Why every software developer needs a Positioning Statement
Our industry is about expertise.
Generalist “programmers” aren’t in demand. Instead, you need to be an expert in something.
Becoming an expert isn’t some monumental feat of skill acquisition. It’s just a matter of positioning.
Good positioning makes you into a desirable developer.
Positioning, explained
Companies spend a lot of time thinking about their positioning.
It might sound like business-speak to you. But “product-market fit,” “go-to-market strategies,” and “unique selling propositions” are important concepts.
The basic lesson of positioning is this:
- When you’re poorly positioned, you’re a small fish in a big pond. You blend into a sea of other developers/products/options.
- When you’re well positioned, you’re a big fish in a small pond. You create a category for yourself that few others can match.
Big fish, small pond
Being a big fish matters. It’s how you grow your career.
Creating a category for yourself is powerful. Instead of being “just another programmer,” you are “THE Django for FinTech developer.”
Big fish differentiate themselves. They’re exceptional in the market.
When you’re exceptional, you can charge more for your services. You also narrow your area of expertise, so you can go deep on the topics in your domain.
Narrowing your niche makes you a better developer and pays more.
Am I sacrificing options?
It’s tempting to think that positioning limits your options.
After all, you’re now in a small pond of others. What about all the opportunities in the big pond?
The beauty of positioning is that it makes the options in the small pond better…
- You use positioning to eliminate the opportunities that didn’t interest you in the first place.
- At the same time, you’re narrowing your focus to make you an expert in the market that does interest you.
- When a company discovers you — “THE Django for FinTech guy” — they feel they need to have you on the team. There’s a strong fit & you end up with a better negotiating position.
- In this way, narrowing your focus actually creates opportunities that you wouldn’t have otherwise found.
How to write a positioning statement
Niche down. Pick:
- An industry, niche, or problem you want to help solve — FinTech, climate change, mapping/GIS, healthcare, etc
- A city or two where you’d like to work — if you want to work remotely, then that’s also a specific location
- A role you’d like to fill — backend, frontend, mobile, data science, site reliability, embedded
- A tech stack or two you feel confident in
- The size/type of company you’d like to work for — startup, boutique consulting, midsize, enterprise
It shouldn’t take you too long to craft the first version of the position statement. And from here, it’s always a work in progress as you learn new things and decide new directions you want to pursue.
Write it down in your notes somewhere that you can easily refer to it. That’s your north star.
More resources
I write something new for software developers every day. Get on the daily list to receive updates!
—
Join Medium for $5 — Access all of Medium + support me & others!
