It’s week 19 of 2024.

What are your goals for this week?

• What are you building?
• What will be a good result by week’s end?
• What events are happening this week?
  • any suggestions for in person or virtual events?
• Any special goals for the quarter?

Last Week’s Goals

• [] Continue Job Search.
• [] Project work. * Some content update, worked on code exercise for a React Native project.
• [] Blog. Star Wars Theme? Comic Book Theme?
• Events.
  • [] Thursday Virtual Coffee.
• [] Run a goal setting thread on Virtual Coffee Slack.

This Week’s Goals

• Continue Job Search.
• Project work.
• Blog.
• Events.
  • Thursday Virtual Coffee.
• Run a goal setting thread on Virtual Coffee Slack.
• Went to the ren faire need to edit my photos.

Your Goals for the week

Your turn what do you plan to do this week?

• What are you building?
• What will be a good result by week’s end?
• What events are happening any week?
  • in person or virtual?

-$JarvisScript  git commit -m "Hip Hip, Huzzah!"

The post What are your goals for week 19 of 2024? appeared first on ProdSens.live.

Intro

I Have A lot of experience when it comes to coding, as it is something I’ve been doing for about 3 years, first with Scratch and later with more serious programming languages such as JavaScript. It’s very hard to stay motivated to keep coding even when everything you’ve done doesn’t work, believe it or not, it happened to me just like it happens to many other coders.

Step 1: Mindset

To be and stay motivated while coding is a question of, first of all, your mindset. Your mindset is how you initially think of what you will be doing before you even write the first letter in your code editor. A key component of staying motivated later on, even when encountering big problems, is how you think of what you will be doing.

What I usually do for myself, so that I don’t end up replicating the man in the world famous meme with the man who gets angry and hits his computer off the table, breaking it in the process. My point is, your mindset shouldn’t be: “I have to do this or else I will have done nothing” but: “I’m doing this, but even if I don’t succeed I will still be closer to solving the problem”

Step 2: Action is key

Many people, including myself, often found themselves in a state of resignation and chose not to make any attempts to resolve the problem they were facing. Consequently, a significant number of individuals, myself included, resorted to becoming semi-sedentary individuals who passively consume various forms of media rather than actively engaging in coding or problem-solving activities.

When you take action (in this case, coding) and make an effort to do something, you are still attempting to solve the problem but may require more time and resources. However, if you are a couch potato, it is a completely different story. You are not even making an effort to confront the problem you have and instead, simply indulge in watching TV or consuming other internet content.

Being a couch potato is not the best experience I’ve had, so I really want to tell you, do not live through this phase, you lose time of your only time to be alive and you will never be able to do anything after you’re dead.

Step 3: Confront the problem

This is the last and most crucial step to resolve the issue of being demotivated while coding you have to confront the problem you were facing all this time, the very problem that made you give up in the first place. Maybe read a bit more on the issue on the internet.

There are plenty of helpful websites for you such as Stackoverflow.com, blog posts, and even social media networks that can help you resolve your issue.

Conclusion

As you have just read, it is quite simple to address your concerns about motivation in coding. I hope you all have a wonderful time staying motivated once again.

The post How to stay Motivated while Coding appeared first on ProdSens.live.

Being a developer opens up a plethora of opportunities not just to enhance your skills but also to pad your bank account. Whether you’re a seasoned coder or just starting your coding journey, here are 20 creative ways to bring in extra cash.

1. Freelance Development Projects

Embark on the world of freelancing by offering your skills to a global clientele. Platforms like Upwork, Freelancer, and Toptal can connect you with exciting projects.

• Upwork: Offer your skills in web development, app development, or specialized areas.
• Freelancer: Find opportunities to work on various projects with a global client base.
• Toptal: Connect with top clients and work on high-quality projects.

Explore freelancing platforms like Upwork to offer your coding skills and land projects like developing custom plugins or creating mobile app prototypes.

2. Create and Sell Digital Products

Monetize your expertise by creating and selling digital products. Platforms like Gumroad, Teachable, and Udemy provide avenues for sharing your knowledge.

• Gumroad: Sell digital products like e-books, courses, and software tools.
• Teachable: Build and sell online courses to a global audience.
• Udemy: Share your knowledge through video courses on a variety of tech topics.

Utilize platforms like Gumroad to sell a range of digital products, from e-books on advanced JavaScript to comprehensive online courses.

3. Participate in Bug Bounty Programs

Enhance your skills in ethical hacking by joining bug bounty programs. Platforms like HackerOne, Bugcrowd, and Synack connect you with companies seeking security experts.

