329. Why Industry Specialization Can Unlock Job Opportunities for Developers

Software developers often have skills Software developers often have skills outside of software development. outside of software development. outside of software development. Sometimes that comes from transferring Sometimes that comes from transferring Sometimes that comes from transferring from another job type uh to become a from another job type uh to become a from another job type uh to become a software developer and sometimes that's software developer and sometimes that's software developer and sometimes that's just people having side jobs or just people having side jobs or just people having side jobs or experiences or hobbies that involve experiences or hobbies that involve experiences or hobbies that involve other industries. Often people don't other industries. Often people don't other industries. Often people don't know how to classify this additional know how to classify this additional know how to classify this additional outside experience. In today's episode outside experience. In today's episode outside experience. In today's episode of Dev Questions, I'm going to teach you of Dev Questions, I'm going to teach you of Dev Questions, I'm going to teach you how to think about outside experience how to think about outside experience how to think about outside experience and how to take full advantage of it to and how to take full advantage of it to and how to take full advantage of it to unlock even better job opportunities. Software development is more than just Software development is more than just writing code. So, let's talk about the writing code. So, let's talk about the writing code. So, let's talk about the rest of it. Specifically, let's talk rest of it. Specifically, let's talk rest of it. Specifically, let's talk about industry experience outside of about industry experience outside of about industry experience outside of software development and how it can software development and how it can software development and how it can really benefit you. People often talk to really benefit you. People often talk to really benefit you. People often talk to me about how to build their resume or me about how to build their resume or me about how to build their resume or how to explain certain experiences or how to explain certain experiences or how to explain certain experiences or jobs to potential employers. One area jobs to potential employers. One area jobs to potential employers. One area that gets overlooked too much in my that gets overlooked too much in my that gets overlooked too much in my opinion is outside experience. Let's say opinion is outside experience. Let's say opinion is outside experience. Let's say you used to be a realtor, but then you you used to be a realtor, but then you you used to be a realtor, but then you switched careers and became a software switched careers and became a software switched careers and became a software developer. You had 10 years experience developer. You had 10 years experience developer. You had 10 years experience as a realtor, but then you started over as a realtor, but then you started over as a realtor, but then you started over and only have a few years of experience and only have a few years of experience and only have a few years of experience as a developer. Companies are treating as a developer. Companies are treating as a developer. Companies are treating you like a junior developer. What can you like a junior developer. What can you like a junior developer. What can you do? Well, the most common thing you do? Well, the most common thing you do? Well, the most common thing people do is just accept it and people do is just accept it and people do is just accept it and basically start their career over from basically start their career over from basically start their career over from scratch. That's a bit frustrating to me

scratch. That's a bit frustrating to me scratch. That's a bit frustrating to me because there is so much more you can because there is so much more you can because there is so much more you can get out of this. Some people talk about get out of this. Some people talk about get out of this. Some people talk about their previous experience and how it their previous experience and how it their previous experience and how it built better life experience and try and built better life experience and try and built better life experience and try and just use it as well. I'm older and wiser just use it as well. I'm older and wiser just use it as well. I'm older and wiser now and have learned some life now and have learned some life now and have learned some life experiences and that does give you a experiences and that does give you a experiences and that does give you a little bit you get some you know yes little bit you get some you know yes little bit you get some you know yes I've got some experience here um I've got some experience here um I've got some experience here um experience to talk about but it really experience to talk about but it really experience to talk about but it really doesn't give you a whole lot over the doesn't give you a whole lot over the doesn't give you a whole lot over the previous thing of just saying let's previous thing of just saying let's previous thing of just saying let's start over. But the real benefit comes start over. But the real benefit comes start over. But the real benefit comes when you can turn your previous when you can turn your previous when you can turn your previous experience into a major asset. So let's experience into a major asset. So let's experience into a major asset. So let's talk about how to do that. Look for jobs talk about how to do that. Look for jobs talk about how to do that. Look for jobs in or around your area of expertise. In in or around your area of expertise. In in or around your area of expertise. In our example, you have 10 years of our example, you have 10 years of our example, you have 10 years of experience as a realtor. Look for jobs experience as a realtor. Look for jobs experience as a realtor. Look for jobs in real estate companies, home in real estate companies, home in real estate companies, home inspection companies, title companies, inspection companies, title companies, inspection companies, title companies, mortgage companies, and other related mortgage companies, and other related mortgage companies, and other related industries. industries. industries. know that you have a clear advantage in know that you have a clear advantage in know that you have a clear advantage in these industries because when you come these industries because when you come these industries because when you come in the door and you're looking at a a in the door and you're looking at a a in the door and you're looking at a a home inspection company and they need home inspection company and they need home inspection company and they need home inspection tools, well, you're a home inspection tools, well, you're a home inspection tools, well, you're a realtor. You have experience going realtor. You have experience going realtor. You have experience going through houses and working with home through houses and working with home through houses and working with home inspectors and looking at those reports inspectors and looking at those reports inspectors and looking at those reports and knowing what's valuable and what's and knowing what's valuable and what's and knowing what's valuable and what's not and how the customer wants to see not and how the customer wants to see not and how the customer wants to see it. So you come in, you can talk about it. So you come in, you can talk about it. So you come in, you can talk about that that stuff in your interview. Don't that that stuff in your interview. Don't that that stuff in your interview. Don't just talk about, yeah, I've been I've

