Hire And Develop The Best – Page 2

Shakespeare On Tech

By Jud | April 27, 2022 | Comments 0 Comment

Yesterday I got to integrate one of my favorite idioms into a conversation: hoist on his own petard. I was discussing ways in which less technical folks can still evaluate an interview candidate’s technical competency.

Not the world’s safest weapon, to be sure

Look, if you’re going to try to impress someone with your vast knowledge of all things computing, you better be able to back it up. Because it’s easier than you think to detect BS. One of the simplest ways that an evaluator of any level of technical depth can detect a fraud is to ask them to explain their solution as if their audience was a smart fifth grader. If they can’t map the details to metaphors in a comprehendible way, it’s unlikely they truly understand them either.

We’re All Just Folk Now

By Jud | April 2, 2022 | Comments 0 Comment

Back in 2014, I read The End of Men; having just been hired by a startup run by a woman, it felt like a good time to explore ideas about why men have traditionally dominated positions of power, and how and when that might change. I don’t remember many details about the book itself (and apparently it’s somewhat controversial in conservative and progressive circles alike), but I do remember coming away challenged to do my part in centering women as I moved forward in my career.

Fast-forward to this past week, during which I happened to have many interactions with female colleagues:

Two women presented a dashboard on team performance metrics to our team
I got career advice from the female founder of a major cloud consulting company
Three times I met with various female peers to discuss leadership transition opportunities
I provided coaching to a woman just beginning her career in technology
I partnered with a woman to conduct four back-to-back interview sessions

While there’s still more work to do to undo historic inertia, realizing that I’m surrounded by so many capable women from whom I can learn is an opportunity I hope only gets less rare.

Sharing Is Caring

By Jud | February 19, 2022 | Comments 0 Comment

Last week I recorded a Q&A video session with a colleague for an upcoming team all-hands meeting. Ostensibly we were there to speak on the benefits of a recently-deployed internal tool that’s become quite popular. But the value comes not from the tool itself, but from those whom it empowers to easily share their work.

https://stackoverflow.blog/2020/05/14/the-most-successful-developers-share-more-than-they-take/

Maybe it’s just the self-reflection inherent to middle age (I turned 43 a month ago), or the heartfelt email my team received this weekend from a recent customer, but in some small way I hope that when I’ve gone I’ll have contributed my portion to the ongoing corpus of human knowledge, and further, that I was able to utilize said knowledge for the greater good. The only way for that to happen is to maximally share what I build whenever possible, whether through open source code repositories, high-quality documentation, or even this blog (modest though it may be). It takes extra work, but the work is worth it.

The Butterfly Effect

By Jud | October 1, 2021 | Comments 0 Comment

I was privileged to have access to computers from an early age, from the humble TI-99/4A of my early elementary years to a snappy Pentium in high school (can’t remember the exact model, but it was pretty expensive; perhaps the 133MHz version?) The influence this access had on my life cannot be overstated.

Young Jud on TI-99/4A — Train up a child in way they should go

Now that I’m firmly in middle age, and on a career path where I’m regularly evaluating technical talent, I’m reminded of that privilege, and how so many didn’t have it then, and some still don’t have it now. How much untapped potential there must be within these groups!

If we’re going to overcome the lack of diversity in tech, it starts with access; early access, when life-long perceptions are formed. As the saying goes: the best time to plant a tree is 25 years ago, but the second best time is today. Gotta get planting!

On The Brink

By Jud | June 3, 2021 | Comments 0 Comment

I’m currently sitting at 998 reputation on Stack Overflow. Anyone willing to upvote some of my answers to push me over 1000?

Speaking of which, most software developers are rapid consumers of Stack Overflow, but how many give back by actually answering questions? About 8 years ago I started trying to spend a bit of time each week contributing, and while my consistency dropped off after a few months, it was a rewarding experience. It didn’t hurt that I was also trying to beef up my online presence during a season of job hunting.

My current workplace has an internal developer Q&A site which I’ve just recently started actively contributing to as well. For one, it’s good writing practice. And also because learning is best done in public.

Not Just Lip Service

By Jud | April 11, 2021 | Comments 0 Comment

If you’ve been by the site recently, you might have noticed a new word cloud in the sidebar. On a whim, I read back though the entirety of my blog and tagged each post with a handful of relevant Amazon Leadership Principles. It was an enjoyable way to spend a couple hours, and who knows, it might be a useful resource. We take them pretty seriously at AWS, not the least of which during interviews. For mine, I had stories written out ahead of time that illustrated how I practiced each of these principles. This preparation proved invaluable to my success.

