Career damaging self description

http://www.itworld.com/video?bcpid=1578108607&bclid=1588003312&bctid=23220283001

by abennett • 17 years ago

15 6 17 years ago

itworld.com

"I am a X programmer" (for arbitrary values of X), is not a good way to describe yourself in my opinion.

jcromartie• 17 years ago

The problem is that it's already too late to help the people that need to hear this advice.

villageidiot• 17 years ago

I disagree. He has two points. The first - Dont call yourself a "Java programmer" (for example) because your job most likely will use more than Java and the self-description may contrain your career options. Instead use more general self-descriptions like "Database Expert" or "Web Developer". The second - Learn multiple languages to give yourself a flexible mental framework with which to solve problems.

I don't think it's too late for anyone to hear this advice. I thought it was quite helpful.

teehee• 17 years ago

He sounds like an Irish Bob Ross. Let's put a nice happy little tree on your resume :)

RiderOfGiraffes2• 17 years ago

I'm saving myself a little time here by copying this text from a previous comment:

Warning: Auto-starting video

Finding which tab out of 30 tabs in 5 browser windows is annoyingly difficult.

Please - it's in the guidelines - put a warning in the title.

CalmQuiet• 17 years ago

Am I the only one who thinks that video is a highly inefficient (linear) way to communicate such a collection of ideas?: I must invest 10 minutes to see what ideas are new (i.e., I can't scan down the bullet points of a table of contents; nor can my eyes scan back up to consider an earlier point).

[ After all: he wouldn't suggest I tax the time of a prospective employer by sending my resume as a video. ]

Having the video as an additional option/supplement to the text it WAY more respectful to the visitor to the page. IMHO.

RiderOfGiraffes2• 17 years ago

After 3 minutes he's said:

  Don't describe yourself as an XXX programmer.
  Languages come and go.

Great insight - I switched off there, I can't be bothered spending another 7 minutes finding out another (extrapolating) at most two obvious points.

Career damaging self description

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