Staying passionate about your craft

Recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JhcC6BJ5W1A

Like projects, careers aren't static and they definitely have their ups and downs. And while work isn't the most important thing in life, it does take up a sizeable amount of our time. So how can you remain excited to go to work every morning?

In this talk, Jeroen will reflect back at his decade long software development career. We'll have a laugh at all the poor choices he made, see how luck tends to shape the most pivotal moments and even have an open conversation about the absolute lows.

From leading a 14+ people team, to becoming a GDE, starting his own business, doing remote work being 9(!) timezones ahead and having three lovely children... It makes for an interesting story, but not a silver bullet to a happy career. Hopefully though, Jeroen's experiences and failures may help you make better choices.

Transcript

1. @MOLSJEROEN STAYING PASSIONATE ABOUT YOUR CRAFT
2. @MOLSJEROEN
3. @MOLSJEROEN WHO AM I?
4. PART 1 HOW DID I GET HERE?
5. @MOLSJEROEN Hardware or Software? • Philips Innovation Lab • Prototypes around streaming Audio • Android, iOS, trainings, press, interns, … PHASES OF MY CAREER Learn to work 2011
6. @MOLSJEROEN Of course Jeroen can do that! • iCapps • Android consultancy • Android, Xamarin, architecture PHASES OF MY CAREER Learn to work Specializing 2011 2013
7. @MOLSJEROEN So Jeroen, what do we do now? • Philips Hue • Android team lead • Android, architecture, strategy,… PHASES OF MY CAREER Learn to work Specializing Team lead Remote 2011 2013 2016
8. @MOLSJEROEN Where do I go now? • Plaid • Software engineer • Android, iOS, React (native), Ruby, Go, Docker, Python, Bash… PHASES OF MY CAREER Learn to work Specializing Team lead Remote 2011 2013 2016 2019
9. @MOLSJEROEN PHASES OF MY CAREER Learn to work Specializing Remote 2011 2013 2016 2019 Team lead
10. @MOLSJEROEN PHASES OF MY CAREER Learn to work Specializing Remote 2011 2013 2016 2019 Team lead
11. @MOLSJEROEN PHASES OF MY CAREER Learn to work Specializing Remote 2011 2013 2016 2019 Team lead
12. @MOLSJEROEN PHASES OF MY CAREER Learn to work Specializing Remote 2011 2013 2016 2019 Team lead
13. @MOLSJEROEN PHASES OF MY CAREER Learn to work Specializing Remote 2011 2013 2016 2019 Team lead
14. PART 2 DEFINING MOMENTS
15. @MOLSJEROEN 2012 - Not a real app developer DEFINING MOMENTS Learn to work Specializing Remote 2011 2013 2016 2019 Team lead
16. @MOLSJEROEN
17. @MOLSJEROEN BUILDING MY OWN APP 👎 Product success 👎 Impact on personal life 👍 Learning 👍 Fun! Learnings: • Shipping things feels great • Pick smaller projects • Portfolio is very valuable Use of my time
18. SHIPPING IS A THRILL CODE <> TEST <> DEPLOY <> MONITOR
19. @MOLSJEROEN
20. @MOLSJEROEN 2012 - Not a real app developer 2013 - Bad performance review DEFINING MOMENTS Learn to work Specializing Remote 2011 2013 2016 2019 Team lead
21. @MOLSJEROEN   ✉    🗪  BY ANDY ZIEGLER < INSPIRING LEGO IMAGE >
22. @MOLSJEROEN COMMUNICATION
23. @MOLSJEROEN COMMUNICATION  
24. @MOLSJEROEN GETTING A BAD PERFORMANCE REVIEW 👎 Felt under appreciated 👎 Left company 👍 Shaped my career Learnings: • Creating impact != Working long hours Use of my time
25. FOCUS ON IMPACT WHAT IS EXPECTED OF YOU?
26. @MOLSJEROEN BY DIGINIK13 < INSPIRING LEGO IMAGE >