• HackerOne: Join bug bounty programs to identify and report security vulnerabilities.
• Bugcrowd: Engage with companies looking to secure their software through bug bounties.
• Synack: Connect with companies seeking ethical hackers to enhance their security posture.

Dive into platforms like HackerOne, where you can contribute your cybersecurity skills by identifying and reporting security vulnerabilities.

4. Start a Coding Blog or YouTube Channel

Share your coding journey and insights through a blog or YouTube channel. Monetize through platforms like Medium Partner Program, Dev.to, and YouTube Partner Program.

• Medium Partner Program: Share your knowledge and insights through a blog or YouTube channel. Monetize through ads, sponsorships, or affiliate marketing.
• Dev.to: Build a community around your coding journey. Monetize through the Dev.to partner program.
• YouTube Partner Program: Monetize your coding tutorials and content on YouTube.

5. Remote Tech Support

Offer remote tech support services through platforms like Support.com, Geek Squad, and HelloTech. Help individuals and businesses troubleshoot tech issues.

• Support.com: Offer remote tech support services for individuals or small businesses.
• Geek Squad: Provide tech support services through Geek Squad.
• HelloTech: Offer on-demand tech support services with HelloTech.

6. Participate in Paid Online Surveys for Developers

Share your opinions on developer-related topics and earn extra cash. Platforms like Survey Junkie, Swagbucks, and Vindale Research offer paid online surveys.

• Survey Junkie: Share your opinions on developer-related topics and get paid.
• Swagbucks: Participate in paid online surveys and earn Swagbucks.
• Vindale Research: Get paid for participating in online surveys with Vindale Research.

7. Develop and Sell WordPress Themes or Plugins

Create and sell WordPress themes or plugins on platforms like ThemeForest, Elegant Themes, and CodeCanyon. Cater to the vast WordPress user base.

• ThemeForest: Create and sell WordPress themes or plugins.
• Elegant Themes: Design and sell WordPress themes with Elegant Themes.
• CodeCanyon: Develop and sell WordPress plugins on CodeCanyon.

8. Affiliate Marketing for Tech Products

Promote tech products you love and earn a commission through affiliate marketing. Join programs like Amazon Associates, ShareASale, and Commission Junction.

• Amazon Associates: Promote tech products you love and earn a commission through affiliate marketing.
• ShareASale: Join ShareASale to access a wide range of affiliate programs.
• Commission Junction: Explore tech-related affiliate programs on Commission Junction.

9. Online Tutoring or Coding Bootcamp Instructor

Share your coding skills by becoming an online tutor or instructor. Join platforms like Chegg Tutors, Udacity, and edX to connect with students.

• Chegg Tutors: Share your coding skills by becoming an online tutor.
• Udacity: Teach coding skills through Udacity’s online courses.
• edX: Become an instructor for coding courses on edX.

10. Sell Stock Photos for Tech Websites

Contribute tech-related stock photos to platforms like Shutterstock, Adobe Stock, and Getty Images. Showcase your creativity.

• Shutterstock: Contribute tech-related stock photos to Shutterstock.
• Adobe Stock: Sell tech-themed stock photos on Adobe Stock.
• Getty Images: Submit your tech-related photos to Getty Images.

11. Develop Mobile Apps or Games

Monetize your coding skills by creating and monetizing mobile apps or games. Join programs like Apple Developer Program, Google Play Console, and Amazon Appstore.

• Apple Developer Program: Create and monetize your own mobile apps or games.
• Google Play Console: Publish and monetize Android apps on Google Play.
• Amazon Appstore: Distribute and earn from apps on the Amazon Appstore.

12. Host Webinars or Online Workshops

Organize webinars or online workshops to teach specific skills or share industry insights. Charge participants a fee for attending.

13. Consulting Services for Startups

Offer consulting services to startups looking for technical expertise. Platforms like Clarity.fm, Consulting.com, and Catalant connect you with potential clients.

• Clarity.fm: Offer consulting services to startups looking for technical expertise.
• Consulting.com: Join a platform connecting consultants with clients.
• Catalant: Offer freelance consulting services through Catalant.

14. Sell Code Snippets or Templates

Create and sell reusable code snippets or templates on platforms like CodeCanyon, GitHub Marketplace, and Bitbucket Marketplace. Simplify coding for others.