just talk about, yeah, I've been I've just talk about, yeah, I've been I've been a developer for three years now and been a developer for three years now and been a developer for three years now and I've I've built some applications. I I've I've built some applications. I I've I've built some applications. I have a little bit of experience in the have a little bit of experience in the have a little bit of experience in the in the field. Talk about that, but also in the field. Talk about that, but also in the field. Talk about that, but also talk about the fact that I have worked talk about the fact that I have worked talk about the fact that I have worked as a realtor for a decade. I know how as a realtor for a decade. I know how as a realtor for a decade. I know how this field works, and I know then a lot this field works, and I know then a lot this field works, and I know then a lot about how your field works and how to about how your field works and how to about how your field works and how to make it even better. I know what your make it even better. I know what your make it even better. I know what your customers want. customers want. customers want. A developer needs to understand why A developer needs to understand why A developer needs to understand why they're building what they're building they're building what they're building they're building what they're building in order to make informed decisions. in order to make informed decisions. in order to make informed decisions. Some developers don't do that. Some Some developers don't do that. Some Some developers don't do that. Some developers just say, "Well, I must know developers just say, "Well, I must know developers just say, "Well, I must know best because I'm a developer." It's not best because I'm a developer." It's not best because I'm a developer." It's not the case. In fact, I've come across your the case. In fact, I've come across your the case. In fact, I've come across your apps a lot in the past and I've had to apps a lot in the past and I've had to apps a lot in the past and I've had to fix quite a few of them. The more you fix quite a few of them. The more you fix quite a few of them. The more you know about a subject, the better you'll know about a subject, the better you'll know about a subject, the better you'll be at asking the right questions and the be at asking the right questions and the be at asking the right questions and the less blind spots you'll have. If you've less blind spots you'll have. If you've less blind spots you'll have. If you've ever heard of the Dunning Krueger ever heard of the Dunning Krueger ever heard of the Dunning Krueger effect, this is in full display when you effect, this is in full display when you effect, this is in full display when you have developers that just don't know have developers that just don't know have developers that just don't know their subject matter. You can't just their subject matter. You can't just their subject matter. You can't just rely on a user to tell you what you need rely on a user to tell you what you need rely on a user to tell you what you need to know. If you've ever known about a to know. If you've ever known about a to know. If you've ever known about a subject and then had a user try to subject and then had a user try to subject and then had a user try to explain what they want, you know that explain what they want, you know that explain what they want, you know that they just don't know how to communicate.

