Microsoft CDAs on the Importance of Soft Skills for Software Developers

Most developers have certain goals for their career and also their life.

For me, for a very long time, it was to publish my own indie game. And I reached that goal.

But I figured, to achieve any goal, it’s not only about the technical skills. Communicating, personal growth, getting out of your comfort zone and building these soft skills are also immensely important.

At the Microsoft Tech Summit in Frankfurt, I met the following Microsoft CDAs (Cloud Developer Advocates) who certainly have a position many developers desire, and I asked (and recorded), what they think about the importance of soft skills for every developer.

The first person I asked was Shayne Boyer. He wrote his first text-based role-playing game at age 11 and is now CDA for .NET/.NET Core, Docker and Node.js. It’s all about communication, he says, and you should definitely join local groups and approach new people to exchange your ideas â€“ also at work.

Here’s the (short) video:

Next would be Zachary Deptawa and Bernd Verst. Zach’s primary professional background is rooted in Linux, hence he’s also a CDA for Linux (Yes, a Microsoft CDA for Linux. Welcome to 2018!). He thinks you should tell your story, be relatable and conquer your fears. If you do that, awesome stuff is happening.

Bernd originally comes from Germany. He studied six years in San Francisco, then worked for Google, then Twitter, even the government and now is a Microsoft CDA for Linux, Containers (Kubernetes) and Python. In his opinion, mentorship is very important. Both, getting mentored and also be the mentor yourself.

But see for yourself. Here’s the video with Zach and Bernd:

I hope these little clips helped in any way. If so, please let me know.

Write your comments below and share your thoughts on the importance of soft skills with the community. 

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