Ever caught yourself eyeing the newest, shiniest tech stack, imagining how stellar it would look on your resume?
Welcome to the world of Resume-Driven Development—a place where the lure of tech trends can sometimes cloud our vision of what truly matters. In my 10+ years of software development I have experienced so many times that I lost the count.
The Double-Edged Sword of Tech Choices
Let me tell you winning story. Sometime in 2015-16, I had to develop a feature in an extremely old tech stack. And it was my first project in the team. I talked to my director at that time about my hesitation of working on that stack.
I shared that it isn’t just me, most of the team members share the same concern. I was expecting a strong push back, but guess what? My director listened to the complain patiently and in fact he asked if I had some other proposal. Luckily I had half baked idea about creating a micro-service in a better stack and integrate with monolith implemented in the old stack. Furthermore, he asked if I can implement a POC.
Long story short, I was able to build a POC and eventually build a full fledged service which opened the gate to so many things which were previously not possible in the old monolith.
So many lessons there -
If you want something then ask for it. Don’t assume.
Great leaders care about the team’s morale more than you think.
But this whole conversation could have gone in altogether different direction. And that would have been okay too.
Remember Who You're Coding For
It's a simple truth that sometimes slips through the cracks: We code for a cause, to push our missions forward, not just to jazz up our resumes. Sure, experimenting with the latest frameworks and languages is exciting, but there's a time and place for everything.
Leaders, Take Note!
This isn't a one-way street. As leaders, creating a sandbox for innovation within our teams is vital. It's not just about keeping projects on track; it's about nurturing a culture where curiosity thrives, where team members feel valued and heard. It's a powerful tool for retention, fueling passion and loyalty by aligning personal growth with company goals.
Finding the Sweet Spot
So, here's the deal: Let's not fall into the trap of Resume-Driven Development. Instead, let's aim for that sweet spot where innovation meets impact, where our tech choices drive our companies forward without sidelining our professional growth.
As we navigate this journey, remember, the tech world is vast and varied. There's room for exploration and excitement, but let's keep our eyes on the prize—the success of our projects and the fulfillment of our team's potential.
To my fellow engineers and the brilliant minds leading the charge: Let's make every line of code count, for our missions, our teams, and yes, our resumes too, but in the right measure.
What do you think about resume-driven development?
Shoutouts for the week-
How universe conspired to get me a job at Meta by
A journey of someone who got into Meta and is now helping others via newsletter
Path to senior software engineer by
A great blog by a senior software engineer at Microsoft for engineers eying for promotion as well as about what it takes to do well as a senior engineer.
How I saved $70k a month in BigQuery by
Get into the trenches with Junaid while he showcases how he was able to save so many $$$s.
I loved the way you mentioned don’t fill the plate with existing stack, leave room for experimentation and innovation. I think that’s the key!
Great article and thanks so much for the mention!