they just don't know how to communicate. they just don't know how to communicate. They don't know what you need to know. They don't know what you need to know. They don't know what you need to know. So, they're not going to give you a full So, they're not going to give you a full So, they're not going to give you a full picture. You need to have a bigger picture. You need to have a bigger picture. You need to have a bigger picture of [snorts] picture of [snorts] picture of [snorts] whatever industry you're working in. I whatever industry you're working in. I whatever industry you're working in. I used to work for an insurance company. used to work for an insurance company. used to work for an insurance company. One of the things we did as new to the One of the things we did as new to the One of the things we did as new to the company employees is we went through an company employees is we went through an company employees is we went through an insurance program where yeah, I'm not insurance program where yeah, I'm not insurance program where yeah, I'm not qualified to sell insurance, but I know qualified to sell insurance, but I know qualified to sell insurance, but I know the ins and outs of the basics. I know the ins and outs of the basics. I know the ins and outs of the basics. I know about the different policies and how about the different policies and how about the different policies and how they work and how they interact and why they work and how they interact and why they work and how they interact and why we have certain things and why we do we have certain things and why we do we have certain things and why we do certain things and what the regulations certain things and what the regulations certain things and what the regulations are around those things. That's very are around those things. That's very are around those things. That's very important because I had to know what important because I had to know what important because I had to know what questions to ask when it came to questions to ask when it came to questions to ask when it came to building the apps around insurance. So, building the apps around insurance. So, building the apps around insurance. So, if you come into a company with if you come into a company with if you come into a company with experience in that field that you're experience in that field that you're experience in that field that you're building apps for, well, you got a real building apps for, well, you got a real building apps for, well, you got a real leg up on your competition. leg up on your competition. leg up on your competition. Now, I talked about one example. Let's Now, I talked about one example. Let's Now, I talked about one example. Let's cover a few more so you can kind of see cover a few more so you can kind of see cover a few more so you can kind of see the pattern here because you might say, the pattern here because you might say, the pattern here because you might say, "Well, yeah, realtor, they got a lot of "Well, yeah, realtor, they got a lot of "Well, yeah, realtor, they got a lot of different fields they work with." Let's different fields they work with." Let's different fields they work with." Let's talk about electricians, talk about electricians, talk about electricians, electrical companies, energy providers, electrical companies, energy providers, electrical companies, energy providers, construction companies, electrical construction companies, electrical construction companies, electrical supply houses, companies that provide supply houses, companies that provide supply houses, companies that provide apps and services to any of those apps and services to any of those apps and services to any of those organizations. These are all areas where organizations. These are all areas where organizations. These are all areas where electricians turned software developers electricians turned software developers electricians turned software developers can really shine because they can bring can really shine because they can bring can really shine because they can bring in those skills and say, "Hey, I know in those skills and say, "Hey, I know in those skills and say, "Hey, I know how this stuff works and I know what's how this stuff works and I know what's how this stuff works and I know what's going to be good and what's not going to going to be good and what's not going to going to be good and what's not going to be good. I can fill in the blanks when

be good. I can fill in the blanks when be good. I can fill in the blanks when when our users tell us what they want when our users tell us what they want when our users tell us what they want and I realize, hey, you're missing these and I realize, hey, you're missing these and I realize, hey, you're missing these things, right? So, you bring a lot of things, right? So, you bring a lot of things, right? So, you bring a lot of experience into a job like that where experience into a job like that where experience into a job like that where all of a sudden, yeah, you're a junior all of a sudden, yeah, you're a junior all of a sudden, yeah, you're a junior developer compared to other junior developer compared to other junior developer compared to other junior developers, but but you're being treated developers, but but you're being treated developers, but but you're being treated more like a a mid-level developer or more like a a mid-level developer or more like a a mid-level developer or even a senior developer just because of even a senior developer just because of even a senior developer just because of the experience that you're bringing in. the experience that you're bringing in. the experience that you're bringing in. you may be paid more because of that you may be paid more because of that you may be paid more because of that experience even though you're not as experience even though you're not as experience even though you're not as qualified as a in a software development qualified as a in a software development qualified as a in a software development because you have that other experience. because you have that other experience. because you have that other experience. So this is something that software So this is something that software So this is something that software development experience you can gain over development experience you can gain over development experience you can gain over time. You can grow that but it's hard to time. You can grow that but it's hard to time. You can grow that but it's hard to grow your experience as an electrician grow your experience as an electrician grow your experience as an electrician while working as a software developer. while working as a software developer. while working as a software developer. So it really is harder for the software So it really is harder for the software So it really is harder for the software developers who just came in from developers who just came in from developers who just came in from graduating or from other companies that graduating or from other companies that graduating or from other companies that have no relation to this field. It's have no relation to this field. It's have no relation to this field. It's harder for them to kind of pick up these harder for them to kind of pick up these harder for them to kind of pick up these skills they need and it takes more time.

