even want you to jump at all. Sit down. This isn’t about leaping about all nimbly-bimbly here and there. What this is about is a discussion about professional development as a software developer. The jumping metaphor is a great way to describe a transition for any developer from a fresh-faced newbie to a more seasoned next level developer. You know, one of those people that now has just enough information to be dangerous? Let’s take a step back and not jump to any conclusions yet. See what I…

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You Do NOT Have To Code In Your Spare Time To Be SuccessfulPhoto by Etienne Girardet on Unsplash
Published 2020/10/17

You Do NOT Have To Code In Your Spare Time To Be Successful

Recently I saw a comment or a tweet about Engineers and Doctors. This is the type of message that I wish I had the forethought to save somewhere because I keep thinking about it. As a follower of the beg, borrow, or steal philosophy, I have co-opted this idea into my own, but it is always best to give credit to the originator. In this case, I did not save it so I don’t have that information, so I apologize in advance, random internet person. Anyways, the message went something like this (as I recall in my own words): Why are Engineers always getting asked what side projects they are working on? Why is there an expectation that a good Engineer always needs to be working on work outside of work? We don’t ask Doctors if they perform surgeries on their days off or over weekend breaks, so why is…

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99% Of Successful Software Engineers Practice These 10 Habits & Skills
Published 2020/02/19

99% Of Successful Software Engineers Practice These 10 Habits & Skills

Engineers are like snowflakes, no two are the same. Every snowflake that has ever formed is constituted from different atoms in a unique configuration. This is similar to Software Engineers where no matter how similar the learning path, no two will ever be identical in their developmental skills and abilities. However, even with different levels of aptitude, the people that rise to the top and can be considered as the most successful are the ones that build solid a foundation of habits and skills that allow them to perform closer to peak efficiency longer and consistently have higher quality output over a longer period of time. Over many years both participating in Software Engineering projects and while managing other people performing this role, the following traits have stood out among the most successful people to hold this title. These are a collection of skills and habits that increase efficiency and…

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Can I Be A Superhero Manager?
Published 2019/12/08

Can I Be A Superhero Manager?

Look, there in the sky! Is it a plane? Is it a new tower or bridge? Or is it … the Engineering Manager?!

While reflecting on the reasons for pursuing a management path in Engineering, it is clear that the drive to ascend to this role did not include an objective of wearing a cape. It is my earnest opinion that it can be said with reasonable confidence that not many people wake up and say to themselves: ‘I am going to go out and try and be a superhero today’. Specifically, not many Engineering Managers.

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