Making it Big in Software: Get the Job. Work the Org. Become Great

Description

The Software Insider's Guide to Getting Hired and Getting to the Top!

Here's all the information you need to jumpstart your software career: the best ways to get hired, move up, and blaze your way to the top! The software business has radically changed, and this book reveals today's realities - everything your professors and corporate managers never told you. In his 20 years at IBM as a software architect, senior manager, and lead programmer, Sam Lightstone has briefed dozens of leading companies and universities on careers, new technology, and emerging areas of research. He currently works on one of the world's largest software development teams and spends a good part of his time recruiting and mentoring software engineers. This book shares all the lessons for success Sam has learnedplus powerful insights from 17 of the industry's biggest stars. Want to make it big in software? Start right here!

Discover how to

* Get your next job in software development

* Master the nontechnical skills crucial to your success

* Work the org to move up rapidly

* Successfully manage your time, projects, and life

* Avoid killer mistakes that could destroy your career

* Move up to medium-shot, big-shot, and finally, visionary

* Launch your own winning software company

Exclusive interviews with

Steve Wozniak, Inventor, Apple computer

John Schwarz, CEO, Business Objects

James Gosling, Inventor, Java programming language

Marissa Mayer, Google VP, Search Products and User Experience

Jon Bentley, Author, Programming Pearls

Marc Benioff, CEO and founder, Salesforce.com

Grady Booch, IBM Fellow and co-founder Rational Software

Bjarne Stroustrup, Inventor, C++ programming language

David Vaskevitch, Microsoft CTO

Linus Torvalds, Creator, Linux operating system kernel

Richard Stallman, Founder, Free software movement

Peter Norvig, Google's Director of Research

Mark Russinovich, Microsoft Fellow and Windows Architect

Tom Malloy, Adobe Chief Software Architect

Diane Greene, Co-founder and past CEO of VMware

Robert Kahn, Co-inventor, the Internet

Ray Tomlinson, Inventor, email

CONTENTS:

Preface xi

Part I: Fundamentals

Chapter 1: Makin' it Big 2

Chapter 2: What Good Software Is Really About 10

    Interview with Marissa Mayer: Google VP and First Lady of Software 23

Chapter 3: School Versus Job 31

    Interview with Jon Bentley: Author, Programming Pearls 37

Chapter 4: Mission Impossible? Getting a Job in Software Development 43

    Interview with Bjarne Stroustrup: Inventor of the C++ Programming Language 62

Chapter 5: Making the Most of the Early Years as a Software Developer 68

    Interview with Richard Stallman: Founder of the Free Software Movement 79

Chapter 6: Essential Skills. Some are Even Technical 84

    Interview with Ray Tomlinson: Inventor of Email 100

Chapter 7: The Sweet Science of Software R&D Organizations 110

    Interview with Peter Norvig: Google's Director of Research 122

Chapter 8: Career Killers 127

Part II: Leadership

Chapter 9: Working the Org 139

    Interview with John Schwarz: CEO, Business Objects 154

Chapter 10: Successful Software Project Proposals 161

    Interview with Linus Torvalds: Mr. Linux 170

Chapter 11: Career Advancement 176

    Interview with Mark Russinovich: Windows Guru, Microsoft Technical Fellow 192

Chapter 12: Time Management 201

    Interview with David Vaskevitch: Microsoft CTO 214

Chapter 13: Avoiding Software Development Overruns 219

    Interview with Grady Booch: The Sage of Software Architecture 236

Chapter 14: Zen and the Critical Art of Balance 244

    Interview with Tom Malloy: Adobe Chief Software Architect 251

Chapter 15: Secret Insights on Software Project Management 260

    Interview with James Gosling: Inventor of the Java Programming Language 281

Chapter 16: The Big Leagues: From Medium-Shot to Big-Shot 288

Part III: Greatness

Chapter 17: Leadership in Software Innovation 306

    Interview with Robert Kahn: Co-inventor of the Internet 323

Chapter 18: The Big Leagues: From Big-Shot to Visionary 333

    Interview with Steve Wozniak: Inventor of the Apple computer, Co-founder of Apple Inc., Pop icon 352

Chapter 19: If Knew Then What I Know Now 360

    Interview with Marc Benioff: CEO, Salesforce.com 369

Chapter 20: Going out on Your Own: The Software Startup 379

    Interview with Diane Greene: Co-founder and Past CEO of VMware 396

Chapter 21: Compensation: Kuh-ching! 404

Chapter 22: Making It Big? 413

Index 418