Summary

In this episode of the Overcommitted Podcast, hosts Bethany, Brittany, and Erika are joined by Cassidy Williams, Senior Director of Developer Advocacy at GitHub. They discuss Cassidy's journey in the Developer Relations (DevRel) space, her philosophy of lifting others as she climbs, and the evolution of DevRel in the tech industry. Cassidy shares insights on content creation, the importance of community, and her personal experiences with mentorship. The conversation also touches on the challenges and changes in the DevRel landscape, as well as Cassidy's passion for keyboards and her dream typing experience.

Takeaways

• Feedback, even when rough, is a valuable gift for growth.
• DevRel is evolving, adapting to new technologies and community needs.
• Companies should prioritize understanding the developer mindset over follower counts.
• Listening to developers is crucial for effective advocacy and content creation.
• Human problems in tech are often more complex than coding challenges.
• Cassidy's journey showcases the blend of engineering and advocacy roles.
• Mentorship plays a significant role in career development and guidance.

Links

• Cassidy’s website: https://cassidoo.co/
• Microjournal Blog Post: https://cassidoo.co/post/micro-journal/
• Keycaps: https://drop.com/buy/drop-dsa-astrolokeys-keycaps-by-sailorhg-and-cassidoo?defaultSelectionIds=966968
• Cassidy’s mechanical keyboard recs: https://github.com/cassidoo/ama?tab=readme-ov-file#what-mechanical-keyboard-should-i-buy

Hosts

• Overcommitted: https://overcommitted.dev
• Bethany Janos: https://github.com/bethanyj28
• Brittany Ellich: https://brittanyellich.com
• Eggyhead: https://github.com/eggyhead

Summary

In this episode of the Overcommitted Podcast, hosts Brittany, Bethany, and Erika engage in a deep conversation with Piotr Sarna, co-author of 'Writing for Developers.' They explore the journey of co-authoring a book, the importance of writing in engineering, and the challenges and joys of technical writing. The discussion also touches on the significance of blogging as a continuation of learning and sharing knowledge, as well as the role of writing culture in engineering teams. The crew kicks off the next book club, where the Overcommitted engineers will be reading Writing for Developers together over the next 2 months!

Takeaways

• Writing a book can be seen as a series of extended blog posts.
• There is a gap in resources for writing engaging blog posts for developers.
• Good writing in tech should have an educational aspect.
• Writing culture in engineering teams enhances clarity and collaboration.
• The book 'Writing for Developers' fills a niche in technical writing resources.
• Embracing cringe-worthy writing experiences is part of the learning process.

Links

• Piotr Sarna on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarna-dev/
• Cynthia Dunlop on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cynthiadunlop/
• Piotr and Cynthia's first book: Database performance at scale: https://bookshop.org/p/books/database-performance-at-scale-a-practical-guide-cynthia-dunlop/f384c1f0d973803c?ean=9781484297100&next=t
• Writing for Developers book: https://bookshop.org/p/books/writing-for-developers-blogs-that-get-read-cynthia-dunlop/af343340c60cd806?ean=9781633436282&next=t
• Write that blog!: https://writethat.blog/
• Writing for Developers GitHub Repo: https://github.com/scynthiadunlop/WritingForDevelopersBook
• Discord community for Overcommitted: https://discord.gg/fxvEjs7f

Hosts

• Overcommitted: https://overcommitted.dev
• Bethany Janos: https://github.com/bethanyj28
• Brittany Ellich: https://brittanyellich.com
• Eggyhead: https://github.com/eggyhead

Summary

In this episode of the Overcommitted Podcast, hosts Bethany, Brittany, and Erika engage in a deep conversation with Jason Lengstorf about the concept of being unreasonable in the tech industry. Jason shares his journey of embracing unreasonableness to pursue big ideas, the importance of community and networking, and how to navigate risks in career decisions. They discuss the value of non-traditional backgrounds in tech, the process of learning and consolidating information, and the creative approaches that can lead to innovative projects. The conversation wraps up with Jason sharing his future projects and reflections on the tech landscape.

Takeaways

• Being unreasonable and having big audacious goals can lead to unexpected opportunities.
• Surround yourself with ambitious people that can inspire growth.
• Recognize when to pivot in your career.
• Networking is often more valuable than formal education.
• Learning is an active process, not just passive consumption.
• Creative coding can lead to innovative solutions.
• Take (calculated) risks. It can help you achieve your goals.
• Community support is crucial in navigating career changes.
• Being slow to adopt new technologies might not be a bad thing.

Links

• Jason Lengstorf: https://jason.energy
• CodeTV: https://codetv.dev
• All things open talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=goVNPN6fVwQ
• Bytes.dev: https://bytes.dev
• Char Stiles: https://www.instagram.com/charstiles
• Builtin: https://builtin.com

Hosts

• Overcommitted: https://overcommitted.dev
• Bethany Janos: https://github.com/bethanyj28
• Brittany Ellich: https://brittanyellich.com
• Eggyhead: https://github.com/eggyhead