#5: Open source and personal networking for an amazing career

The principles of open sourceOpen source has redefined how we work since its genesis in the late 90s. One of our speakers defines open source as being like a “social network for developers”, where competition is replaced with collaboration. This emphasis on collaboration, as well as transparency and contribution, are key principles of open source. So how can adopting an open source mindset have a positive impact on your career, like it did for our speakers?   An open source mindset can help your career in many waysNetwork to build your community: From Slack channels, issue queues, and conferences, open source provides a variety of opportunities for networking and community building. Whether asynchronous or real-time, you can choose which ways suit you best.Participate in open source projects to grow technically: Since open source projects are, well...open, you can jump in and start learning, no matter your skill level. Robert Douglass, our host, describes participating in open source projects as his “gateway” to becoming a Java programmer. Improve your communication to become a better teammate: Yara Senger of the  Global Code Foundation, emphasizes that communication is key, across all roles. “Improving your communication skills, whether that’s written, in-person, or online is one extremely important part of your career development to make us better leaders and teammates.”Prove your value before the interview even starts: If a company uses or makes open source code, making active suggestions to their documentation can give you a leg up over other candidates. Bruno Souza, a self-described Java evangelist, calls this a ‘pre-interview project’ and adds, “Anytime you have an interview, you should look for opportunities to help the company before you even show up.”The impact of open source is far-reachingWhether your company embraces it or not, open source has changed the way we do everything. Yara Senger notes this impact, saying, “I can see how open source has changed everything, especially the power we give to people. I think the soul of open source is one of the most important things we have had in the last twenty years.”Try Drupal 9 on Platform.sh today.Platform.shLearn more about us.Get started with a free trial.Have a question? Get in touch!Platform.sh on social mediaTwitter: @platformshTwitter (France): @platformsh_frLinkedIn: Platform.shLinkedIn (France): Platform.shFacebook: Platform.shWatch, listen, and subscribe to the Platform.sh Deploy Friday podcast:YouTubeApple PodcastsBuzzsproutPlatform.sh is a robust, reliable hosting platform that gives development teams the tools to build and scale applications efficiently. Whether you run one or one thousand websites, you can focus on creating features and functionality with your favorite tech stack and leave managing infrastructure and processes to us.