Beyond Code: Building a Personal Brand To Boost Your Career

In an increasingly competitive field, software expertise alone may not be enough to stand out and drive your career forward. Platforms like GitHub, LinkedIn, and Twitter, along with active engagement in communities, open up unique pathways for senior developers and technical leaders to elevate their professional profiles, build influence, and expand their career options beyond the codebase. In this presentation, Roland Meertens and Steef-Jan Wiggers will reflect on their own career journeys, sharing what they tried to increase their visibility and opportunities in the job market—and, most importantly, what worked.

The session will explore actionable strategies for harnessing social media to establish a technical presence, and effectively contributing to open-source projects to enhance both personal growth and industry credibility. You’ll discover tips for writing blog articles that share insights and establish thought leadership. We’ll also cover the role of helping others, such as mentoring or contributing to Q&A sites, to expand your network and sharpen your own skills.

Finally, we'll dive into practical ways to contribute to industry-leading communities like QCon and InfoQ—through news pieces, in-depth articles, or even podcasts—that allow you to give back to the developer ecosystem while raising your own professional profile. This session will equip you with a range of tools and techniques to grow your career by expanding your influence beyond code, connecting with others in the industry, and building a legacy that can be your ticket to future opportunities.