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Soft Skills: The software developer's life manual 1st Edition

by John Sonmez (Author)

4.4 474 ratings

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Summary

Soft Skills: The software developer's life manual is a unique guide, offering techniques and practices for a more satisfying life as a professional software developer. In it, developer and life coach John Sonmez addresses a wide range of important "soft" topics, from career and productivity to personal finance and investing, and even fitness and relationships, all from a developer-centric viewpoint.

Forewords by Robert C. Martin (Uncle Bob) and Scott Hanselman.

Purchase of the print book includes a free eBook in PDF, Kindle, and ePub formats from Manning Publications.

About the Book

For most software developers, coding is the fun part. The hard bits are dealing with clients, peers, and managers, staying productive, achieving financial security, keeping yourself in shape, and finding true love. This book is here to help.

Soft Skills: The software developer's life manual is a guide to a well-rounded, satisfying life as a technology professional. In it, developer and life coach John Sonmez offers advice to developers on important "soft" subjects like career and productivity, personal finance and investing, and even fitness and relationships. Arranged as a collection of 71 short chapters, this fun-to-read book invites you to dip in wherever you like. A Taking Action section at the end of each chapter shows you how to get quick results. Soft Skills will help make you a better programmer, a more valuable employee, and a happier, healthier person.

What's Inside

Boost your career by building a personal brand
John's secret ten-step process for learning quickly
Fitness advice to turn your geekiness to your advantage
Unique strategies for investment and early retirement

About the Author

John Sonmez is a developer, teacher, and life coach who helps technical professionals boost their careers and live a more fulfilled life.

Table of Contents

Why this book is unlike any book you've ever read
SECTION 1: CAREER
Getting started with a "BANG!": Don't do what everyone else does
Thinking about the future: What are your goals?
People skills: You need them more than you think
Hacking the interview
Employment options: Enumerate your choices
What kind of software developer are you?
Not all companies are equal
Climbing the corporate ladder
Being a professional
Freedom: How to quit your job
Freelancing: Going out on your own
Creating your first product
Do you want to start a startup?
Working remotely survival strategies
Fake it till you make it
Resumes are BORING—Let's fix that
Don't get religious about technology
SECTION 2: MARKETING YOURSELF
Marketing basics for code monkeys
Building a brand that gets you noticed
Creating a wildly successful blog
Your primary goal: Add value to others
#UsingSocialNetworks
Speaking, presenting, and training: Speak geek
Writing books and articles that attract a following
Don't be afraid to look like an idiot
SECTION 3: LEARNING
Learning how to learn: How to teach yourself
My 10-step process
Steps 1-6: Do these once
Steps 7-10: Repeat these
Looking for mentors: Finding your Yoda
Taking on an apprentice: Being Yoda
Teaching: Learn you want? Teach you must.
Do you need a degree or can you "wing it?"
Finding gaps in your knowledge
SECTION 4: PRODUCTIVITY
It all starts with focus
My personal productivity plan
Pomodoro Technique
My quota system: How I get way more done than I should
Holding yourself accountable
Multitasking dos and don'ts
Burnout: I've got the cure!
How you're wasting your time
The importance of having a routine
Developing habits: Brushing your code
Breaking things down: How to eat an elephant
The value of hard work and why you keep avoiding it
Any action is better than no action
SECTION 5: FINANCIAL
What are you going to do with your paycheck?
How to negotiate your salary
Options: Where all the fun is
Bits and bytes of real estate investing
Do you really understand your retirement plan?
The danger of debt: SSDs are expensive
Bonus: How I retired at 33
SECTION 6: FITNESS
Why you need to hack your health
Setting your fitness criteria
Thermodynamics, calories, and you
Motivation: Getting your butt out of the chair
How to gain muscle: Nerds can have bulging biceps
How to get hash-table abs
Starting RunningProgram.exe
Standing desks and other hacks
Tech gear for fitness: Geeking out
SECTION 7: SPIRIT
How the mind influences the body
Having the right mental attitude: Rebooting
Building a positive self-image: Programming your brain
Love and relationships: Computers can't hold your hand
My personal success book list
Facing failure head-on
Parting words