27. @MOLSJEROEN 2012 - Not a real app developer 2013 - Bad performance review 2014 - All my talks are getting rejected DEFINING MOMENTS Learn to work Specializing Remote 2011 2013 2016 2019 Team lead
28. @MOLSJEROEN MY FIRST SUCCESSFUL REJECTION
29. @MOLSJEROEN TRYING MY LUCK AT BARCAMP 👎 Small crowd 👍 Spoke at a real conference 👍 Out of comfort zone Learnings: • “How to do X” as a talk/blog subject • Talk/write about experience Use of my time
30. CREATE YOUR OPPORTUNITIES EVEN SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE STARTED SMALL
31. @MOLSJEROEN 2012 - Not a real app developer 2013 - Bad performance review 2014 - All my talks are getting rejected 2015 - Being a father DEFINING MOMENTS Learn to work Specializing Remote 2011 2013 2016 2019 Team lead
32. @MOLSJEROEN
33. @MOLSJEROEN
34. @MOLSJEROEN STARTING A FAMILY 👎 No more me time 👎 Giving up control 👍 Kids are awesome 👍 Being a father Learnings: • Better perspective • Work smarter not harder Use of my time
35. ASSUME GOOD INTENTIONS BE KIND, GIVE COMPLEMENTS, SPARK JOY
36. @MOLSJEROEN 2012 - Not a real app developer 2013 - Bad performance review 2014 - All my talks are getting rejected 2015 - Being a father 2017 - Becoming a GDE DEFINING MOMENTS Learn to work Specializing Remote 2011 2013 2016 2019 Team lead
37. @MOLSJEROEN 2012 - Not a real app developer 2013 - Bad performance review 2014 - All my talks are getting rejected 2015 - Being a father 2017 - Becoming a GDE DEFINING MOMENTS Learn to work Specializing Remote 2011 2013 2016 2019 Team lead
38. @MOLSJEROEN => It is not about skill!
39. @MOLSJEROEN 2012 - Not a real app developer 2013 - Bad performance review 2014 - All my talks are getting rejected 2015 - Being a father 2017 - Becoming a GDE → Building a social following DEFINING MOMENTS Learn to work Specializing Remote 2011 2013 2016 2019 Team lead
40. @MOLSJEROEN BUILDING A SOCIAL FOLLOWING 
41. @MOLSJEROEN BUILDING A SOCIAL FOLLOWING ✏ 
42. @MOLSJEROEN BUILDING A SOCIAL FOLLOWING ✏  
43. @MOLSJEROEN TWITTER FOLLOWERS
44. @MOLSJEROEN BLOG PAGE VIEWS
45. @MOLSJEROEN APPROXIMATE TIME INVESTMENT Blogging Tweeting Speaking • 70 posts • 5h/post • 4310 tweets • 2min/tweet • 14 unique talks • 40h/talk
46. @MOLSJEROEN APPROXIMATE TIME INVESTMENT Blogging Tweeting Speaking • 70 posts • 5h/post => 350 hours • 4310 tweets • 2min/tweet => 145 hours • 14 unique talks • 40h/talk => 560 hours => 132 working days 🤯
47. @MOLSJEROEN BUILDING A SOCIAL FOLLOWING 👎 Time investment 👎 Free labor 👍 Community building 👍 Loved shipping something Learnings: • Consistency is key • Niche subjects Use of my time
48. @MOLSJEROEN PHASES OF MY CAREER
49. DON’T NEED TO BLOG/SPEAK DOESN’T DEFINE YOUR CRAFT
50. @MOLSJEROEN 2012 - Not a real app developer 2013 - Bad performance review 2014 - All my talks are getting rejected 2015 - Being a father 2017 - Building a social following 2018 - The promo that wasn’t DEFINING MOMENTS Learn to work Specializing Remote 2011 2013 2016 2019 Team lead
51. @MOLSJEROEN
52. @MOLSJEROEN < INSPIRING LEGO IMAGE >
53. @MOLSJEROEN LESSONS LEARNED • Acknowledge the bad • Focus on your happiness • Be transparent • Lead by example • Team building • Leverage the power of the team • Have faith
54. @MOLSJEROEN BEING A TEAM LEAD 👎 High personal cost 👎 Great people left 👎 Very little coding 👍 Grew tremendous as a person 👍 Eventually good results Learnings: • Radically transparency • Not happy when not coding Use of my time
55. MAY NOT WANT THAT PROMO HOW TO MAXIMIZE WORK RETURNS?
