Books for software engineers and managers

Show Your Work

Show Your Work

10 Ways to Share Your Creativity and Get  Discovered

by Auston Kleon, Author of Steal Like an  Artist

Categories:
Star Engineer,
New Engineer,
Designer

How strongly do I recommend Show Your Work?
7 / 10

Review of Show Your Work

Show Your Work is a quick inspirational read, particularly useful for introverts that equate self promotion with attention seeking.

Read this book with a “what if” mindset, as in “what if I tried blogging something small I learned everyday?”



Raw enthusiasm is  contagious

Amateurs, novices, and beginners often convey unbridled enthusiasm that draws people in.

I remember learning SQL and telling everyone how great it was. SQL is still great, but I don’t stand in awe the way I did back then. I just write SQL to do the job I’m trying to get done.

So when I see a junior developer learning about databases, I hope to catch that contagious excitement as they run to me exclaiming about their newfound powers.

Find something you want to learn and commit to learning it in  public

Lately code school grads on LinkedIn have been doing a 100 days of coding challenge. It’s amazing. They’re learning new skills right before our eyes and putting themselves out there for all to see.

The authors make a good point that the best time to teach someone is relatively soon after you’ve learned something. It’s much more difficult for an expert to teach a newbie than someone newly proficient.

Sharing your influences hints at who you are and what you  do

Sharing your inspiration and influences is a lower bar and still speaks to your knowledge and creativity.

Publish work at the intersection of educational and  promotional

Many people fear self promotion. They’d love to help people and teach, but want to make it all about the work.

The fear of self promotion is worth overcoming. The reality is that nobody thinks about you as much as you think about yourself. And if you get a troll or belligerent critic, just block them.

Show Your Work