• CodeCanyon: Create and sell reusable code snippets or templates.
• GitHub Marketplace: Sell code-related products on GitHub Marketplace.
• Bitbucket Marketplace: Offer code snippets through Bitbucket Marketplace.

15. Participate in Remote Hackathons

Engage in remote hackathons and competitions on platforms like Devpost, CodeSignal, and Topcoder. Showcase your coding prowess and win cash prizes.

• Devpost: Engage in remote hackathons and competitions.
• CodeSignal: Join coding challenges on CodeSignal to win cash prizes.
• Topcoder: Participate in coding challenges and competitions, demonstrating your coding prowess and potentially earning cash prizes.)

16. Write Technical Documentation

Offer your expertise in technical writing by creating documentation for software products. Platforms like Write for DOnations can connect you with projects requiring technical documentation.

• Write for DOnations: Offer technical writing services by creating documentation for software products.

17. Build and Flip Websites

Invest your coding skills in developing websites, optimize them, and sell for a profit. Platforms like Flippa provide a marketplace for buying and selling websites.

• Flippa: Develop websites, optimize them, and sell them for a profit.

18. Offer Code Review Services

Help fellow developers improve their code by offering code review services. Platforms like Codementor connect experienced developers with those seeking code reviews.

• Codementor: Help fellow developers improve their code by offering code review services.

19. Create and Sell Merchandise

Design and sell merchandise related to coding on platforms like Printful. Showcase your creativity and cater to the coding community.

• Printful: Design and sell developer-themed merchandise.

20. Join Freelance Coding Challenges

Participate in coding challenges on platforms like Topcoder to win cash prizes. Showcase your coding skills and compete with developers worldwide.

• Topcoder: Participate in coding challenges and competitions, demonstrating your coding prowess and potentially earning cash prizes.

Conclusion

Diversifying your income streams as a developer not only brings in extra cash but also enhances your skills and expands your professional network. Whether you choose freelancing, create digital products, or participate in coding challenges, these avenues can help you prosper while doing what you love. Happy coding and earning!

The post 20 ways for Developers to boost income 💰 appeared first on ProdSens.live.

Photo by Andrew George on Unsplash

These past days I decided to focus my energies on doing some research and studying for a position I really wanted to be part of as a Node.js developer (Back-end). As some of you would already know, my expertise lies in Frontend development, especially with React, Redux, and Graphql, or at least that’s what I thought at the beginning…

I was afraid to apply for full-stack or back-end positions, I thought that I couldn’t perform well in these areas because of my professional experience, but after some time of self-retrospective, I just realized that I always have been a full-stack developer without knowing it. The thing is that although in my last job I was given the title of Web UI developer, to be honest, I feel the industry always leans towards full-stack somehow, and in my last project we managed a Node.js server with Apollo server to extend the usability of GraphQL in our front-end with React, and it was something of our daily tasks to code in both repos after all. So that’s it!! I already know Node.js so I can say that I have experience in the field, right?

Discover your hidden abilities!

After realizing this, it was an eureka moment for me! How can you be biased about your capabilities just because of the title some company gives to you? This also includes the seniority of course.

I started to detect those back-end skills and gain more confidence about it. Tried to analyze what and how do we managed in that Node.js repo. We were in charge of the API layer by collecting all the external APIs the Java team brought to us, like an API for users, another one for bag items, and so on, then we made the proper functions and logic to use that data and transform it to be consumable by our front-end project.

Does that sound familiar to you? Of course it is, because without knowing we were interacting every day in a MICROSERVICES ARCHITECTURE, I know it doesn’t sound like a big deal, but for me it was like founding the one piece

Why I’m so sure about this? well, after some research about microservices, a lot of things started to make sense to me, we had a Java team that created separate projects for each service, and those services were split by the business needs, being the case of an e-commerce. Then the DevOps team is in charge of all the infrastructure layer, to finally us getting all of those APIs to be consumed on a single Node.js server with Apollo.

Then I asked ChatGPT to give me some topics to study for a back-end position with Node.js, microservices being one of them, followed by understanding HTTP protocol and other stuff, stuff that I already knew and it was just a matter of time to research, and remember all of those things!

DON’T close yourself to the possibilities!

The point of all of this is to make you rethink your skill set and be able to know what you are capable of! don’t close yourself just because someone told you that you’re just a frontend or backend dev, junior or senior!

• You always work with data structures, so do your research about it! get to know how you interact with those and search for examples, I’m sure you’ve been working with a lot of these, and even you can start thinking about your further solutions by applying data structures specifically.

