Being Geek: The Software Developer's Career Handbook

by Michael Lopp

Overview

As a software engineer, you recognize at some point that there's much more to your career than dealing with code. Is it time to become a manager? Tell your boss he’s a jerk? Join that startup? Author Michael Lopp recalls his own make-or-break moments with Silicon Valley giants such as Apple, Netscape, and Symantec in Being Geek — an insightful and entertaining book that will help you make better career decisions.

With more than 40 standalone stories, Lopp walks through a complete job life cycle, starting with the job interview and ending with the realization that it might be time to find another gig. Many books teach you how to interview for a job or how to manage a project successfully, but only this book helps you handle the baffling circumstances you may encounter throughout your career.

• Decide what you're worth with the chapter on "The Business"
• Determine the nature of the miracle your CEO wants with "The Impossible"
• Give effective presentations with "How Not to Throw Up"
• Handle liars and people with devious agendas with "Managing Werewolves"
• Realize when you should be looking for a new gig with "The Itch"

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780596155407
Publisher:	O'Reilly Media, Incorporated
Publication date:	08/14/2010
Pages:	318
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.40(h) x 0.80(d)

About the Author

Michael Lopp is a Silicon Valley-based engineering manager. When he's not worrying about staying relevant, he writes about pens, bridges, people, and werewolves at the popular weblog, Rands in Repose. Michael wrote a book called "Managing Humans" which explains that while you might be rewarded for what you produce, you will only be successful because of your people.

Table of Contents

Preface xi

Section 1 A Career Playbook

Chapter 1 How to Win 3

Chapter 2 A List of Three 9

Chapter 3 The Itch 17

Chapter 4 The Sanity Check 25

Chapter 5 The Nerves 31

Chapter 6 The Button 37

Chapter 7 The Business 45

Section 2 Deconstructing Management

Chapter 8 The Culture Chart 57

Chapter 9 Managing Managers 63

Chapter 10 The Issue with the Doof 73

Chapter 11 The Leaper 81

Chapter 12 The Enemy 87

Chapter 13 The Impossible 93

Chapter 14 Knee Jerks 99

Chapter 15 A Deep Breath 107

Chapter 16 Gaming the System 113

Chapter 17 Managing Werewolves 121

Chapter 18 BAB 127

Chapter 19 Your People 133

Chapter 20 Wanted 139

Chapter 21 The Toxic Paradox 147

Chapter 22 The Pond 155

Section 3 Your Daily Toolkit

Chapter 23 The Nerd Handbook 165

Chapter 24 The Taste of the Day 173

Chapter 25 The Trickle List 181

Chapter 26 The Crisis and the Creative 189

Chapter 27 The Foamy Rules for Rabid Tools 195

Chapter 28 Up to Nothing 203

Chapter 29 How to Not Throw Up 209

Chapter 30 Out Loud 215

Chapter 31 Bits, Features, and Truth 223

Chapter 32 The Reveal 233

Section 4 Your Next GIG

Chapter 33 The Screw-Me Scenario 245

Chapter 34 No Surprises 251

Chapter 35 A Deliberate Career 257

Chapter 36 The Curse of the Silicon Valley 265

Chapter 37 A Disclosure 271

Chapter 38 Mind the Gap 279

Chapter 39 The Exodus 287

Chapter 40 Bad News about Your Bright Future 295

Epilogue Hurry 301

Appendix The Rules of Back Alley Bridge 305

Index 311