Self-Improvement on Chris Harding

Tips for getting hired as a developer

Mon, 08 Jun 2020 10:34:03 +0000

Given the uptick in people looking for roles right now, I thought I’d share some tips for getting hired as a developer. These tips are things I look for when hiring developers, honed over many years and countless interviews. My aim is to shed some light on what people over the other side of the desk are thinking. Perhaps armed with this perspective, you will think differently about your own approach.

What are the differences between Enterprise and Startups?

Wed, 05 Feb 2020 13:10:03 +0000

Having moved between these two types of company, I wanted to capture my thoughts on the differences between enterprise and startups. Why would you work for one over the other? Is one option the clear winner?

Firstly, when I talk about enterprise and startups, what do I actually mean? For the context of this post, I’m talking about tech-enabled companies rather than tech-led. These are companies whose main source of revenue is not from the sale of tech per se, but is enhanced by it. Think banks or insurance companies rather than FAANG .

The First 90 Days

Sat, 04 Jan 2020 12:15:03 +0000

The First 90 Days by Michael D. Watkins is a must read for anyone looking to change role in their career. This means not only moving to a new company, but being promoted or even changing career. It details a set of methodologies which, if used, will ensure you succeed by contributing value as fast as possible. The book is a healthy mixture of commentary and practical tools.

Early wins … for the win

After reading the book, my main takeaway was making early wins. Intuitively, this makes sense but it was useful to see written down. When entering a new role, your boss and team will want to see results and validate their decision to hire. The main way to achieve this will be in your early wins.

How to effectively use your time

Sun, 25 Nov 2018 19:26:03 +0000

Effective use of your time can make a real difference to the impact you have. By employing good organisational techniques, you can achieve much more in those valuable hours than otherwise. Following the lessons I learned as a manager , I wanted to run through a couple of methods I use to structure my day both personally and at work.

Note that these are methods which work for me. I am not writing this as a golden bullet for all time management. It’s important to understand what works for you and tailor a system accordingly.

The Lean Startup

Sat, 16 Jun 2018 13:23:03 +0000

Following in the same vein as The Hard Thing About Hard Things , I am going to discuss The Lean Startup by Eric Ries . Devised in 2008 by Ries, the Lean methodology aims to put science around becoming an entrepreneur along with fostering an innovation environment. Ries demonstrates his model predominantly through examples of the company he helped to build, IMVU . One of the core tenants of Lean is maximising the value delivered to customers. By achieving maximum value, Lean states you will cut out wastage and ultimately thrive against competition. In order to achieve this, the concept of Validated Learning is introduced. Validated Learning is a process whereby you make assumptions, test and then measure their impact. This process allows you to obtain empirical evidence that your assumptions were indeed correct.

The Chimp Paradox

Sat, 21 Apr 2018 11:21:03 +0000

Following my review of The Hard Thing About Hard Things , I wanted to discuss The Chimp Paradox by Professor Steve Peters . The book focuses on how to change your way of thinking in order to achieve greater confidence, success and general happiness. Although it can sound a bit pop science throughout, the author does have extensive qualifications across various branches of science and medicine. Along with this, he has also worked with some impressive names such as Liverpool FC and the Sky Cycling team.