• Learn about algorithms! it is a topic you probably applied in some of the techniques in your daily problem-solving process. You will start to know about the complexity of a piece of code or function and you will start to think differently, seek how to improve performance, and solve memory leaks in your apps!

So, the sooner you start to discover your hidden skills, the sooner you can start to open your range of possibilities when looking for a job!

I stopped saying that I’m just a front-end developer, I know that I can perform well in a back-end position with Node.js, and I know that I can also apply for full-stack and backend positions without hesitation. So what are you waiting for? Go for it

Recently, I applied for a Node.js position, it went very well and I was even surprised of myself in both HR and Technical interviews that they loved my profile and knowledge, but unfortunately, they rejected me because the client didn’t like my solution for a code challenge, it was easy but I made the mistake to work on that challenge when I was too tired after three interviews and a lot of study before it! I was in zombie mode I could get to the solution but made a mess with the code because I wasn’t thinking with a fresh mind

Yes, this is a reminder to all of you that rest is important, other than rushing your work and making a mess.

So that’s it! this was the proof that I was able to apply to other positions. I would love to read your thoughts on this, I know it may vary depending on the role and technology, but sometimes there are core concepts and some experiences you had in the past that can make you able to get into other fields and succeed

The post Should you lower your possibilities when looking for a job? appeared first on ProdSens.live.

Hello! Thank you for reading my post:)

My name is Yuki. I’m from Japan and currently living in Vancouver, Canada. In this post, I’d like to write a little about my background and my future goals.

About Myself

I have worked as a cloud engineer for over 4 years since graduating from university and am currently enrolled in the web development program at Cornerstone International Community College. In university, I majored in English Literature and Media Studies and also studied Japanese Language Education as a minor. Computer science is a completely different field, isn’t it? Some of you may be wondering why I worked as a cloud engineer.

When I was a junior in uni, I went to Australia on a working holiday. I met many people there, and among them were IT engineers. I had never met an engineer before, so their stories were fresh and interesting. They really enjoyed their work and were proud of it. That made them very attractive. Also, ever since I was a child, I have loved to create, make and build things. So I decided to study HTML and CSS on my own. At first it was difficult because there were so many things I didn’t understand, but as I was able to do more things, it became more interesting.

After graduating from university, I started working for a Tokyo-based company that developed web systems for clients, and was assigned to the infrastructure department. My primary responsibilities included setting up the AWS environment, monitoring logs and alerts, and designing the security architecture for various business needs. I really enjoyed working “behind the scenes” supporting web systems because it was really rewarding work. However, the more I wrote code to automate operations in Python and infrastructure code in IaC tools, the more I wanted to learn about front-end.

I also wanted to live in a different country and challenge myself. So I decided to come to Canada to learn web development. Two birds with one stone, don’t you think?

My Goal

First of all, I want to graduate from the college successfully and find a job as a front-end engineer who can provide satisfactory user experiences　and solve clients’ problems. As I write this article, I have just finished the first week of the course. During this week, we learned the basics such as computer hardware and networking. It was very interesting to learn some of the parts I knew from my previous job in English. I am satisfied that the teacher in my class is very attentive to the students and explains things in a way that is easy to understand. My classmates are really kind and enthusiastic and I am happy to be one of them.

In the web development course, I hope to deepen my understanding of the areas I have studied on my own　and want to catch up on new technologies, as well as collaborate and grow together with my classmates from different backgrounds. I also want to improve my communication skills in addition to my coding and design skills, as I believe that cooperation is necessary to become a good engineer.

Aside from web development, I like eating, jogging, collecting sounds to make music, and watching Cirque du Soleil shows. Since Canada has people from various cultures, rich nature, and Quebec, the birthplace of Cirque du Soleil, I would like to enjoy experiences that can only be had in Canada!　
(It would be super fun to mix what I like and web development to create something!)

I know there will be many challenges in becoming a front-end engineer, but I will work towards my goal and enjoy learning! I will be posting on my blog about the traces of trial and error and what I have learned, so please watch my progress

The post My First Step to Become a Front-End Engineer appeared first on ProdSens.live.

I’m doing smart working in a full remote company for a couple of years. These are the pros and cons based on my personal experience.

Let’s begin with what I don’t like and what I feel I’m missing from when I was working from the office, we’ll get into the positive aspects later.

This article is the script of the following video, you can watch it on YouTube:

Feeling alone

I think we should immediately address the elephant in the room: am I feeling alone?

