Author: Christian Heilmann
Translated by: Zhuang Qi
That’s all I can think of right now. When I first published this handbook, it filled a huge gap, and I never expected it to help inspire the current developer relations industry.
I think the main thing is that this book started from experience. I was lucky enough to be in the corporate world (working for Yahoo at the time) and have the freedom to run my own blog and promote my personal brand. Well, luck was part of it, but being bold enough to ask for change directly was the other side. I came from a position of power. I was a principal engineer, the market was just starting to reboot, and, having hired other engineers before, I knew how much it cost to hire someone and, more importantly, to let someone go to the competition.
Building your own brand has become quite common, but back then it was almost unheard of. “We pay you, why don’t you talk exclusively about our products?” was the mantra back then. I successfully convinced my company to become a “developer evangelist” and thought it might be a good idea to write down what I did.
Now, about 15 years later, I speak at 30 conferences a year, have recorded numerous podcasts, shows, and training courses, and I’m bewildered at how big this market has become and how many people work in DevRel full-time.
It’s been a hell of a journey, and I’m still humbled by all the opportunities DevRel has brought. It could be traveling the world, seeing new things, building an excellent network, and having a network that I can tap into when I need to get into certain companies or gain financial benefits from side income or living expenses.
That being said, it’s also a frustrating job. You’re always in the spotlight, and anything you do can and will be used to support or question certain causes by those who envy you or are trying to be you. In a way, it feels like being a minor celebrity, and I’ve had many people resonate with that on stage.
I’ve made many friends along the way, discovered and supported some great talent, and I’m proud to see them grow after just a small conversation of “Hey, I really think you can do this. If you need some basic help, I’d be happy to assist you.”
I’ve also made some enemies and, inadvertently, hurt or offended people. This is hard to handle and even more energy-consuming. But it’s something to carry and try to find the best way to deal with. After all, even as the most屌丝 developer evangelist, you’re human.
Please indicate reprint: Developer Relations »
