97 Things Every Java Programmer Should Know

Chapter 92. Using the Power of Community to Enhance Your Career

Sam Hepburn

It’s no longer enough to just be a great Java developer. If you want to advance your career, you need to be blogging, speaking at conferences, engaging on social media, committing to open source, and the list goes on. This can feel like a daunting task and you’re probably asking yourself, “Why? Why is my technical ability not enough?” Well, the short answer is that a lot of the time, the people making decisions about your career will never see your code. You need to ensure that those people are hearing and seeing your name.

The Silver Lining

You don’t need to do it all, and there are communities to help you along the way. If the idea of standing on a stage in front of 10, 50, 100, or more people literally puts you into a panic attack, don’t do it.

On the other hand, if you’re nervous and feel like you’ve got nothing to say, that’s something that a community can help with. Have you ever fixed an issue you’ve been fighting with and thought to yourself, “If only I could have learned from someone who’s done this already”? Everyone has these thoughts; they make for great subjects to cover in a talk or blog post.

If it’s the fear of talking on stage, then start off small: present something to your team before submitting to a local Java User Group (JUG) or conference.

How Can Community Help?

As well as building ...