First of all, I’m quite a shy and introverted person and this probably helps me out on that, as long as I don’t isolate myself too much. Most of the time I enjoy either the silence in my room or listening to the music I like in the speakers and anyway I know that I can always reach out to my colleagues in case of need, or if I just to have a chat.

From what I’ve seen myself and heard from other people, the company’s culture is the game changer here. I’m currently in a full remote company, we do not have an office at all, which means everyone works from the place they like and every internal policy and process is designed for a distributed team.

To compare it to the previous company where due to Covid we were in a hybrid emergency situation, I actually felt more alone there. Isolated, to be precise. The worst part was when most of the team was in the office and it was my turn working from home. You know FOMO, fear of missing out, right? That’s what I felt. I was missing out on the conversations, the jokes, which I knew were taking place in the office.
Even calling someone that was in the office felt a bit awkward, for example if the other colleagues were going on a coffee break, the one you called had to decide if stay on call with you or join the others and leave you alone. I also felt the same while being at the office in call with someone at home. It’s been quite uncomfortable.

Being 100% remote, on the other hand, means that everyone is in the same situation, I’m not missing anything and everyone is always happy to have a chat or a call.

Disconnecting

Speaking of being alone, at some point you might want to disconnect entirely. I mean, even if the schedule is flexible, you’re not supposed to work 24/7 and no one wants you to do that.

When you associate work with being physically in the office, it’s easier to disconnect as you just… leave the office. You’re disconnected and everyone knows they’ll have to wait until tomorrow. When you work from home, it might not be that simple.

Is it a problem for me? First of all, I’m a notification person. I receive emails and Slack messages on my phone and I was like that even before working from home. That’s probably not a healthy habit, I should definitely work on that, but I have to say I have wonderful colleagues and clients that respect my time and don’t expect me to reply immediately. We all agree that a proper meaningful answer is way better than a quick and possibly incomplete one.

Once more, the culture of the people you’re working with is what makes smart and remote successful or not. If someone is expecting you to be immediately available at any time, it’s not on remote working but on that person in particular not being respectful of your time.

Less unexpected help

Speaking of cooperation, I have to say it is true that it’s not as easy as in the office. A quick example, if you’re a junior developer you might benefit a lot from the senior colleague walking next to your desk and offering you for some help or advice.

In a remote environment, it is more up to you to be more proactive and ask for help if needed. Not being in person might indeed create some friction, but we also have to say that sending a Slack or Teams message shouldn’t be a big deal.

In any case, this is not necessarily a bad thing, as it helped me be even more independent, even if I have to admit I should probably ask for help more often as it could actually save me some time and produce better results.

Protected time during commute

The last downside is tightly bound to the first pros on the list and I’m talking about the commute.

In my case I was going to work by train, half an hour on board and then 20 minutes walking to the office (to be precise, I was carrying an electric scooter with me, but that’s another story).

The thing is, that half an hour on the train was kind of enjoyable. You cannot skip that, you’re 30 minutes hostage on a chair, waiting, so it’s up to you if you want to entirely waste that time or do something meaningful with it.

So, I used to read books and this means almost on every work day I was reading for about an hour. This was also giving me some momentum to keep reading before going to sleep as well.

So, why is this on the downsides of working from home? I mean, no one stops me from protecting an hour a day to have some good read, but feels different. At home I have plenty of other activities I can do so I have to be much more intentional if I want to read.
On the other side, while being stuck on the train, it was much easier and satisfying.

No more commute

Buuut speaking of the train commute overall, I don’t miss it. At all. Here’s the list of Pros of working remotely I’ve experienced so far.

Using public transportation means having to deal with delays, cancellations, strikes, bad weather, and so on. And also, it takes time and money. I could probably save some time (but for sure not money) by going by car, but this would mean having to deal with traffic, parking, polluting the environment and so on.

Being able to work from wherever I want, which is usually at home for me, it is actually saving me so much time and money and has a great impact on my life quality too. Way less stressful.

Pick your company

Besides, no longer requiring to physically be in the office, means I don’t need to take into consideration how far the office is located, or if an office exists at all.

Instead of being limited to the companies in a few kilometres radius from my home, I can carefully select and pick the company I like the most, even if it’s located on the other side of the world if I want to.

As of today I’m working for Claranet Italia, based in Italy as the name suggests, and the cool thing is that we’re all spread across the country, from the southmost region to the northmost region. I wouldn’t be able to work with all those amazing people if we had to be in the same place since we live in different cities.

