Back in my day, the way to get noticed was to deploy some dodgy code and bring down the server for a few hours. Very quickly, your name was rippling through the office, and you were labeled either as a nuisance or a legend, depending on who you asked.
But, our friends at places like GitHub and GitLab put an end to all that fun by allowing teams to run scripts via pre-deployment hooks.
So, how do you stand out today, and, jokes aside, how do you stand out in a good way?
What if you don’t want to change companies? What if you just want to progress a little?
In this post, I’ll give you five effective ways to stand out and get noticed by the powers that be. Whether you’re looking to negotiate a salary increase or ready to earn the title of “senior” developer, these tips will make sure they take you seriously. Scroll down to read the full article, or you can watch the video version here, as well:
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1. Clear the Error Log
Let’s face it, most of your time as a developer is spent tracking down bugs — and the fact that the error log, once opened, seems to have infinite scroll is not helping anyone!
Clearing those warnings and annoying little bugs is probably not your idea of heaven.
But… that’s exactly why those errors continue to fester in the log. Clear these up and the team and your manager will thank you for resolving them. You’ll be a hero!
2. Refactor
Codebases grow and grow, and, if we’re honest, are often out of control.
Refactoring, much like testing, is one of those tasks we all know needs to be allocated its fair share of time, but the unrelenting pressure for the next feature is not going away anytime soon. Over time, we accrue technical debt. Our intentions are always good, but alas, we rarely have the opportunity to right the wrong. The technical debt increases at a rate that far outstrips our level of refactoring efforts.
Refactoring can be fun. That’s right, I said it. It can be therapeutic, and once you’re staring at the finished result, the feelings of pride and achievement are hard to hide.
So, take the time. Your time.
Go the extra mile and put in a few pull requests over the coming weeks and months. Put the codebase back into a manageable state. If you make sure that everyone agrees with how the code should be refactored, you’re well on your way to hero badge number two!
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3. Reduce Costs
Reducing costs is always an option. Time constraints and pressure lead to bad decisions, bad coding, and quick fixes — and rising costs are usually the tell-tale sign.
There are so many ways to reduce costs that it’s difficult to know where to start. Can you reduce load on the server? Maybe reduce the volume of data being stored (including the error logs we mentioned earlier)?
Reducing server loads — by investigating improvements like caching or even a move to serverless architecture — is a place where there is obvious benefit. Perhaps you can look at the packages and even the tools you are using in your stack. The most popular tools are often the easiest choice, but they might not be the cheapest, and, more worryingly, not the best either.
Does your app store lots of images or large files? Can image sizes be reduced or files compressed? Be careful not to impact speed, but look for low-hanging fruit. Seek out those obvious places where quick and significant wins are waiting for someone to cast their eye over. The list goes on!
For many of these suggestions, you don’t even have to do the implementation. Not yet anyway! You know your codebase and app. Where are the pain points? How can they be improved? Do some calculations, and then turn those calculations into dollars. What I mean here is that management often doesn’t get excited by the tech. But they do get excited about money.
So, when explaining your ideas and suggestions for improvement, offer a financial benefit. You’ll generate far more interest in your ideas if it impacts the bottom line. And, you’ll be showing true leadership skills, as well!
4. Increase Conversions
We’ve talked about decreasing the money going out of the business so, now let’s consider ways to increase the money coming into the business.
More conversions equals more cash, right? This could be huge. If you generate the right ideas here, you could potentially change the course of the business. It is a bold developer or employee who drastically changes the UI and UX on a whim, but, once again, you can do this risk-free.
Make a case for it first. Show what and how you would implement the changes and where you expect to see conversion improving. An MVP or rough presentation could be super valuable here. Then, ask to run an A/B test. Put your money where your mouth is, so to speak.
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5. Present an MVP for a Complementary Product
While we’re talking about MVPs, most businesses are laser-focused on their one product or service offering. There may be potential for products that complement their offering but have not been considered. Or, maybe they simply don’t have the time to design, develop, or even think about it. This is the big leagues in terms of getting noticed, but it also takes a huge commitment — it’s certainly not for the faint-hearted.
Showcasing something that would complement their existing offering shows passion, maturity, and entrepreneurship. You’re offering new ways to make your bosses — and the business as a whole — more money. Even if they don’t like the idea, you’ve shown yourself to be forward-thinking, and that is impressive.
To stand out, you’ve got to do more. Most people stay in their lane, and the average developer will only consider the code. To show your seniority, you need to demonstrate that you think about the company, the product, and the customer, as well.
Wrapping Up
I’ve tried to show you a variety of ways to stand out on an engineering team, from showing your attention to detail and skills as a developer, to proving to your supervisors that you think on a larger scale. Highlight to them that you’re thinking about the business as a whole, and you’re ready for more challenges and responsibility.
I hope this has brought you some value and given you some ideas for standing out in your current software development role!
Now I’d love to hear your thoughts on how you think you can stand out —
Has another developer already done so but in a different way? If so, how? The thing about good ideas is they spark even more, greater ideas. Perhaps you tried and made mistakes or things did not go according to plan. Why not share the pain by writing in the comments below?
It will be fun, if nothing else. We all learn from our mistakes, so “move fast and break things,” as they say 😉
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