As a software developer, my goal is to try and be as close to the best at what I do. I then got to thinking… what is it that encompasses ‘what I do’? There is no template that will fit every software developer out there, but for me an on-line presence was an important part of this. Unfortunately for me at the time I had to feel my way around this aspect of my professional life. There were no guides or definite ‘how to’ tutorials marketed specifically to me, a software developer. 

Market Yourself – The Difficult Way

I put together a blog, and started writing about what I loved. As with everything in life it is easy to get trapped in a groove. You need a special kind of mindset to recognize the doldrums in your life. To push the boundaries of your comfort zones and recognize all the areas you need to focus on. I floundered around for a few years, and finally decided to start blogging seriously in 2011. This opened doors for me by allowing me to meet people from across the world, from all walks of life. I was lucky enough to explore new software and write about it. It was a lot of hard work, but fun.

Market Yourself – The Correct Way

John Sonmez has put together an incredible package tailored specifically for software developers. It is called ‘How To Market Yourself as a Software Developer‘. I wish I had this when I started out. John takes you through every aspect of getting your name ‘out there’ and truly marketing yourself on a variety of channels. Going through the material is not as simple as starting at A and working towards Z. The material has so many branches that leads a person to so much more than just the volume of work you are presented with.

I was able to recognize clearly where I had gone wrong in the past, and I was also happy to see that whatever I did to correct my mistake was more or less what John suggested. He is by no means giving you a get-out-of-jail card, you still need to put a lot of work into this. But with a clear and definite blueprint to work with, you can’t go wrong with his course.

Included In The Package

So what exactly is included in the package? Here are the goodies you can expect:

• Ultimate Developer’s Guide To Social Networks
• The Complete Guide to Getting Your Name Out There
• Networking Do’s and Don’ts
• Resume Advice That Will Make or Break You
• Creating a Blog Tutorial
• Why Marketing Yourself Is Important
• Building a Brand Course
• Easy Reference Guide
• Interviews with: Bob Martin, Jeff Atwood, Jon Skeet, Christian Heilmann, Pinal Dave, Derick Bailey, Josh Earl, Rob Conery, Miguel Castro, Dan Wahlin

Final Thoughts

If you are serious about marketing yourself as a software developer, you seriously need to consider his program. It has exposed errors in my approach to certain aspects of my on-line life and promotion of my on-line content. It has changed my way of thinking about the importance of networking the right way and getting my name ‘out there’. It is jam-packed full of goodies that would make any software developer giddy with excitement. From a couple of kicker interviews (you folks really want to watch those) to clear and concise info ranging from Twitter to your blog. You don’t have a blog I hear you say? That’s not a problem either, John’s course has you covered in this area too. I would recommend this to anyone thinking about promoting and marketing themselves as a software developer.