Worry About Saving Your Next Job, Not Your Current One.
Most of us work hard day in and day out to prove our worth in our current job, but the skills we should develop the most are the ones we’ll need for our next job.
This is Visual Studio magazine’s advice to developers, a tip that applies to just about any career. Think of your skill set as a package that will sell to your next employer:
[Keyword] is “package”. While my employer would like to have the perfect employee who is good at everything, my employer admitted that he must agree with me: someone who excelled in some areas and had shortcomings in other areas. My salary reflected this assessment.
Therefore, your job is to put together a package that is attractive to your current and potential employers. In fact, you shouldn’t be working on a package that your current job requires. After all, you have the job and presumably you deserve it. You have to work on a skill pack that will allow you to move on to your next job. When putting together your package, besides considering which skills are current and evolving (see my last column), you also need to consider four other things: uniqueness, basic skills, basic skills, natural ability.
The goal is not to become a serial bunker or neglect the skills you need in your current position, but to always think ahead and be ready for the next big step .
How to Save Your Next Developer Job | Visual Studio log