Josef Cruz

United States

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Articles

I Work 5 Jobs (Programming, Tester, Engineer, and more)

Jan 20, 2025 | blog.stackademic.com | Josef Cruz

WorkHere’s what it looks like. More precisely, I work five jobs, but who counts. While I was looking for my dream job, I was thinking about being, self-realization and usefulness, about happy and comfortable ways to make money, not only online, but also offline, and age, you know, and the proximity of the pre-retirement period are very conducive to such mental activity,The universe decided to test my strength by overwhelming me with work.
How to Pass the Probation Period for A Junior

Jan 20, 2025 | javascript.plainenglish.io | Josef Cruz

ProgrammingBased on my own experienceMy probationary period as a junior developer took place in 2010, I was younger. Frankly, it was an epic that I still remember. July heat, hellish tasks, wild overtime, and lo-fi music in the mornings. It’s great that that period is in the past. It’s a pity that it will not happen again. The Internet is full of articles on how to find your first job in IT, but very few on how to stay there.
Why Custom Development Is A Very Bad Idea

Jan 20, 2025 | javascript.plainenglish.io | Josef Cruz

ProgrammingLet’s be honest, we’ve all had this idea. We could build our software, which would be better than what we use now. The current solution has a crappy design, lacks the necessary features, and in general, this company does not innovate. We will hire contractors and make everything better! At first glance, this idea seems tempting. But I want to convince you that it is a terrible idea. In this article, I will explain why creating your solutions often becomes a business nightmare. 1.
The Programmer Left. The Project Stopped. What to Do?

Jan 17, 2025 | medium.com | Josef Cruz

ProgrammingThe problem is all around. And there are many reasons. Josef Cruz·FollowPublished inJavaScript Decoded in Plain English·3 min read·--Photo by Dean Pugh on UnsplashWho is to blame? Problems with communication — stressed by incomplete technical specifications and unclear briefs and explanations from the customer. If a programmer believes that his work is undervalued. For example, increasing the payment for the nerves is necessary because of a stupid customer, but he is against it.
My Experience with Competent and Incompetent Programmers

Jan 16, 2025 | medium.com | Josef Cruz

ProgrammingLessons learned the hard way. Josef Cruz·FollowPublished inJavaScript Decoded in Plain English·7 min read·--Photo by Diana Polekhina on UnsplashSome time ago I had not yet specialized in automation and was looking for programmers to create systems according to the technical specifications. First of all, to simplify my own daily work. During this time I managed to work with very different programmers.
Why I Stopped Teaching Programming

Jan 6, 2025 | javascript.plainenglish.io | Josef Cruz

ProgrammingLessons from my journey and three students. Let me start by saying that I respect people who want a better life and therefore strive to enter IT. It seems to me that overcoming oneself is a bright process worthy of a separate film. Imagine that yesterday you were standing behind the bar in a hookah bar, and today you are already sawing a startup at some hackathon. Sounds inspiring, don’t you agree? Frankly, I am one of those who started programming quite late.
How I Never Managed to Achieve a Stable Income As a Freelancer

Jan 6, 2025 | blog.stackademic.com | Josef Cruz

FreelancingHow I became delusional about freelancing. Exactly 3 years ago, I started freelancing. Before that, I already had a little experience in the form of 1 or 2 sites built on a WordPress template. So I quickly decided on a niche. There were no particular problems with finding clients either. The main flow came from the freelance exchange and recommendations from old clients. I was churning out similar websites on WordPress without even understanding programming or layout.
The Main Barrier of a Programmer

Jan 5, 2025 | blog.stackademic.com | Josef Cruz

ProgrammingThere are no personnel, but there are vacancies. Even when I first started working as a programmer, more than 30 years ago, there needed to be more programmers. Choosing a place to work was easy because programmers were needed everywhere. After so many years, there should be enough programmers trained. But no. There is the same wild shortage of programmers on the market now. Why? The IT Graduate ParadoxWhen I worked at a university and taught programming, I knew one simple thing.
How to Develop Soft Skills in Everyday Life

Dec 23, 2024 | medium.com | Josef Cruz

SelfPractical advice from a programmer. In the modern world, professional success depends not only on technical knowledge and skills but also on so-called soft skills. These skills help to effectively interact with others and be flexible and adaptive in a rapidly changing reality. Experts say developing such qualities is becoming a priority for personal growth and career advancement. And despite their popularity, it remains unclear how exactly they should be developed and where to start.
How We Fixed Client and Team Frustration

Dec 16, 2024 | medium.com | Josef Cruz

WorkAnd showed them that we’re working hard. With our first clients, we usually worked like this: we set the volume of tasks for the month, and at the end we met to discuss the results. At first, this scheme actually worked more or less, but then we didn’t notice a negative trend — some clients made it clear that what we were doing was not enough.