How to be a Six Figure Developer

Software and website developers are in extremely high demand and rates continue to climb, but many developers have not yet realized their potential. In this talk we lay out some simple and proven ways to measure your accomplishments, establish a personal brand, and increase your value to employers.

Transcript

1. Six Figure Developer
   How to Be a
   Gaines Kergosien - @gainesk
   

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2. My Brand
   (and yours?)
   

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3. Gaines Kergosien
   http://DotNetDude.Net
   twitter: @gainesk
   My Brand
   Senior Solutions Architect
   

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4. Branding
   Overview
   Assessment
   Establish Value
   Negotiation
   Tips
   

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5. • Are your skills in demand?
   • What’s your specialty?
   • Enough experience?
   • Years != Experience
   • Recognize soft skills
   • Are you under-valued?
   Assessment
   Know Your Value
   

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6. Assessment
   Know the Market
   Top companies for most Senior Software salaries reported at GlassDoor.com
   Qualifications
   • 5+ years of design and coding experience with C# and .NET
   • Proven experience designing, implementing & delivering complex
   software projects that span across multiple teams & releases
   • Excellent communication, collaboration, cross-group skills
   • Bachelor’s degree or higher in computer science or related fields
   

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7. • Quantify Past Results
   • Problems Solved
   • Increased Efficiency
   • Increased Sales
   • Decreased Risk
   • Assign Dollar Values
   • Solicit Recommendations
   Prove your worth!
   Establish Value
   

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8. Branding
   

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9. • Google Yourself
   • Buy a Domain
   • Blogging
   • Speaking
   • Thought Leadership
   Branding
   

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10. • Just Start!
    • Problems = Opportunities
    • Solicit Feedback
    You can do it!
    Branding - Blogging / Speaking
    

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11. • Company lunch-and-learns*
    • Contact local user group leaders
    • Conference call for speakers
    • http://groups.google.com/group/speaknet
    How do I start?
    Branding - Speaking
    * Great justification for sending you to conferences!
    

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12. Branding - Blogging
    

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13. • Tumblr (simple)
    • WordPress (most popular)
    • Blogger (middle ground)
    • Ghost (open source)
    • Weebly (sleek, basic)
    • Squarespace ($)
    • TypePad ($$, easy)
    Branding - Blogging Platforms
    

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14. • Announce events
    • Twitter
    • Blog
    • Share involvement
    • Online
    • Resume
    • Encourage others
    Promote Thought Leadership!
    Branding – Thought Leadership
    

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15. • Google Yourself
    • Buy a Domain
    • Blogging
    • Speaking
    • Thought Leadership
    • Resume
    Branding
    

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16. Branding - Resume
    

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17. What NOT to do!
    Branding – Resume
    

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18. • http://resume.yourdomain.com
    • Submit Tailored Versions
    • Solicit Feedback
    Your First Interview
    Branding - Resume
    

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19. • Start with Skills and Expertise*
    • Tailor to Specific Needs
    Branding - Resume
    

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20. • Google Yourself
    • Buy a Domain
    • Blogging
    • Speaking
    • Thought Leadership
    • Resume
    • Business Cards
    Branding
    

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21. What NOT to do!
    Branding – Business Cards
    

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22. • Plan Ahead
    • Simplicity Stands Out
    • Name
    • Email
    • Phone Number
    • Website
    • White Space is Useful
    Represent yourself!
    Branding – Business Cards
    

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23. Don’t cheap out!
    Branding – Business Cards
    

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24. • Google Yourself
    • Buy a Domain
    • Blogging
    • Speaking
    • Thought Leadership
    • Resume
    • Business Cards
    • Networking
    Branding
    

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25. • Social Profiles
    • Discover Passions & Pains
    • Follow Up!
    • Feed People ***
    • Take Interest in Projects
    • Seek Opportunities to Help
    Branding - Networking
    *** Gratuitous asterisks
    

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26. • Research the Position
    • Set Targets
    • Portray an Image
    • Balance Humility with Pride
    • Present Your Value
    • Request Offer
    • Provide a Range
    • Treat No as an Opportunity
    • Do Not Fear Change!
    Negotiation
    

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27. • You are a valuable commodity!
    • Change jobs every 2-3 years (>3 months)
    • Open source work on GitHub or other repositories
    • Be confident! *
    Tips
    

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28. • Decide on a Brand
    • Buy a Domain Name
    • Start a Blog
    • Order Business Cards
    • Attend Local Events
    • Start Speaking
    • Nurture Relationships
    Find me at http://dotnetdude.net
    Contact me on twitter @gainesk
    Feedback at http://spkr8.com/t/38641
    Review
    

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