Something Different

By Jud | December 28, 2020 | Comments 0 Comment

All the time spent indoors during the pandemic quarantine has afforded unique opportunities for creativity. Last night we played some D&D as a family, and to get in the right mindset, I wrote a backstory for my character. Thought I’d post it here for posterity. Enjoy!

I never knew my parents; no one did. I was left in the dead of night on the portico of the Second Temple of The Mother, naked and shivering. Reverend Shaeltiel brought me in, and quickly became like a father. As I grew, it became clear I was more than human. Not just because of my lanky frame and luxuriously long and straight hair. The reverend had never seen anyone with my thirst for knowledge. By my sixth year-day I’d memorized the entire Sacred Codex, and by my tenth there were no more books in the temple library I hadn’t read at least twice. Still I craved more.

It first happened during a thunderstorm. I laid awake, reciting an ancient poem to myself in a failing attempt to soothe my anxieties. Simultaneous with a flash of lighting outside my window, I felt a prickling sensation on my hands, and behold! Little arcs of electricity bounced between my fingers. I caught my breath, and the sparkling stopped. I would get no sleep that night.

Early the next morning I went to Reverend Shaeltiel and explained what happened. He sighed, and brought me to his study. Only behind the heavy doors did he tell me that he’d long feared for this day, for my prodigious intellect had tapped into forces older than any beings on earth: the elemental forces. He explained that with further study and practice, I could master these forces. How did he know this, I asked. Because he too could command them. It was a skill forbidden by the church, however, and in his zeal for faith he’d resisted its practice. With time, he said I could do the same, but first I had to learn control.

For months we trained together, always in secret. I brought forth light from darkness and summoned great bolts of fire from my hands. From a hidden chamber in his study, Reverend Shaeltiel provided massive tomes containing even greater possible feats where even the great storms could be tamed and focused. My knowledge grew, and my power grew with it.

In retrospect, it was inevitable that I’d be exposed, for there are to be no secrets in the Faith of the Five, and this was a small temple, in an even smaller village. I’d been practicing a thunderclap incantation, and how I might combine it with an amplifying focuser. Little did I know the resulting shockwave would explode from my chambers, shattering the stained glass in the adjoining sanctuary and echoing across the valley. Reverend Shaeltiel came running, his eyes met mine, and together we came to the same conclusion: it was time for me to choose: either embrace the rules of the faith and rein in my burgeoning abilities, or find my fortunes elsewhere. I chose to go.

That evening I left the temple, and now I quest for further knowledge and how I can bring the power I wield to defend truth and justice, and to show to myself and the templars of the Faith of the Five, that they needn’t fear the ancient elemental forces. They are but tools for a greater purpose, a purpose only the future can reveal.

No True King

By Jud | December 7, 2020 | Comments 0 Comment

Recently I’ve revisited thoughts I’ve had about what it means to be a senior engineer. One summary I came across that I liked was making the move from “delivering” to “leading”.

And another I gleaned from an email Eric Raymond sent to Linus Torvalds regarding the latter’s over-reliance on his own genius. While not sent in the context of senior-level engineering, I think it’s still informative of an attitude adjustment that must be made when taking on the mantle of leadership:

The bill always comes due — the scale of the problems always increases to a point where your native talent alone doesn’t cut it any more. The smarter you are, the longer it takes to hit that crunch point — and the harder the adjustment when you finally do.
There will come a time when your raw talent is not enough. What happens then will depend on how much discipline about coding and release practices and fastidiousness about clean design you developed before you needed it, back when your talent was sufficient to let you get away without.

I would add “ability to delegate and elevate the work of those around you” to that last paragraph. It’s hyperbole to say that every line of code written by an engineering leader represents a failure, but I coach up-and-coming senior folks to think that way nonetheless.

Hitting The Links

By Jud | April 21, 2020 | Comments 0 Comment

And further, from these, my son, be warned; the making of many books hath no end – Ecclesiastes 12:12

One could spend the entirety of their waking hours reading articles on software engineering. While I try to keep up the headlines, I aim to limit myself to 10-15 minutes a day. Anything more proves a burden.