skills they need and it takes more time. skills they need and it takes more time. You come in with a lot of that already You come in with a lot of that already You come in with a lot of that already done. And let's take another example done. And let's take another example done. And let's take another example here. Mechanic, maybe you worked in a here. Mechanic, maybe you worked in a here. Mechanic, maybe you worked in a garage. Well, what if you worked for garage. Well, what if you worked for garage. Well, what if you worked for other garages who are building software other garages who are building software other garages who are building software or auto parts companies? Knowing what or auto parts companies? Knowing what or auto parts companies? Knowing what parts go where, really important. That parts go where, really important. That parts go where, really important. That would not be something I'd be good at. would not be something I'd be good at. would not be something I'd be good at. Car manufacturers. Car manufacturers. Car manufacturers. Do you know how many apps? Have you ever Do you know how many apps? Have you ever Do you know how many apps? Have you ever looked at car manufacturers or looked at car manufacturers or looked at car manufacturers or dealerships? There's another one where dealerships? There's another one where dealerships? There's another one where they have these apps that are terrible they have these apps that are terrible they have these apps that are terrible and they'll even tell you, "Yeah, this and they'll even tell you, "Yeah, this and they'll even tell you, "Yeah, this app is terrible, but it's what we have." app is terrible, but it's what we have." app is terrible, but it's what we have." Well, you could help make that better. Well, you could help make that better. Well, you could help make that better. Insurance companies, you know how cars Insurance companies, you know how cars Insurance companies, you know how cars work and what breaks and what that might work and what breaks and what that might work and what breaks and what that might take to replace it. You bring invaluable take to replace it. You bring invaluable take to replace it. You bring invaluable skills beyond just I'm a software skills beyond just I'm a software skills beyond just I'm a software developer. So whatever your skill or developer. So whatever your skill or developer. So whatever your skill or ability is, bringing that into ability is, bringing that into ability is, bringing that into potential employers in that field or potential employers in that field or potential employers in that field or related fields can really be a big deal.

related fields can really be a big deal. related fields can really be a big deal. The key here is how much knowledge you The key here is how much knowledge you The key here is how much knowledge you have in the outside field. If you don't have in the outside field. If you don't have in the outside field. If you don't have a lot of experience or the have a lot of experience or the have a lot of experience or the experience is fairly generic, you're experience is fairly generic, you're experience is fairly generic, you're going to get less value out of it. Let's going to get less value out of it. Let's going to get less value out of it. Let's say you, you know, you didn't, you say you, you know, you didn't, you say you, you know, you didn't, you weren't a mechanic. You just worked the weren't a mechanic. You just worked the weren't a mechanic. You just worked the reception desk at a mechanic, uh, at a a reception desk at a mechanic, uh, at a a reception desk at a mechanic, uh, at a a garage. Well, that provides you some garage. Well, that provides you some garage. Well, that provides you some experience. Doesn't provide you nearly experience. Doesn't provide you nearly experience. Doesn't provide you nearly as much as actually being a mechanic. as much as actually being a mechanic. as much as actually being a mechanic. You have secondhand knowledge about a You have secondhand knowledge about a You have secondhand knowledge about a lot of things and some firsthand lot of things and some firsthand lot of things and some firsthand knowledge about other things. You can knowledge about other things. You can knowledge about other things. You can still use that experience. It's just still use that experience. It's just still use that experience. It's just going to provide a little less than the going to provide a little less than the going to provide a little less than the more detail experience you might get by more detail experience you might get by more detail experience you might get by actually replacing parts on a car. Same actually replacing parts on a car. Same actually replacing parts on a car. Same thing with electricians or same thing thing with electricians or same thing thing with electricians or same thing with realtors. If you work in a realtor with realtors. If you work in a realtor with realtors. If you work in a realtor office, you're going to have different office, you're going to have different office, you're going to have different experiences than an actual realtor in experiences than an actual realtor in experiences than an actual realtor in the field. That doesn't mean they're the field. That doesn't mean they're the field. That doesn't mean they're necessarily bad, but are those necessarily bad, but are those necessarily bad, but are those experiences things that other people experiences things that other people experiences things that other people won't maybe inherently know or or know won't maybe inherently know or or know won't maybe inherently know or or know from, you know, working in other fields?

