What do you do if you want to stand out as an application developer in the job market?

Merely knowing a wide range of programming languages is insufficient. Given the increasing complexity of projects, it's crucial to also understand the best practices for each language/framework, including design principles, testing (with an emphasis on mocking), clean code, and a deep understanding of the underlying technologies. Further it is important to have a fundamental knowledge in operations tools like Git and CI/CD. Understanding these tools enhances your ability to efficiently manage version control, automate testing and deployment, and streamline the collaboration and delivery process.

Know how to use a language proficiently. Be willing to learn something new. Everything changes: new language versions, new libraries, and modified syntax. Be able to demonstrate or talk about how you learn new things. If you're looking to develop a web application, you don't have to know Javascript or a front-end framework to be successful. You should understand how HTML gets to the client and what you can do with CSS and Javascript. There are many tools to help build applications. You should master a few, understand some, and know about a lot. Then, you'll have a well-stocked toolbox and can bring out the right tool for the job.

Effective communication is the essential tool. Writing and reading (a lot) have helped me improve as a communicator, but I still have a lot to learn. Don't be afraid to ask questions, even questions you think are simple or that you should already know the answer to. Often, communication breaks down because you're using the same words but mean something slightly different. Be willing to write out your thoughts. Writing it out helps you discover gaps in your knowledge. The more you write your thoughts in detail, the better you'll be able to recall them in the moment. Final thought: assume the best intentions. We often judge ourselves on our intentions and others based on their actions.

Prepare for the interview or task. But don't fake it. If you don't know, it is better to ask clarifying questions or say, "I'm not sure, but I think I'd approach the problem this way," or "It seems similar to X that I've done before, but I think there's complexity I'm not seeing right now." When I interview a candidate, I want her to write code. I'm not looking for perfect code; I want it to run and accomplish the goal. More importantly, I'm looking and listening for thought patterns. How does she approach the problem? What questions does she ask? It is easier to learn a language or improve existing skills than it is to learn how to think through a problem. I want to work with people who can think through problems.

Write the kind of code that makes you smile. Learn a fun technology to work with. Explore, explore, explore. Take random pieces and put them together. Sometimes, the solution to the problem isn't writing code but putting other pieces together well. In my book, putting the pieces together is still application development.