The only developer qualification that matters
Use your existing experience to build an life of more meaning
Are you qualified to do the kind of work you do?
It's a tricky question.
Courses, certifications, or degrees can be a good start, but what's most important is learned on the job.
Why?
The software industry moves too fast.
Frameworks, tools, and libraries change constantly. Teams innovate and open source software evolves, while official "trainers" repeat outdated information.
I realised this after studying Computer Science at university.
99% theoretical. 1% practical.
For three years, my professors taught complicated algorithms. They completely ignored how teams build software in the real world (or just didn't know).
After I graduated, I was lucky to land a programming job.
I knew nothing about version control, OOP, and testing. That first job was when I really learned how to code.
A few roles later, I was building Java software at a much higher level.
The degree became irrelevant. My on-the-job experience was all that counted.
The fact is, there's no qualification for the kind of work you do.
It doesn't exist.
But yet, you're still qualified.
You're qualified through years grinding it out with your team, IDE, and CI pipeline.
When you sit down with developers in an interview and talk through your hard-won experience, it's obvious. You know your stuff. Nobody can argue with that.
The real question is, what are you going to do with it?
Your experience is your moat
Imagine a medieval castle.
Thick stone walls, towers, and a gatehouse.
All surrounded by a deep ditch, filled with water, and aquatic beasts. The moat.
A castle's moat stops invading armies from approaching the walls. Nobody can come close.
Similarly, your moat as a developer is the projects completed and experience won that gives you a unique talent stack. Nobody can come close.
Realising for the first time that you have a moat is special.
You no longer see yourself as replaceable. You recognise your skillset as unique. You're a one-of-a-kind developer who now has bargaining power.
In the past, I've used my moat to land pay rises, 4 day-weeks, and roles I was allowed to define for myself.
Dig your moat so deep that nobody can ever reach you.
If you're working a development job, that means improving your skills. Volunteering for the difficult tasks. Earning and learning.
This not only helps you land the best jobs, but you'll be way ahead of the competition for other opportunities too.
Taking your experience to the market
Some developers think their development experience is only worth something in the job market.
They'd be wrong.
If you're willing to be creative, you can use the exact same experiences to create a life that would be impossible in a job.
Think of all the industry insights and technical knowledge you have in your head.
How can you use it in ways that don't even involve building software?
Simple.
Create other kinds of value.
Turn what you know into articles, videos, or products that help others.
When you recognise your moat and learn to take advantage of it, you're compounding the years of hard work. Even when you begin a new venture, you're not starting again from zero.
I've been making the most of my dev experience since I left my job.
For a few years, I've been building a platform from which I can launch various side projects such as courses, ebooks, software, and coaching.
This platform is what others call a personal brand.
A personal brand is just a story about who you are and what you stand for. It gives people a reason to care about your work.
A few examples from developers I watch on YouTube:
- @marc-lou Building SaaS products while living in Bali.
- @WebDevJapan Scaling a freelance business from Japan.
- @joao__nm Building a software agency as a 21-year-old.
Building a personal brand feels awkward to some developers because they think they're bragging. That's understandable.
It's not for everybody. But if you recognise the importance of creating awareness of your work outside a small group of colleagues, it's one of the highest leverage ways to invest your time.
So ask yourself a question.
Are you doing valuable work or not?
If you are, you'd naturally want as many of the right people to see it as possible. That's exactly who a strong personal brand helps you attract.
If you're not, are you sure? Which of your skills do you take for granted? What do you assume others know? How could your experience help them? You're probably more valuable than you give yourself credit for.
The fact is, if you've been working in the industry for a while, you probably already have a significant moat. That's the beginning of your personal brand. Now, brainstorm who you're going to help and which aspects of your experience will best serve your future audience.
If you want help with any of this, you'll find free resources within my community Dev Creator Club.
Speak soon,
Tom