I love my hometown and I’m happy I didn’t have to relocate when I changed job, but in case I want to move to another city for whatever reason, I don’t actually have to worry about finding a new job, I can just keep working for the same company.

Organize my time

It is true that you need to be more intentional about your time, but it’s also true that you have much more freedom to organize it.

I can decide to wake up earlier and start working earlier, or I can decide to sleep a bit more and start working later, always according to the tasks and meetings I have on that day.

Taking breaks is also easier, I can decide to go for a walk or do some exercise, or even go to the supermarket while it’s not too crowded, as I can easily make up for that time later on during the day. While everyone is stuck in the checkout line buying their groceries at 6pm, I’m probably comfortably sitting on my chair doing some code reviews before going to prepare dinner.

This clashes with the difficulty of disconnecting, but at the cost of repeating myself a dozen times, working remotely requires a healthy company culture which respects your time and fosters your independence.

Doing smart work in a company not designed for that might give you a hard time disconnecting, instead, doing remote work in a company that embraces it, will give you much more freedom to organize your time. As always, it’s all about the right people.

If you’re working from home but your employer still requires you to clock in and clock out… you better find a new job.

Eat healthier

Since I have the chance of buying some food outside the rush hours, I have a better selection of ingredients to cook my pasta for lunch every day.

Did I already mention I’m Italian? Lunch equals pasta for me and being at home means I can properly cook it every day. I don’t miss a single bite of that microwaved pasta I had to eat while in the office. Disgusting.

Enjoy the silence

I briefly mentioned at the beginning of this article that being alone in the room has some advantages. One of them is that I can enjoy the silence during a debugging session or when I need to laser focus on a task.

If I want to listen to some music, I can do that as well without bothering anyone else and without headphones. I don’t really like headphones.

Oh and also, I can also decide the room temperature, which is often a war every day in the office between that one who’s always cold and the other one constantly sweating because of the heat… while being in the same room at the same temperature, sitting one next to the other.

We’re hiring!

Before stepping to conclusions, if you’re based in Italy and you’re looking for a remote job, my company is hiring! I’m sorry but due to legal requirements for now we can only hire in Italy.

Qui di seguito un po’ di link:

• Frontend
• Backend
• Cloud Engineer
• Tutte le posizioni

Se sei interessato dagli pure un occhio e se hai domande, mi trovi su LinkedIn.

Conclusion

And this was MY personal experience with smart working so far. The conclusion is that as long as the environment is designed for that, you’re encouraged to be independent and you’re not missing out on anything, it’s a great way to work.

Flexible time and location, no commute, no distractions, no more microwaved pasta, what else could I ask for?

I’m curious to know what’s your experience with smart working, have you ever tried it? Do you like it? Do you think it’s a bad practice? Let me know in the comments below.

Thanks for watching, don’t forget to subscribe and see you next time!

Thanks for reading this article, I hope you found it interesting!

I recently launched my Discord server to talk about Open Source and Web Development, feel free to join: https://discord.gg/bqwyEa6We6

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You can find it here:

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Leonardo MontiniFollow

I talk about Open Source, GitHub, and Web Development.
I also run a YouTube channel called DevLeonardo, see you there!

The post My Smart Working Experience: Pros and Cons appeared first on ProdSens.live.

The argument that remote work justifies lower pay rates is increasingly contentious, especially in our modern era, where technology has blurred the lines between the traditional office space and the home. This perspective is laughable to many, largely because it disregards the value of work itself. Remote or not, the effort, skill, time, and dedication required to perform a task does not diminish. Remote work may demand additional skills such as self-discipline, adaptability, and technical acumen to work effectively from home. This point of view reflects the conviction that the value of work should not be tied to a physical location but to the quality and quantity of the work produced.

Furthermore, the argument seems to dismiss that remote work is not necessarily a “benefit” for the employee but also a cost-saving measure for the employer. Companies save on various overheads when employees work remotely, including rent, utilities, office supplies, commuting benefits, and more. Also, research has indicated that remote workers often work longer hours than their in-office counterparts. Considering these aspects, it is clear why many people find the idea of lowering pay rates for remote work not only amusing but also profoundly unfair. The focus should be on paying what the work is worth and recognizing the value and contribution of the employee, irrespective of where they clock in their hours.

With that said. I am looking for work, but I won’t work for peanuts. Give me the fancy cashews!

The post Remote Work is Valued Less in 2023 appeared first on ProdSens.live.

In software development, there is often a drive to add more features and functionality to a project, but sometimes less is more.

