This is my first non-introductory blog post. I attended a #chaupal in the #TeamTanay Discord server for the first time today and it was an enriching experience.
The discussion was around using Social Media as a developer, and Tanay Pratap was taking doubts from members of the community and sharing why showcasing your work on social media is important. I will be sharing my takeaways from the session in a Q&A format as they were discussed in the session. Hope you find them helpful.
TL;DR
- Social Media and blogs help you create your personal brand.
- Treat your blogs and social media like a diary of all things you do as a developer. There is no such thing as oversharing.
- Celebrate all your wins, no matter how small or big. Share them with the world and celebrate.
- Dealing with trolls - They mock. You block.
- Document your dev work. This is very different from content creation.
- Start with bad content, trust the process. If you wait to be “good enough” to start, you will not be able to start anywhere.
- Don’t be involved in controversies and trolling on social media.
- Question any opinion you see on social media. Accept it if it is based on facts or a framework of thought. “Just because I think so” is not a good enough reason.
QnA
Q. Inherently, we have a fear of being judged on social media, how to deal with it?
- Fear of being judged is natural. You must choose to overcome it as being right and being judged is far better than being wrong and remaining silent.
- Risk being judged for the fear of being wrong. Fear of maintaining a wrong perception should be greater than the fear of being judged.
- Don’t worry too much about judgement, people really don’t have the time to sit around judging people. Those that have the time, don’t matter.
- If people troll you, block them and move on. Your mental peace is a priority.
- Don’t NOT post for the fear of being judged. At the same time, don’t feel compelled to post very often. Do what is natural and comfortable for you.
Q. What if we are still too scared of judgement? How to curb it?
- Try using a pseudonym.
- Use a closed Twitter account.
- Try using restricted posts with limitations on replies and comments.
- If public social media is daunting, post within a closed community Discord or on a friends’ WhatsApp group. Start somewhere.
- Documenting your journey facilitates you in the process of selling your skills and yourself. This is a skill you need in the corporate world.
Q. A lot of folks on social media are posting very advanced level projects. As a new dev, it is difficult to want to post about elementary learning in such a setting. How to deal with it?
- Look up to those people. Aspire to be where they are one day. But also understand that reaching there takes time and your journey will take time too.
- Comparison is good as long as it leads to motivation and does not act as a deterrent.
- Share your journey, your milestones and your smallest wins. This not only helps the outside world see how well you are doing but also gives you a boost of confidence and a push to do better.
- Everyone was a beginner once. Everyone is a beginner at something. You being a beginner does not invalidate your accomplishments.
Q. What if content I create is not good? Or is it something that is already on the internet? How to combat this fear of being redundant?
- You have to start somewhere. And you will start with bad content.
- Trust the process. You will improve as you go.
- People that troll or mock are insecure. Winners support winners. They mock, you block.
Q. How to decide on what content to filter or what opinions to count as important?
- Is the opinion based on fact or a well-established thought framework? If yes, it is a valid opinion.
- A way to figure out the validity of an opinion is to ask why? And if a reasonable why does not have a reasonable answer, it is not a reasonable opinion.
Q. How to battle FOMO - Fear of Missing Out?
- Don’t take FOMO, give FOMO. Be so busy being awesome, you don’t have time for FOMO.
- FOMO is a common inherent human tendency. It stems from our need to belong to a community, to a tribe.
- Engage in a community of like-minded folks, be mindful in choosing your peer circle. Do not compare yourself with someone who has years of experience.
- Do not jump from tech to tech just due to FOMO. Focus on the skills you need to build in order to achieve your next career milestone.
Q. Why do I need to create a personal brand online?
- While a finished project is a proof of work, it is not a proof of effort and thought process.
- Having an active online presence exposes your thought and effort process to the world. This may lead to a better perception with a hiring manager.
Closing Notes:
- Do not engage in social media controversies.
- Do not bully anyone online.
- Do not fight for someone you don’t know.
- Use social media to share your journey, your process and not for any political and controversial purposes.
I tried to document the session and share it with everyone. Hope it helps. Thanks for reading!🌸