May 6, 2019
As my first post, I think I’ll write up a quick review of a software engineering advice book I recently finished that convinced me to start this blog, Soft Skills by John Sonmez.
Sonmez himself is a career software developer turned freelance developer by his own realization that while being a salaried employee can earn a livable wage, real wealth that doesn’t take a 30 year career to develop is only gained through multiple sources of income and the ability to leverage your own time, as opposed to trading it directly for currency.
I’d describe the book as being primarily self-help mixed in with his own autobiography. John began his career in software development on a high note, in a job of his own words almost too good to be true, earning over six figures while still in his late teens. Being his age, he adjusted his lifestyle to fit his new income but quickly realized that it would be a bit of a dead end for him financially. This is where he details his journey to his current position as the owner of his own successful blog SimpleProgrammer.com, the author many online courses, multiple appreciating investments and rental properties, in addition to a wife and daughter.
The book delves into topics of active career management, building a personal brand, how to get started investing in rental homes for passive income, fitness tips, relationship advice, and even spirituality and the mind.
I think the biggest insight I’ve gained from this book is how to approach your career as not focusing on being an employee, but actively viewing yourself as a business that your current employer (your customer) is paying you for the privilege of getting access to.
Interestingly, I have the audiobook and while listening to chapters again to check my writing, I found myself reengaged in it! Yes, I forgot I was supposed to be listening for sources rather than to actually absorb the information. If anything this book is extremely dense with useful info that’s presented in very readable chunks. He concludes his book with a list of further reading he recommends, one of which I’m reading right now. The book is The Millionaire Fast Lane and it’s so far is another source of useful, dense, and readable information. I’m seeing a theme here.
Overall I would highly recommend this to any software developer, new or old that would like guidance on next steps in their life and career.
Here is a link directly to the amazon listing if you’re interested.
