Chapter 2 of 8 · 4 practices · 3 min · 3-question quiz
Choose a focus
People remember one clear thing about you more easily than ten vague ones. Pick a focus you can sustain and explain in a sentence.
Start: Write a one-line statement of what you do and for whom4 practices in this chapter
- 1Write a one-line statement of what you do and for whomA positioning line is the sentence you want people to repeat about you. It should name a role, an area and, ideally, the kind of problems or people you help. Examples: "Backend developer who builds…
- 2Go narrow at first, then widen once you are known for somethingA narrow focus feels risky, but it is how people get remembered. "React developer" competes with a huge crowd; "React developer who writes about accessibility in forms" stands out in a smaller room…
- 3Pick a focus you use at work or will use for yearsThe easiest brand to maintain is one built on work you are already doing. If your job is mostly Django and PostgreSQL, a focus on Rust game engines means finding separate time for both the learning…
- 4Name the people you want to reachEvery post, project and profile is easier to write when you know who it is for. Name the audience as specifically as you can: "Junior developers learning backend for the first time."; "Engineering…
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