Regardless of industry, regardless of role - we all face problems. They may be technical related, code related, or people related - they lead to bugs, degraded performance, outages, security breaches, lost revenue.
Problem solving is a critical part of any technologists life - and yet, training on effective problem solving techniques is rare. Wouldn't it be great if we had a formalized set of tools that we could immediately use when faced with a problem?
Whether you suffer from analysis paralysis, or rely a lot on intuition, instinct or experience - this talk aims to show that problems are just solutions in disguise.
Recorded live, virtual TechCoach session with the Greater Nashville Technology Council, on August 6th, 2021
Sources and Good Reads
Thinking in Systems by Donella H. Meadows
Cracked it! by Bernard Garrette
What's Your Problem? by Thomas Wedell-Wedellsborg
How Would You Move Mount Fuji? by William Poundstone
The Success Equation by Michael Mauboussin
Stan Browne, Deb Clark, et. al - PDHPE Application & Inquiry, 2nd Ed. Oxford University Press, 2009
500 Mile Email ( https://www.ibiblio.org/harris/500milemail.html )
A simple checklist that saves lives ( https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/magazine/fall08checklist )
How statistics can be misleading - Mark Liddell ( https://youtu.be/sxYrzzy3cq8 )
Working Backwards to Solve Problems ( https://youtu.be/v34NqCbAA1c )
The Sinking of the Titanic Cause Map ( https://www.thinkreliability.com/case_studies/the-sinking-of-the-titanic-cause-map/ )
How to Use the Fishbone Tool for Root Cause Analysis ( https://www.cms.gov/medicare/provider-enrollment-and-certification/qapi/downloads/fishbonerevised.pdf )
How to Make Progress Bars Feel Faster to Users ( https://uxmovement.com/buttons/how-to-make-progress-bars-feel-faster-to-users/ )
Job seeking is hard - especially when you factor the ambiguity around expectations, the lack of transparency and consistency around process. It's frustrating dealing with the sheer subjectivity of everyone's opinions. Just think of even the basics: How long should your resume really be? Traditional black and white, or modern? Should you include a headshot? Oh - and cover letters - are those needed? Is anyone actually reading the cover letter? What are they looking for? Is there a bias for people with a more traditional background? Worst of all: The dreaded typo that you catch only after applying to your dream job. Are typos really going to cost you the opportunity??? To help bring some clarity to the process, I surveyed a bunch of hiring managers. The results were really interesting, and very illuminating. If you're on the job hunt, I hope this information helps out! One final note: My recent post, 7 Steps to Writing an Amazing Resume , factors a lot of this feedba
Since sharing my resume template I've received plenty of feedback from job seekers, HR and hiring managers - all of whom value its purpose. Two (now former!) jobseekers even shared that as soon as they used my template, they were getting calls. Something about this template works, and given the traction it's getting others, I wanted to share - in more detail - why this approach works so well. Before continuing, let me give an important disclaimer: This resume isn't a miracle cure that's going to land anyone their dream job. Unless they're filled with lies, resumes are only as good as the candidate themselves. But they can also be a whole lot worse. This template and approach are all about maximizing the potential candidates have by highlighting and summarizing key areas. Last point before beginning: If you don't know me, it's worth stating this advice comes from more than a decade of having hiring a broad range of coders: straight out of college, high
Often when I suggest to coders that they build a portfolio, I'll hear back: "I don't need one..." "With all the effort it takes to apply, where will I find the time?" Simply put, having a portfolio's never going to hurt your chances at landing a job - it can only help. That second question is where a lot of struggle - because applying to jobs can be time consuming. Especially if you're wrapping up a bootcamp, or having to manually type in your resume info after uploading your resume. That's why I made these 7 steps which, when done correctly, can really help you stand out with a hiring manager. And, the best part is, it should only take you 2 days. Being the Agile-Obsessive that I am, it's all about maximizing value while minimizing effort. Fix links to your Resume, GitHub, LinkedIn, etc. at the top where they're always accessible. Link to everything here - and then remove all other links on your Resume except your Portfolio link . It sa
I wonder if psychologists hate the over-use of "Impostor Syndrome" the way techies hate when one of our terms gets overused (ahem... #LifeHack) With that in mind, while the term may get over-used, I don't think you can over-discuss strategies for coping with the feeling. Whenever I talk about it with others the common thread is a sense that you never truly belong because you are never confident that you know enough , are talented enough , or grasp complexities fast enough . It can be so humbling when you see someone make some logical leap and create a solution out of thin air. It leaves you thinking: "I could never do that..." But that's why experience is so valuable. Professional experience, personal experience, project experience - all that hard work turns into potential solutions for future problems . Unfortunately we rarely see the hard work others put in, so their solutions seem to appear out of nowhere. As a result, we doubt ourselves. Gainin
With Thanksgiving almost upon us, most hiring managers are likely not going to review anything until after Thanksgiving. This is a PERFECT time to work on your portfolio and GitHub. Here are my quick thoughts on how you can build something that will really help you stand out. Update [5/19/2022]: Now that you've build your portfolio MVP, check out your next steps !
