Both Doug and Sam talk about taking responsibility for our own professional development careers.
Like others, I am paying my own way for PDC. No one else. I determined a long time ago that I am responsible, as a professional developer, for my own career. No one else. When I worked as a full-time employee, I bought my own books, learned new technologies (at the time, .Net) on my own time, and paid the cost of moving forward out of my comfort zones.
As for me, this is my commitment:
1. As a professional developer, I will be responsible for my career.
2. As a professional developer, I realize that responsibility comes with a cost. I will pay that cost.
3. As a professional developer, I will read books, read magazines, take classes, learn from others, attend conferances, and strive to stretch my comfort zones by learning new things.
4. As a professional developer, I will rely on myself, not my company, to further my personal and technical growth.
5. As a professional developer, I will work hard at everything I do. I will work to use my strengths, but I will also work to strengthen my weaknesses.
I could go on, but you get the idea. It's about commitment. It's about cost. Are you willing to pay the cost?
