Takeaway: The IT profession and the IT job market are in the midst of seismic changes that are going to shift the focus to three types of jobs. There’s a general anxiety that has settled over much of the IT profession in recent years. It’s a stark contrast to the situation just over a decade ago. At the end of the 1990s, IT pros were the belles of the ball. The IT labor shortage regularly made headlines and IT pros were able to command excellent salaries by getting training and certification, job hopping, and, in many cases, being the only qualified candida...

If you're trying to grow your startup you've come to the right place. Get my 170-page ebook on how to grow a startup and join thousands of self-funded entrepreneurs by subscribing to my newsletter at right.I’m writing this while sitting on a beach chair overlooking the Gulf of Guinea near Cape Coast in Ghana, West Africa. Although it’s slightly overcast the view is amazing, with whitewater stretching out in both directions as far as my laser-corrected eyes can see.Being in a foreign country is one of two experiences that allow me to take a step back from my life and look at i...

If you're trying to grow your startup you've come to the right place. Get my 170-page ebook on how to grow a startup and join thousands of self-funded entrepreneurs by subscribing to my newsletter at right.For years business consultants have instructed businesses to “know your core competencies.” What this means is “know what you do well and stick to it.”For example: Harley Davidson makes great motorcycles. But they’re probably not so good at making perfume.Smith & Wesson makes some of the best six-shooters around, but I question whether their bicycles wi...

If you're trying to grow your startup you've come to the right place. Get my 170-page ebook on how to grow a startup and join thousands of self-funded entrepreneurs by subscribing to my newsletter at right.This is the first of what I hope to become an ongoing series about non-technical ways to improve yourself as a developer.Becoming a better developer involves more than learning new technical skills; learning about your company and co-workers will dramatically improve the software you build. One of the most important lessons I learned during the first year of my career is to be so nice to...