Posts Filed Under ‘Career’
Google Code University · One of the most frequently asked questions I get is, "How can I learn how to code?" Today fluorescentinca showed me Google Code University, a collection of tutorials on Googly languages (like Python, Java and Go) for relative beginners. Some good stuff there. (I also wrote a more general Lifehacker piece last year that can help you decide what language to start in.)
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My Interview on The Pipeline · Almost every interview I do these days for podcasts or magazines involves the inevitable question: "What are your best productivity tricks?" That's why it was so refreshing to do an interview with Dan Benjamin on his excellent show, The Pipeline, and never have to answer that question. Instead Dan wanted to chat about my progression from a day coder and no-name night blogger back in 2001 to a "pro blogger," about what made Lifehacker a success (hint: it's not talent, it's a big platform and LOTS of posts over the course of years), about self-publishing books, and about what I think an aspiring blogger these days has to do to make blogging a full-time job. Good times. Check it out: The Pipeline 10: Gina Trapani · April 6th, 2010, 1 comment
Adopt a Freelancer’s Mindset (Even If You’re a Nine-to-Fiver) · Freelancers work a whole lot differently than nine-to-fivers, but thinking like a freelancer can help along your career, even if you're working full-time for a big company. Over at Harvard Business Online this week, I ran down how employees can benefit from a freelancer's mindset. · November 12th, 2009
New Stuff Shipping Tomorrow · Things have been quiet around these parts lately because I've been heads-down on a fun project that's finally ready to see the light of day: tomorrow, that is. Tune into tomorrow's episode of This Week in Google on live.twit.tv at 2:15pm Pacific/5:15pm Eastern to be the very first to get the scoop. Of course, if you're off having a grand old time enjoying Halloween tomorrow afternoon, more power to you. I'll also publish details here right after the show. · October 30th, 2009
Essential Tools to Set Up Your Virtual Storefront · While I'd call myself more a freelancer than a small business owner, I've done plenty of work for small tech startups running their business on webapps and a shoestring budget. This morning my feature over at Lifehacker's called Essential Tools for Starting Up Your Side Business, and it's a starter list of the bare essentials a side or small business needs. What did I forget? · April 24th, 2009
The hardest part about being a freelancer for me is deciding what jobs are worth taking on, and what I should turn down. I want to do and have it all--but the whole "only 24 hours in a day" thing really throws a wrench into that plan.
Fact is, when you're the boss of you, you've got to be a really good editor: recognize the good gigs and avoid everything else. Over at the FreelanceSwitch blog this morning, I published a piece called How to Craft Your Personal Business Model, in which I describe how I am attempting to do just that. Part of it was designing my ideal work mix, a high-tech pie chart I scribbled on a piece of paper, which you see here.
The work you turn down says more about you as a professional than the work you take on. While I'm still figuring out exactly what I want to be when I grow up, I do know what's important to me, and right now I'm trying to use those values as best I can to guide me to the right people and projects. For more of this kind of touchy-feely career mush, check out the full article.
Leaving your full-time job in the midst of a recession is either a really stupid or really smart decision. Since I just made the move myself, I'm going to make the case for smart.
If you can swing it, a recession is an ideal time to stop being an employee and start doing your own thing. Your plans to go freelance, start your own business, or take a sabbatical shouldn't be on hold right now because of the economy. While the fear mongers might be saying you should be grateful just to have a job at all, I challenge you to expand your vision.
Now's a fine time to take a risk because there's just not much to lose.
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