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Don't Call Yourself a Programmer, and Other Career Advice (2011) (kalzumeus.com)

570 points by greyoda · 2552 days ago · 307 comments on HN

Article summary

The article provides career advice to young engineers, emphasizing the importance of understanding the realities of the industry and how businesses work. It suggests that engineers should focus on creating business value rather than just writing code, and that they should describe themselves in terms of their accomplishments and abilities to increase revenue or reduce costs. The article also discusses the difference between profit centers and cost centers, and how engineers can position themselves as valuable assets to their companies. By understanding these concepts, engineers can increase their chances of success and advancement in their careers.

Main themes

  • career advice
  • industry realities
  • business value
  • profit centers
  • cost centers
  • self-presentation

What commenters say

  • Calling oneself a programmer can be limiting and may lead to lower pay and less respect, while focusing on business value and accomplishments can lead to greater success.
  • The ability to increase revenue or reduce costs is more important than specific programming skills or knowledge of particular technologies.
  • Some argue that being a programmer can be a rewarding and lucrative career, especially for those who can demonstrate their value to clients or companies.
  • Others believe that the trajectory of being a programmer has been good in the past but may be nearing a correction, and that having a broad range of skills and abilities will be more valuable in the future.
  • Networking and building relationships with others in the industry can be crucial for finding job opportunities and advancing one's career.
  • The distinction between profit centers and cost centers is not always clear-cut, and some argue that it is not a useful or accurate way to categorize different parts of a business.
  • Others believe that the key to success is to focus on creating value for customers and driving revenue, rather than just trying to reduce costs or improve efficiency.