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

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

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Description

  • Copyright 2010
  • Edition: 1st
  • eBook (Watermarked)
  • ISBN-10: 0-13-265074-6
  • ISBN-13: 978-0-13-265074-8

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 learned…plus 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

Sample Content

Table of 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

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