Monday, March 10, 2008

How Dinosaur Web Developers Can Regain Their Shine: Step 3

Rebrand Yourself

This one some people won't agree with but with new web technologies coming so fast and each having such potential, I think it's time to specialize.  I'm not advocating ignoring the other facets of our field, just picking one and knowing it inside and out, becoming an expert in a single field of study.

There are many options:

  • Web Standards (Don't just say CSS)
  • AJAX
  • Silverlight
  • Data Access (Linq, ADO, SQL 2008, etc.)
  • Web Services
  • ASP.NET MVC

That list is not even close to complete and is focused on MS technologies but you can get an example from it on how many different ways you can specialize.  I think we should all have a basic understanding of all of these technologies, but I also think we should find one technology that we really get into and specialize in it. 

Pick something that excites you.  Something that you can really get into so deeply that it rubs off on others.  Learn this technology so deeply that your peers regard you as a true expert in it.

I know this post is short and probably incoherent but better content will be coming soon.  Hopefully.

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