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Skill Stacking: A Practical Strategy to Achieve Career Success

dariusforoux.com

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Re: Skill Stacking: A Practical Strategy to Achieve Career Success

#91

Post by rchaud »

avip wrote: post #54
_kxbd wrote: post #19

I don't find these sorts of articles valuable. The template is simple: Write generic advice that sounds nice, and is never controversial. Make sure it's super vague so you don't have to take any accountability for it, you can move the goalposts of what you're saying. If we remove all the filler in this article (more or less the entire article), it amounts to "be okay at multiple things rather than trying to be good a…

But you can't publish a medium post which reads pay attention to what you're doing . You have to crappify it.

"10 ways in which billionaires pay attention to the right things".

There, now your post has a Medium-worthy title.

Re: Skill Stacking: A Practical Strategy to Achieve Career Success

#92

Post by swaggyBoatswain »

_kxbd wrote: post #19

I don't find these sorts of articles valuable. The template is simple: Write generic advice that sounds nice, and is never controversial. Make sure it's super vague so you don't have to take any accountability for it, you can move the goalposts of what you're saying. If we remove all the filler in this article (more or less the entire article), it amounts to "be okay at multiple things rather than trying to be good a…

I think these articles have value, but in moderation. It's like watching TED talks - watch too many, you become the antithesis of productive. Focus too much on productivity software, you lose sight in what matters. Focus on your life, people you care about, and work hard. But you should be your biggest critic, don't expect someone else to do this for you.

Per the topic itself.

I tend to enjoy many things, so skillstacking is something I naturally pursue. My take on this topic, is just to create value as much as possible. Not just for others, but yourself as well. Things like learning new software, building tools people use, workshops you can use to make DIY projects, and long term relationships.

Sure there will be mistakes, you will write cringey things like "Read over 500 books" in your about page, but it's still progression. You miss 100% of the shots you don't take.

Re: Skill Stacking: A Practical Strategy to Achieve Career Success

#93

Post by User23 »

carlmr wrote: post #51
bertjk wrote: post #50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

He does attribute, right in the second line of the whole piece: >> The more skills we have, the more odds we have to become successful. I like how Scott Adams, the creator of Dilbert, explains the concept of Skill Stacking ...

My bad, skimmed it very quickly and didn't see that.

I searched the page text for Adams before I posted and saw nothing. I guess I missed it too somehow or the page was updated.

Re: Skill Stacking: A Practical Strategy to Achieve Career Success

#94

Post by SpanishConf »

yesenadam wrote: post #55
csomar wrote: post #47

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes. Many people cites Europe/France as a good example of retirement/healthcare and forget that the pension system is a Scam. They are basically paying current retirees with what the current employees are paying. A state-lead Ponzi Scheme. The system will eventually implode.

So which countries would you 'cite as a good example of retirement/healthcare'?

France, Germany, Spain, etc...

Are they perfect? No, though.

Re: Skill Stacking: A Practical Strategy to Achieve Career Success

#95

Post by softawre »

bodas wrote: post #15
eloff wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Seems like a justification for mediocrity. Yeah, you'll enjoy life more if you're not working 100 hours a week like Elon Musk. But I think you'll be in general better off and happier if you push yourself. I've always worked very hard at my career and it has paid off. I get to do lots of fun things as a result. It was hard in the moment to make the sacrifices, but that's water under the bridge now. Present and future…

Is Elon Musk not "semi-rad"? He's seems to have a wide breadth of knowledge in multiple fields (engineering, business). He's not the best at anything other than being himself, which I think is the point.

Elon Musk is not the best in anything? Not even building world changing businesses?

Re: Skill Stacking: A Practical Strategy to Achieve Career Success

#96

Post by scarface74 »

godelmachine wrote: post #89
scarface74 wrote: post #61

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I hate to mention salaries ranges on HN because of the HN/Silicon Valley bubble where people seem amazed that not only does every developer not live on the West Coast they also don’t make half a million dollars and are not all bumming it in a trailer park. But, outside the west coast and New York City. In most major cities in the US, a semi hands on software architect can make between around $125K - $150K. A consulta…

>> a semi hands on software architect can make between around $125K - $150K. A consultant can make from $140K to $200K. Do years of experience matter to make that kind of money?