French writer Antoine de Saint-Exupery once said,

“Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.”

How do you balance the desire for new features with the need for simplicity and efficiency? Have you ever encountered a project that became too complex or unwieldy due to feature creep? How did you handle it? Let’s discuss the importance of simplicity and minimalism in coding, and share tips for achieving it in our own projects.

The post Is Less More? How Do You Embrace Simplicity in Coding? appeared first on ProdSens.live.

Ah freelancing, the dream of working from anywhere in the world, being your own boss, and making a ton of money. It’s a life numerous people dream of. I started freelancing in May 2021 & never looked back.

In one year, I became one of the top 3% of freelancers on the planet (as a Top Rated Plus Freelancer on Upwork) & I have already gone through the highest of highs & lowest of lows of freelancing.

Let’s discuss some of the pros & cons of freelancing I found out the hard way.

Pros

Let’s start off with the mindblowing pros that come with freelancing!

1. Money, money & some more money

If you DON’T reside in one of the developed countries, you are in for an incredible surprise my friend, as you can make a ton of money relatively easily by freelancing!

Of course, you need to have the skills to justify what you charge, but due to geographical arbitrage (a fancy term for earning in a strong currency & spending in a weak currency), you can make a lot of money.

Earning $60/hour might be classified as poor in New York, US, but in India, it’s mind-numbing money & can easily land you in the top 0.1% earners in the country.

2. Freedom to work from anywhere

There is unparallel freedom in working as a freelancer: you are not bound at any particular location while working. All you need is a laptop & an internet connection and you are golden.

As long as you can deliver quality work on time, nobody cares where you work.

So the next time you feel bored, you can pack your bags & head to Bali for thrills with minimal bills!

3. Freedom to work any time

As a cherry on top of the location freedom, you also have time freedom: you get to choose when you work & how long you work!

Most clients would allow you to work according to your schedule as long as you deliver.

Regardless of whether you are a part of the 5 AM club or the 5 PM club, there is always something for you!

Cons

Getting started with freelancing already? Hold your horses!

It is NOT all rainbows and sunshine. Let’s now explore the cons that come with freelancing!

1. With great money comes great responsibility

Financial Education

This is the most important life skill, which is taught in no school.

For example, since you don’t have a company to replace your work laptop when it’s damaged, you need to be prepared for such unforeseen expenses, as NOT replacing a malfunctioning laptop can potentially take you out of business.

Even though such expenses are expected to be rare, you never know when they would hit & can put a significant dent in your finances.

Taxes

Rules of money change when you cross a specific threshold as a business owner. While the threshold varies from country to country, in India it is ₹20L (₹2M) & again at ₹50L (₹5M).

Assuming you are NOT working as a professional Chartered Accountant or Tax Attorney, you will need to hire one to help you out with your taxes.

The last thing you want is being slapped with a huge tax bill at the end of the year, just because you didn’t know how to do it correctly.

2. You trade one boss for a platoon of bosses

Being your own boss is a myth. It is true that as a freelancer, you DO NOT have one single boss, but you are answerable to each and every one of your clients.

When things go south, there is NO ONE holding your hand through the mess. Mostly, you are expected to figure it out & come up with a solution on your own, which can be a tad overwhelming at times.

3. Office life gives you FOMO

This might be my personal experience, but never having worked at an office, I feel like I am missing out on meeting people, making friends, and attending corporate events.

As a freelancer, you have to create your own opportunities to socialize, regardless of whether you work at a co-working place or talk to random strangers on the street (which is quite unwelcome in quite a few pockets of the world).

You might be thinking, I am an introvert & don’t care about socializing, but the 2020 pandemic must have shown you even if you identify yourself as one, you still need to interact with people to remain sane.

Even if you are offered multiple job opportunities, you can’t take them on as they do not make sense from a financial perspective.

Conclusion

So now we are down to the big question: should you freelance?

Well, even though my experience was mostly positive, I would encourage you to weigh the pros & cons and test out the freelancing waters.

One big caveat of freelancing is you absolutely must have a monetizable skill! Unless you can solve someone else’s woes, nobody is going to pay you.

With that said, I wish you the best of luck if you want to try freelancing!!!

Have you ever tried freelancing before? Or are you planning to get started? Let me know in the comments below!

Thanks for reading

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FAQ

These are a few commonly asked questions I get. So, I hope this FAQ section solves your issues.