56. @MOLSJEROEN 2012 - Not a real app developer 2013 - Bad performance review 2014 - All my talks are getting rejected 2015 - Being a father 2017 - Building a social following 2018 - The promo that wasn’t 2019 - Getting fi red DEFINING MOMENT Learn to work Specializing Remote 2011 2013 2016 2019 Team lead
57. @MOLSJEROEN BY KYLE HARDISTY < INSPIRING LEGO IMAGE >
58. @MOLSJEROEN GOING FULLY REMOTE Situation • Invoice using my own business • Full remote • Same timezone • 14h fl ight to nearest of fi ce • Paid in Euros Philips Hue 3 weeks off Over
59. @MOLSJEROEN GETTING FIRED Situation • Unemployed • 2 months severance Philips Hue 3 weeks off Over 💥
60. @MOLSJEROEN ❤ COMMUNITY 👁 84.223  3913 ♥ 270  243 🗩 21
61. @MOLSJEROEN BUILDING A SOCIAL FOLLOWING 👎 Time investment 👎 Free labor 👍 Community building Learnings: • Consistency is key • Niche subjects Use of my time
62. @MOLSJEROEN FREELANCING Situation • Invoice using my own business • Full remote • Same timezone → 1 hour difference • 14h fl ight to nearest of fi ce → 2 hour train • Paid in Euros → Paid in British Pounds Philips Hue Wise Over
63. @MOLSJEROEN STABILITY Situation • Invoice using my own business • Full remote • 1 hour difference → 9 hours difference • 2 hour train → 11 hour fl ight • Paid in British Pounds → Paid in US dollars Philips Hue Wise Plaid
64. @MOLSJEROEN GETTING FIRED 👎 No stable income 👎 High stress levels 👍 Landed a job with Plaid Learnings: • The Android community is amazing • Sometimes setbacks end up being blessings Use of my time
65. DARE TO TAKE RISK WORST CASE IS BETTER THAN YOU THINK
66. @MOLSJEROEN 2012 - Not a real app developer 2013 - Bad performance review 2014 - All my talks are getting rejected 2015 - Being a father 2017 - Building a social following 2018 - The promo that wasn’t 2019 - Getting fi red 2022 - Stuck in Android DEFINING MOMENT Learn to work Specializing Remote 2011 2013 2016 2019 Team lead
67. @MOLSJEROEN BY FORCE MOVIES PRODUCTIONS < INSPIRING LEGO IMAGE >
68. @MOLSJEROEN
69. @MOLSJEROEN BY NUR_H < INSPIRING LEGO IMAGE >
70. @MOLSJEROEN
71. @MOLSJEROEN BY KEVIN POULTON < INSPIRING LEGO IMAGE >
72. LEARNING IS FUN EXPERIMENT, BE CURIOUS AND EXPLORE
73. PART 3 WERE DO I GO FROM HERE?
74. BY JULIEN MERCIER < INSPIRING LEGO IMAGE >
75. WRAP UP
76. @MOLSJEROEN WRAP UP • Shipping is a thrill • Focus on impact • Create your opportunities • Assume good intentions • Don’t need to blog/speak • May not want that promo • Dare to take risk • Learning is fun
77. @MOLSJEROEN HTTPS://JEROENMOLS.COM/BLOG
78. @MOLSJEROEN IMAGE CREDITS • Welcome image by Júlia Vazquez 
 https://www. fl ickr.com/photos/juldavs/51921868550/ • 'R' is for Rachel and Ross by Andy Ziegler 
 https://www. fl ickr.com/photos/andyziegler/52696702889/ • Katherine the programmer by DigiNik13 
 https://www. fl ickr.com/photos/ fl ipimages/51196606295/ • Alone by Kyle Hardisty 
 https://www. fl ickr.com/photos/cautionbricks/38539319785 • The Fisherman of Hong Kong by Force Movies Productions 
 https://www. fl ickr.com/photos/147647726@N06/26874372498 • Anxiety SOOC by nur_h 
 https://www. fl ickr.com/photos/nhussein/5643276817 • Water skiing... by Kevin Poulton 
 https://www. fl ickr.com/photos/kevinpoulton/50342337656 • Classic space team by Julien Mercier 
 https://www. fl ickr.com/photos/julien-mercier/25607729457 
 Font awesome • https://fontawesome.com/
79.  MOLSJEROEN