Definitely,

But with diminishing returns. After 8-10 years. Any additional “years” of experience doesn’t matter. What you have done does.

I’ve officially been developing for over 20 years, but my first 12 years might as well been 3 years + 1 year doing the same thing 9 times.

Job hopping over the past 10 years has helped me make a lot more money but more importantly helped me learn a lot.

And by “consultant”, I mean the buzzwordy “implementation consultant”, “digital transformation consultant”, etc.

Yes I die a little every time I say it.

Re: Skill Stacking: A Practical Strategy to Achieve Career Success

#97

Post by rchaud »

ensiferum wrote: post #49
_kxbd wrote: post #19

I don't find these sorts of articles valuable. The template is simple: Write generic advice that sounds nice, and is never controversial. Make sure it's super vague so you don't have to take any accountability for it, you can move the goalposts of what you're saying. If we remove all the filler in this article (more or less the entire article), it amounts to "be okay at multiple things rather than trying to be good a…

It's just this "empty" content that every blogger is spewing these days just to publish something.

> just to publish something

Every blogger knows there is no money in "content mill" style writing. they publish this pseudo-self help stuff to generate leads for their ebooks and training seminars.

Re: Skill Stacking: A Practical Strategy to Achieve Career Success

#98

Post by eloff »

dasil003 wrote: post #90
eloff wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Seems like a justification for mediocrity. Yeah, you'll enjoy life more if you're not working 100 hours a week like Elon Musk. But I think you'll be in general better off and happier if you push yourself. I've always worked very hard at my career and it has paid off. I get to do lots of fun things as a result. It was hard in the moment to make the sacrifices, but that's water under the bridge now. Present and future…

Are you suggesting Elon Musk is happier than most? He certainly doesn’t seem happy to me.

No, I suggested that working 100 hours a week like Elon Musk will not likely lead to happiness.

Re: Skill Stacking: A Practical Strategy to Achieve Career Success

#99

Post by eloff »

function_seven wrote: post #21
eloff wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Seems like a justification for mediocrity. Yeah, you'll enjoy life more if you're not working 100 hours a week like Elon Musk. But I think you'll be in general better off and happier if you push yourself. I've always worked very hard at my career and it has paid off. I get to do lots of fun things as a result. It was hard in the moment to make the sacrifices, but that's water under the bridge now. Present and future…

It isn't a binary choice between "rockstar" and "mediocrity". There's a huge area between those two: "semi-rad". That's the point. Learn to recognize when you've achieved a level of skill where you're qualified more than most, and don't have to double your effort and time to get to the pinnacle. The opportunity cost may not be worth it if you can otherwise spend it pursuing other interests.

Perhaps I just don't understand this semi rad thing. And yeah that makes a certain amount of sense. But it also seems dangerous in that it can easily be used as a justification for underachieving.

Re: Skill Stacking: A Practical Strategy to Achieve Career Success

#100

Post by function_seven »

eloff wrote: post #99
function_seven wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It isn't a binary choice between "rockstar" and "mediocrity". There's a huge area between those two: "semi-rad". That's the point. Learn to recognize when you've achieved a level of skill where you're qualified more than most, and don't have to double your effort and time to get to the pinnacle. The opportunity cost may not be worth it if you can otherwise spend it pursuing other interests.

Perhaps I just don't understand this semi rad thing. And yeah that makes a certain amount of sense. But it also seems dangerous in that it can easily be used as a justification for underachieving.

I suppose. But at the risk of getting a little meta here: Wouldn't that justification only be relied upon by underachievers in the first place? Anyone looking for a reason to not do more than they are is already in that category I think.

I take it as a "whoa, slow down" message to overachievers that are sacrificing a well-rounded life on the alter of excellence. Maybe they can do more by widening their focus a bit.

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