from, you know, working in other fields? from, you know, working in other fields? For example, you know, if you work at a For example, you know, if you work at a For example, you know, if you work at a as a clerk at a grocery store where as a clerk at a grocery store where as a clerk at a grocery store where you're scanning groceries, that might you're scanning groceries, that might you're scanning groceries, that might not provide a whole lot of experience in not provide a whole lot of experience in not provide a whole lot of experience in anything unique because a lot of people anything unique because a lot of people anything unique because a lot of people have done those jobs. But you can talk have done those jobs. But you can talk have done those jobs. But you can talk about your customer service and all the about your customer service and all the about your customer service and all the rest. But just know that the more rest. But just know that the more rest. But just know that the more specific your knowledge is, the more um specific your knowledge is, the more um specific your knowledge is, the more um localized it is or the more specialized localized it is or the more specialized localized it is or the more specialized it is, the better it's going to be. it is, the better it's going to be. it is, the better it's going to be. So once you have that special, if you So once you have that special, if you So once you have that special, if you have that specialized knowledge, target have that specialized knowledge, target have that specialized knowledge, target companies that need that knowledge from companies that need that knowledge from companies that need that knowledge from their developers their developers their developers and the more you do that, the more and the more you do that, the more and the more you do that, the more specific you can be, the more you can specific you can be, the more you can specific you can be, the more you can target those type of companies, the more target those type of companies, the more target those type of companies, the more successful you will be. Just make sure successful you will be. Just make sure successful you will be. Just make sure to talk about your experience and how it to talk about your experience and how it to talk about your experience and how it brings additional value to the table. brings additional value to the table. brings additional value to the table. Sometimes companies don't always Sometimes companies don't always Sometimes companies don't always consider the fact that oh wait that that consider the fact that oh wait that that consider the fact that oh wait that that is really valuable. But by you bringing is really valuable. But by you bringing is really valuable. But by you bringing it up and positioning it in as a value it up and positioning it in as a value it up and positioning it in as a value ad, you can put yourself ahead of a ad, you can put yourself ahead of a ad, you can put yourself ahead of a crowded field of potential developers.

crowded field of potential developers. crowded field of potential developers. All of a sudden where you were middle of All of a sudden where you were middle of All of a sudden where you were middle of the pack maybe they're re-evaluating all the pack maybe they're re-evaluating all the pack maybe they're re-evaluating all their developers thinking wait none of their developers thinking wait none of their developers thinking wait none of them have experience as a realtor. this them have experience as a realtor. this them have experience as a realtor. this person does and they're a developer. person does and they're a developer. person does and they're a developer. Wow, that that is really valuable. So, Wow, that that is really valuable. So, Wow, that that is really valuable. So, don't let that experience go to waste. don't let that experience go to waste. don't let that experience go to waste. Use it. Even if it's a specific hobby, Use it. Even if it's a specific hobby, Use it. Even if it's a specific hobby, use that knowledge to your advantage. use that knowledge to your advantage. use that knowledge to your advantage. All right? Take what you have and use it All right? Take what you have and use it All right? Take what you have and use it for the most possible gain. Thanks for for the most possible gain. Thanks for for the most possible gain. Thanks for listening. As always, I am Tim Corey. listening. As always, I am Tim Corey. listening. As always, I am Tim Corey. [music]