ISBN-10

1617292397
ISBN-13

978-1617292392
Edition

1st
Publisher

Manning Publications
Publication date

2015
January 6
Language

EN
English
Dimensions

7.0 x 1.0 x 9.0
inches
Length

504
Pages
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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

John Sonmez is the founder of Simple Programmer, where he tirelessly pursues his vision of transforming complex issues into simple solutions. John has published over 50 courses on topics such as iOS, Android, .NET, Java, and game development for the online developer training resource, Pluralsight. He also hosts the Get Up and CODE podcast, where he talks about fitness for programmers. John is a life coach for software developers, and helps software engineers, programmers and other technical professionals boost their careers and live a more fulfilled life.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Manning Publications; 1st edition (January 6, 2015)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 504 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1617292397
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1617292392
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.8 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 7 x 1 x 9 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #514,095 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #515 in Software Development (Books)
- #2,177 in Business Motivation & Self-Improvement (Books)
- #9,140 in Personal Transformation Self-Help

Customer Reviews:
4.4 474 ratings

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John Sonmez

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John Sonmez is a software developer and the author of two best-selling books, The Complete Software Developer's Career Guide and Soft Skills: The Software Developer's Life Manual.

He's also the founder of the Simple Programmer blog and YouTube channel, where he reaches 1.4 million software developers yearly with a central message:

Technical skills alone aren't enough for a successful career—or life.

By focusing on "soft skills" like the ability to communicate clearly and lead by example, the mental resilience to bounce back from failure and even an improved level of personal fitness, software developers can break through the "glass ceiling" and enjoy extraordinary success.

John learned these lessons himself the hard way—through trial and error over his 17+ year career as a developer—and he's candid about the fits and starts he struggled through during those early years.

John started his software development career at age 10, hacking C and C++ to create virtual worlds for his favorite MUDs.

When John landed a coveted six-figure Silicon Beach job at age 19, he thought his career was set.

In reality he was only set up for years of frustration and disappointment—from getting "laid off" from that cushy job after underwhelming his boss with his C++ skills, to a spectacular implosion during an intense onsite interview with Microsoft, to finally taking a job outside of programming just to pay the bills.

Eventually though John realized that there's a huge difference between knowing how to program and having all the skills to be a successful, professional software developer—and he set out to develop the technical, leadership and communication skills he lacked.

John went on to become a highly paid consultant in test automation and Agile methodology, and the 55 courses he published with the technical education powerhouse PluralSight makes him one of the most prolific online trainers in the field of software development.

John effectively retired at 32 and moved to San Diego.

Today he focuses his energy on helping other developers achieve the success they desire through the videos, books and courses in his Simple Programmer platform.

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5

474 global ratings

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Edward

I visited the authors website to get a better picture of him and was bombarded with a pop ...

Reviewed in the United States on March 20, 2018

Verified Purchase

I almost didn’t buy this book. I visited the authors website to get a better picture of him and was bombarded with a pop up and pictures of his biceps. As an engineer, I thought: “this guy can’t really be one of us” (but who knows? He seems to get readers). I read this books table of contents, and while all the topics are important to understand, they didn’t seem to justify the price of the book to me.

So why did I buy it? I realized I had read a lot of professional software development books: on languages, coding style, design patterns, high level concepts, mindset, etc. But I had a blind spot: no books on software development social/soft skills. I searched for software development books on social skills and this one stuck out. There also doesn’t seem to be much competition (if you know of any other good ones, please let me know).

So against all my instincts telling me “this guy is not really an engineer. He’s a marketing bro. How could he know what he’s talking about? How could this book apply to my life?” I decided to purchase the book. My next thought was shock: “WHAT? The delivery time is TWO WEEKS? It’s not prime!?”

When the book finally arrived and I started reading it, it didn’t take me long to start making highlights, bookmarking sections, and writing notes. The book is good. He gives a lot of good advice in a wide variety of topics. The ones I found most useful were about career planning, networking, marketing, productivity, and mindset. He surprised me by offering advice I hadn’t heard before and can instantly put into practice. I would share them here, but he deserves the book sales.

When you have a book with such a wide variety of topics, it’s inevitable that many readers will already have a good understanding of a few of those topics. For me it was personal finance, fitness, and diet. I didn’t think his chapter on dating added value either.

His writing was simple and easy to understand, but not exactly spellbinding. He opens a lot of chapters with a single paragraph explaining why the subject is important and follows it by saying “now that I’ve convinced you this subject is important…” Most of the time, he didn’t. It felt cheesy. But his points are clear and he offers a lot of important questions to ask yourself.

