Getting into IT with Grant

Before we can talk about how to lead a software development team, we have to talk about leadership as a discipline.  We'll look to George Washington, Napoleon Bonaparte, Captain David Marquet, and General Stanley McChrystal for good examples of how to organize groups of people to achieve a goal in a rapidly changing landscape.

We will then extend these examples into business and finally into information technology and engineering.  By the end of this episode, we will have talked about the value of decentralized command and how to lead a modern software development team to achieve goals and become high performing.

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Our Sponsor:

Electronic Specifier Insights Podcast
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/electronic-specifier-insights/id1508314202

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Additional Resources:

David Marquet, Turn the Ship Around!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OqmdLcyES_Q

Team of Teams
https://www.amazon.com/Team-Teams-Rules-Engagement-Complex/dp/1591847486

Jocko Willink's Extreme Ownership Muster
https://echelonfront.com/muster/

Did you know that Southwest Airlines can fly internationally?  I was the technical lead on their international flights program, and in this episode I share a little bit about the behind-the-scenes technical issues associated with that new business offering. 

I dig into one problem in particular: how to modify a 20-year-old flight dispatch system to accurately identify new mission types based on an aircraft's equipment.

And, a big thank you to our sponsors:

https://simpletranscribe.com

One of the more common questions I get is "what's the difference between software engineer and software developer?"  Well, here's the answer!  We'll discuss what engineering is first, then dive into the specifics that set apart a software engineer from a developer, and we'll even discuss how software architecture fits into the mix.  For good measure, we'll have to touch on Agile and DevOps, but we'll mostly stick to software engineering as defined by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and how the software development lifecycle relates to all of this.  We've got lots to cover to explain the difference!

What makes a resume effective?  No, not what font or layout to use, but HOW to convey WHAT information so that you get an interview!  The goal of the resume is to get a call back after all, that's where its purpose ends.  The best resume in the world won't get you the job, but it can give you an opportunity to shine in front of the hiring manager.

So, hear some perspective on what a job requisition is and what the purpose of a resume is.  Then, top it all off with a real review of a resume from a Cybersecurity applicant for an entry-level position.  By the end of this episode, you should have a clear goal and method for producing a killer resume to land your next job!

Everybody feels undercompensated at some point in their career, but asking for a raise isn't as simple as busting into your manager's office and telling them you deserve more money!  In this episode, I explain how to do market research and put together a solid strategy for winning over your manager and showing the other stakeholders in your career what value you bring to the table.  You heard that right, your manager isn't the only person you need to consider, so let's discuss how to be successful at handling this conversation as well as what to do if you tried hard but your raise is still denied.

Hear first hand what it's like to work on Top Secret, classified programs as an engineer.  Is this work as interesting as it sounds, or is it surprisingly boring!?  I'll share my experience and tell what I'm authorized to tell so you can gain an insight into what it is actually like to work on a Top Secret program.  Maybe you'll decide this is the life for you and go apply! 

Most of the episode focuses on the BAMS program and my work on the Electronic Intelligence (ELINT) systems of the Global Hawk.  If you have no idea what it's like to work for a defense company on embedded systems and secret programs, then here's your chance to learn!

I've been hearing a lot of complaints about LeetCode, but don't let the things you read online get you down!  Take control of your interview by preparing and understanding what is going on when you write code and submit it for review.  Your score isn't what it seems and you're not as bad off, or stuck in an automated system, as it feels.

I did not use LeetCode in my interviews when I recorded this episode, but I do know a lot about the tool, have used it, and have also used competitors like HackerRank professionally.  I share my thoughts with you in this episode on the interview process, as well as some tips for getting your head in the interview game so you have an edge on the competition.

DevOps has finally emerged onto the scene in IT and Engineering and has quickly become a bad word!  In this episode, we discuss how it's not a fad, is actually very straightforward, and is something your team can easily take on with the right support from your company's leaders.  Listen to the common pitfalls and anti-patterns associated with combining Development and Operations, and hear how you can overcome them while finding the right approach for your team.

What comes next in your career after Senior Engineer or Senior Developer?  For some people it is Manager, for others it is Architect - don't get to Senior Dev without knowing what the rest of your career path looks like!  I share a little bit about what management is in this episode as well as my own reasons for going into it instead of remaining a software developer.  Your reasons are your own, so hear my story and reflect on your own situation!

You can become a Senior Engineer in as little as 2 years after college, learn how I did it! Being a Senior comes with it's own career risks and not everybody should climb the career ladder to this level so quickly. If you're not motivated by job titles but are motivated by compensation instead, a different path may be better for you. I discuss both in this episode and give advice to my younger self, a college grad, or a self-taught developer who is just starting out on in their career.