1. I am a beginner, how should I learn Front-End Web Dev?
   Look into the following articles:

   1. Front End Development Roadmap
   2. Front End Project Ideas

2. Would you mentor me?

   Sorry, I am already under a lot of workload and would not have the time to mentor anyone.

The post What I learned from 2 years of freelancing 🤫💰 appeared first on ProdSens.live.

I worked as a Full Stack Web Developer on what I realized it was to me a toxic workplace for software developers and I decided to quit. Today, exactly one year later, I’m 100% sure I did the right choice.

I didn’t change my career path, I’m still a web developer (focused on Frontend though) but changing company also changed my life, in better.

It’s a personal topic, not my usual technical content, but I wanted to share with you my own experience. In particular, what made me think it was time to quit and start looking for a new position. Maybe it can help you recognize some red flags in your workplace so you can evaluate if it’s something you can solve or not.

In my case, it was not about the money but rather the company culture which made the difference.

You can watch the full video where I go into details here:

I know not everyone likes to watch videos, so let me write down some of the main concepts I talk about.

Disclaimer

The first thing I also say in the video is that this isn’t at all to shame on my previous company. I met great people there and I’m still in touch with some of them. Also, the project I worked on put me in front of a lot of challenges which helped me learn a lot about the web development world.

However, at some point I realized that the company culture wasn’t aligned with my values and quitting was indeed the right choice.

Red flags

The first thing you start looking for is red flags. Red flags are things that make you think “This is not right”.

In the video I go through 4 of them I noticed in my previous company and, unsurprisingly, managers played a big role in them. You know the saying:

People don’t leave companies, they leave managers

For example, the management did not want the dev team to study and learn things, because they have to work. Other departments were totally fine in doing courses paid by the company though.

One more that played a huge role but is not entirely related to the management was how feedback and blaming were handled. People tended to hide their mistakes hoping no one would notice and eventually something would break in another step of the chain.

What made me quit

I have to say I never had problems with the salary. Not too high, ok, but they always paid on time and I never had to worry about it. Some colleagues were great and I had a lot of fun with them.

After a couple of years there I noticed quite a few red flags and I started to think about quitting. But getting out of your comfort zone is never easy, especially when you’re not sure about what’s next.

How did I find the strength to quit?

Well, let’s put it that way, sometimes a really negative experience is what you need to realize what you really want.

In the video, I go more into the details and the feelings I had at the time, but let me write down the gist of it.

One day I wasn’t sure on what path to take in fixing a bug and I asked my manager for some advice. His response was something along the lines of:

I’d rather fix it myself than explain it to you

Mic drop

Should YOU quit?

There’s no right or wrong answer here, but often times it’s just a communication problem. If you’re not happy with your current job, try to talk with your manager and see if you can find a solution.

In my case, it was the company culture that was not aligned with my values, but we did some attempts with some colleagues to change it. We tried to suggest new ideas and ways of working but it was always met with resistance.

Start looking for red flags, if and how many you can notice. In the video, I highlighted some I found in my company but there might be a lot of different ones. I might talk about it more in general in another article/video.

Work to Live or Live to Work?

If you wake up every day already tired and afraid of one more terrible day at work, maybe it’s time to start looking around for a new job.

I’ve been in that exact situation. Fortunately not at unsustainable levels, as I mentioned I had great colleagues who made my life better at the office, but I was still not entirely satisfied.

However, if I’d chosen to stay there, I’d have probably ended up in a burnout situation and it was something I definitely wanted to avoid. And you should too.

I’m not gonna expand on the burnout topic today, but if you’re not familiar with this term I suggest you do some research and make sure to avoid getting to that point.

Was it worth it?

Fast forward one year, getting a new job made me love even more working as a software developer, so much so that I decided to take some of my free time to write articles here on dev.to and to start a YouTube channel.

My current workplace allows, actually encourages, me to study and learn new things. I’m not forced to work overtime and I’m not afraid of asking for help when I need it.

Was it worth it? 100% yes.

Maybe I’ve been lucky, but I’m sure there are other companies out there that are aligned with my values and I’m sure you can find one that fits you too.

If you’re interested in all the details, you can watch the full video here:

Thanks for reading this article, I hope you found it interesting!

I recently launched my Discord server to talk about Open Source and Web Development, feel free to join: https://discord.gg/bqwyEa6We6

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Leonardo MontiniFollow

I talk about Open Source, GitHub, and Web Development.
I also run a YouTube channel called DevLeonardo, see you there!

The post I QUIT from a TOXIC Software Development Workplace appeared first on ProdSens.live.