This book covers a lot of subjects at a high level with examples you can put to use right away. I think most readers will be able to take away a few things that they can apply to their own lives that over time will make a significant difference. What more can you ask for from a book?

38 people found this helpful

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Joel Medina

I'm glad I bought this book early in my career

Reviewed in the United States on March 25, 2015

Verified Purchase

I'm glad I bought this book early in my career! I'm only 1 year into my professional career (early 20's) and I believe this book has given me the knowledge necessary to be a successful software developer and just a better person overall. I especially enjoyed reading the sections on productivity and learning how to learn. John has learned a lot of what he knows the hard way, through trial and error. I'm glad to have the opportunity to learn from such a knowledgeable professional. Since buying this book I have been reading John's blog and watching his YouTube videos which give additional tips on self improvement for software developers.

I also liked that buying the book gives you access to the PDF because you can then listen to the book using one of the many available PDF to Speech mobile apps. This means I can commute and exercise while learning! (one of his multitasking tips)

Well, now that I have finished the book, time to apply what I have learned! This book will be one that I refer back to over the years.

One person found this helpful

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Richard J Mahler

The missing manual

Reviewed in the United States on April 24, 2016

Verified Purchase

A practical guide, covering all aspects of life from a software developer. If you are frustrated at your progress, this book will point you in the right direction. John particular tells you to pick a specialty and tells you the pros and cons of different career paths and how NOT to waste time! He also goes into depth into creating your personal brand and standing out over the competition. Also, I can attest to the sections on learning and productivity - especially the Pomodoro technique. You will have to look it up yourself, but it has done wonders for my daily routine. While I appreciate the sections talking about finance and fitness, they only go into the basics which I think most people don't know. The final section on having the right attitude and dealing with failure is spot on. Overall, a must read if you are starting your career in the world of software development.

One person found this helpful

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Jack

Great overview material

Reviewed in the United States on May 10, 2016

Verified Purchase

I'm about a hundred pages into this book and I have to say it's good reading. Some other commenters are complaining about it being too shallow, but I think the point of the book is to cover a lot of topics in a well-rounded coverage. As such, the chapters have to be presented in a "100 words or less" kind of treatment (figuratively speaking), and they're meant to act as a springboard for delving deeper into the topics that apply to the particular reader. A lot of what's discussed can apply to any field, not just coding. It has some good common-sense advice and some strategies the reader may not have thought about. I'll no doubt be going back to the book for occasional motivation and ideas whenever I need them.

2 people found this helpful

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User

Besser geht es nicht

Reviewed in Germany on November 8, 2023

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Es sollte ein Muss sein

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Marie Tonie

Review About The Book and An Accusative Comment

Reviewed in Japan on May 13, 2017

Verified Purchase

For all of us who signed up for the author's e-newsletter, we all received an email regarding this comment:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-reviews/R1FJJTZWM2PA6E/ref=cm_cr_dp_d_rvw_ttl?ie=UTF8&ASIN=1617292397

It sparked an interest in me, to see if that comment sheds another side of the coin regarding his soft skills book.
And because I cannot write on that particular negative comment, I will post my views about the book and that negative comment here.

I don't see his email as forcing us to downvote this comment.

As a developer, I am sort of attached with the word "if"
if (you disagree with Josh's low rating)
downvote and write personal comment //suggesting
else
//do whatever
Therefore, his email did not force us all subscribers to downvote this. Though, intentional or not, the mail ignited a more thorough discussion regarding the book.

About Josh's comment with the foreword, I could understand why he was disappointed with the foreword.
Perhaps when we read books related to sw development, we are accustomed to read forewords that proved certain algorithm is optimal, that the theorem is factual because that foreword writer has similar study, or that the foreword writer has written a design that the author had implemented in the book, etc.

However, this book is not a (brick and mortar) technical book. Therefore, we need to read this book (and the foreword) with different perspective or approach.

I believe the foreword in question is fit and proper to his book. It narrated how the situation (publication deadline is looming) and Bob (as a busy person) had tested the author's soft skills, and how the author succeeded in receiving Bob's thoughts of the book and author's chance implementation of the book's content.
I don't think Bob was coerced to write it. Although the foreword started as dark, it ended with a happier note that Bob had tested the contents of the book (see, it's somehow like a technical foreword indeed).