Over the past couple weeks there’s been a few discussions I’ve found particularly helpful. The first, On Being A Senior Engineer, echoed thoughts I’ve had for some time. I do believe the title of “Senior” is handed out too quickly in many parts of the software development world. This probably makes me sound like an angry old man, but no one should be called senior until they have at least ten years under their belt, if not fifteen. To quote Andy Jassy, “there’s no compression algorithm for experience.”

I also appreciated the article’s emphasis on sponsorship. Being a senior engineer in my view has little to do with your technical breadth or depth. The step up to senior means that you’re now looking to expand your influence beyond what your own two hands create, whether that be being a team lead, one-on-one mentorship, or participation in the larger development community. Senior engineers recognize that building great software is a human activity, and develop their soft skills.

Finally, a crucial aspect of being a senior engineer is humility. I view this as a complement to what Larry Wall famously said, and not in contradiction. It takes maturity to know what you don’t know.

Tests In The Time Of Corona

By Jud | April 6, 2020 | Comments 1 comment

A popular discussion topic these days is how society will change due to the COVID-19 pandemic. One obvious likely outcome is even more will be accomplishable online, for example, the AWS certification exam I took from the comfort of my armchair this past Saturday morning. I thought I’d share my experience, and a few specific recommendations (in bold).

The process started with the normal scheduling workflow via the AWS Training website. Once that was complete and I paid the fee, I got an email with a link to instructions on how to run a system test. The recommendation was to do this right away, which I did. This involved installing a local application, verifying my laptop’s webcam and microphone worked, and testing my Internet bandwidth. Given that the application will completely take over your machine, and you must close all other running processes, I’d recommend using a personally-owned computer for this, and not a work computer (especially if you don’t have local admin).

Also as part of the above process, I had to take a picture of my face, my driver’s license (both sides), and four photos of the location where I’d take my exam, one from each of the front, back, left and right. A link sent to my phone via SMS guided me through these steps (so have your phone handy); it went quicker than I expected, and the photos were automagically submitted. Nice!

The day of the exam, about 15 minutes before my scheduled time, I closed everything on my personal laptop, and launched the client app. And here’s where I had my first hiccup: the app required that I upgrade to the latest version. This meant re-downloading and re-installing, which was annoying; I wished the app could have streamlined that process. Once the update was done, I had to go back through the entire system test process (including taking all the photos mentioned earlier). This was annoying, and made me wonder if the earlier test was even worth taking. At minimum, you want to be sure to get started at least 15 minutes before your scheduled start time in case you run into issues.

Once I got upgraded and back through the system test, my webcam became active and indicated I was being recorded. From this point you cannot leave the room (or move out of view of the camera), or open any other applications. I had to wait in this state for about 5 minutes before I was put in contact with a proctor, first via chat, and then via phone call. Be prepared to sit in silence for a bit while you wait. For a final verification I had to do a sweep of the room with my webcam to show it was empty of both other technology and other people. Be sure at this point that everything and everyone is out of the room. I even unplugged my extra monitor, just in case.

As I tried to launch the actual exam, I hit another problem. The app detected instances of chrome running in the background, even though I thought I’d closed everything. I had to go into activity monitor and kill them all before the test would launch. So, it’s worth looking through activity monitor right before you start to avoid this hangup (though the proctor was friendly and patient with me, which I appreciated).

(Oh, and speaking of things to do right before you start, use the restroom and get a drink of water right before you settle in; absolutely no breaks or food or drink are allowed).

Finally I could load the exam and begin. It’s a bit nerve-wracking to be video-recorded, but after a few minutes I tuned it out. You do need to be conscious not to look around the room, else the proctor might ping you to hold still (this didn’t happen to me, but I read about it). The test interface itself was pretty much like the in-person experience, with the ability to skip ahead, flag questions for review, etc.

Once I completed the exam, there was a survey, just like the in-person experience, and I was given the results (I passed, woot). Then the app closed and I was done. Piece of cake.

Even given the gotchas, I’d say the experience is easier and more convenient than scheduling a time with an in-person testing center, driving there, etc, if for no other reason than the available time slots for online proctoring ranged across all days of the week, and nearly all hours of the day (want to take your exam at 3am? knock yourself out). I’ll definitely use this online proctoring again, probably exclusively, as long as I have option to do so.

Have you been thinking about getting AWS certified? If so, I’d encourage you to go right now and get a date on the calendar. You’ve nothing to lose, and it’s now easier than ever.