Ask HN: What's the most valuable skill to pair with programming?
I'm a full stack dev (mostly Python/React)/software consultant. When I think about skills growth, usually that means new technical skills.
I was reading a blog post by patio11 in which he talks about his work assisting with A/B testing and email campaigns. It made me wonder, purely as a intellectual exercise, if my goal was to maximize my weekly pay as a consultant, what skills would I be wise to pair with fullstack programming (other than sales)? Design? Copywriting? Marketing? More programming?
15 comments
[ 5.2 ms ] story [ 68.5 ms ] threadOtherwise you would want to carve out a niche, become incredibly good at that one thing and after you have mastered something that few people can do really well... learn how to sell that better too.
Trying to do two completely different jobs is going to lead to poor performance in both.
I doubt there is a big need for lua or erlang developers these days.
Have you ever heard of painter who specializes in Behr (a brand of paint)? That is not a specialization, that's a tool choice.
another compelling angle to take is to get a deep understanding of applied statistics/ data science so you can build analysis tools or predictive/ML-driven features on top of the core products you're building. this might overlap with your existing skills quite well already, plus, it's growing faster in demand across industries/geographies.
From that perspective, I'd argue that adding more technical skills on top of your existing ones will have diminishing returns past a reasonable level of competency.
Instead, focus on being able to provide business value. Learn how to take general problems a business has and find solutions for them. Not just code solutions, but new processes and procedures.
If you can solve an expensive problem for a business, you can command a far higher price than if you're just a pair of hands writing code. Those are a dime a dozen on Upwork, and clients have trouble seeing any difference in skillset.
From a technical skills perspective, machine learning and "big data" processing are in-demand skills with large enterprises, where you can make the most money solving problems.
I'd be glad to continue this discussion if you have questions about my answers. My email is in my profile.
- IT Security
- Database engineer (specailized)
- AI or Machine Learning
- Block chain consulting (ughh)
- Financial analyst
Any one of these specialisations would make you a highly paid consultant... I assume
Look at the entire flow of the product you are a part of. Get to know as much about it as possible and get a deep understanding of the full picture. You will probably be surprised at how many people, permanent as contractors, who only look narrowly at their little pond and solves issues without a general understanding of the entire business.
Don't try to be cocky know-it-all, but humbly suggest when you see a better solution for a problem or spots a potential problem coming up in the horizon.
When you have a good understanding of the entire business and the part your product plays in it, then you will also be better at seeing the parts where it hurts the most. Suggest to help there. Take on as much responsibility as you can handle. Be the one that solves the problems and creates value for the business, then you in turn also raise your own value.