On finding books that are more reputable and concise on the 7 topics mentioned, I still prefer to read this book because it is specific to my needs as a software engineer. I just ordered my book from Amazon Japan last week of April 2017 and I find the book straightforward and easy to implement for me. It saved me from a lot of TMI not applicable in my situation.

It also helps to be a critical reader. There are some of the book that I don't agree. Not all in the book are trash, the book's content is not for everybody. But I can vouch majority of the book's content had helped me a lot.
Nevertheless, I rather move on and read a new applicable/interesting chapter rather than dismissing the whole book as unhelpful.

For me, I am thankful to find this book as it enriched me not just to be a better software engineer but a well-rounded person.

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Tim Cooke

A really good compelling read that I will be recommending to my fellow developer friends.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 25, 2016

Verified Purchase

The title of “Soft Skills” suggested to me that this book might be about all the non-technical skills you need to get along at work and with your colleagues. But to my surprise, and to my delight, it turned out to be much more than that. The subtitle of “The software developer’s life manual” is much more apt, as this book lays out a collection of suggestions for you, the software developer, to get the best out of your career and the rewards that come with it.

John starts by outlining the broad choices you have in terms of what type of career you can choose to have. Perhaps you’re happy working as an employee of a company, or contracting or freelancing, or maybe you have a burning desire to be an entrepreneur and want to make it as master of your own venture. The pros and cons of each of these career choices are explored in a refreshingly straight forward manner. Subsequent chapters go on to explore each of these in much more detail, which certainly gave me a good deal of food for thought about my own career journey.

Some really solid suggestions are presented around the idea of creating a brand for yourself. How to get yourself and your talents known to your peers and turn the tables of your career. No longer will you be the one searching for new jobs, new jobs will be searching for you instead. That’s a powerful position to find yourself in. Nothing discussed is beyond the reach of anyone with an ounce of dedication.

This is where the book ventured into unexpected territory. A great deal of time is spent discussing the options that a person has to make sound investments with the money earned from their software development career. Suggestions such as salary negotiations, Options trading, real estate investment, and planning your retirement. Life is much more than a pay-cheque.

The last sections are all about personal health, fitness, and relationships. A proposal to break the stereotype of the lone nerd living on pizza and caffeine by putting forth a set of very achievable things to break the cycle. Wrapping up with arguably the most important topic of all, relationships. As a happily married man who is relatively fit and healthy I skimmed over these sections a little but the general advice looked sound enough to me.

Normally it takes me a few weeks to read a book of this size, but in this case I flew through it in one week flat and I found every opportunity to read ‘just one more chapter’. A really good compelling read that I will be recommending to my fellow developer friends.

One person found this helpful

Andrea Angella (Microsoft C# MVP)

Practical tips to improve your software development career, market yourself, learn effectively and be more confident.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 1, 2016

Verified Purchase

I am developer who loves self-development and I am always looking for ways to improve my career. There is a lot of wisdom inside this book touching various aspects of the life of a software developer. John story is fascinating, inspiring and helps to self-reflect about the direction you want to follow in your career and life. One of the main tip in the book is the principle that providing value to others is the best way to market yourself and accelerate your success. Finding a specialization and having a blog that you consistently update is key. It is also very important to make sure the results of your work are visible. The other interesting part of the book is how to motivate yourself to do more and grow: stop caring what people think, overcome fear, act with confidence and especially do things that make you uncomfortable. The 10-step system for learning creating by John is exactly what I was looking forward to develop skills more quickly and with fun. Basically the idea is the learn the minimum to get started and then experiment on your own driven by curiosity. Then you can fill the gaps to your unanswered questions using traditional learning materials like books. Finally sharing and teaching is the ultimate way to cement your learning. Surprisingly the book also helped me to understand better about finance and how the market works. I also discovered some tools like Kanbanflow to manage my activities and Buffer to schedule social media posts. Overall I am very happy about this book and I recommend it. I am sure you can find some valuable tips to enhance your future career.

4 people found this helpful

Mayank Gupta

Worth reading it

Reviewed in India on June 26, 2022

Verified Purchase

This book is like your experienced friend who tells you a story of his, you find yourself motivated at the center of an ocean and you realize the countless opportunities that you can explore. This book helped me to go from rigid employee mindset to a flexible and independent approach to life as a software developer.

3 people found this helpful

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