FOCUS: Covenant University

Top ten qualities of the perfect programmer

1.      Analytical- the ideal programmer can understand the problem, translate and express ideas in clear and readable code, has an analytical and logical mind

2.      Personality – the personality type that perfectly describes the ideal programmer is the melancholy, due to his perfectionist and detail-oriented personality. Some element of the choleric can also be seen in the perfect programmer, i.e. his enterprising and usually independent nature.

3.      Expertise - knowledge and experience for solving client’s problems in the specific context with chosen technologies

4.      Motivation - cares about work, shows enthusiasm, interest and love for programming, he is not just working for money, but he loves to implement interesting ideas in spare time without pay.

5.      Maturity – knows and uses sound software development principles, practices and approaches as agile, design and architecture patterns, domain-driven design, unit testing, re-factoring

6.      Realistic – the ideal programmer must be realistic and understands what is possible, loves simplicity and avoids over-engineering; understands business goals, keeps touch with reality and focus on what should be done.

7.      Synergy - listens, accepts that other people could have better ideas, supports team goals without hidden agenda, shares ideas and knowledge and coach others

8. Communication - effectively communicates and exchanges ideas, supports knowledge and decisions about the system with clear explanations, justifications and answers
9. Constantly improving - has professional goals, good learning skills, curiosity, adaptability and performs constant self correction 
10.  Visionary –the ideal programmer sees the big picture, understands context, trends and people, aligns actions with team and company implicit goals, contributes into building shared vision for the software system.   

 

10 distinguishing attributes of the best musicians

•  A musician should be sociable, musicians like to perform with fellow musicians who are easy to get along with. This camaraderie transcends to their performances which is in turn felt by their audience. Also a good reputation will get you great referrals when you need to audition.

• Musicians  should be creative and in touch with the inner self, since most music attempts to communicate with the soul; music is a language without barriers; a language which speaks to all listeners, even if in different ways.

• A musician must remain optimistic - Remember that you got into music first and foremost because it was inspiring and FUN. Look on the bright side of things, take criticism constructively, and enjoy the process of "getting there".

• A musician must also be very creative in his composition, interpretation and improvisation, and he must be analytical. He must understand the form, structure, theory and style of the music.

• A musician must be able to balance long hours of solitary practice with times of intense teamwork and ultimately, public performance.
• One attribute that differentiates mediocre musicians from high-flying ones is an entrepreneur mentality. To be a musician at the top of his game, you must be self-promoting, innovative, creative, and a net worker.

• Musicians should be adventurous - Learn to love the adventure of driving around the country, sleeping in various places, and playing in dives. Take it all in stride.

• A musician that is really serious about going far in the music industry must be sensitive to emotional content; his ability to convey emotions deeply musically must be on a high.

• A musician must be very patient - From the studio to traveling to rehearsing to making business calls, being a musician requires attention to detail. It takes a lot of practice to get it down perfectly. Being patient and relaxed about the inevitable delays is necessary.

• Encapsulating all, a musician should learn to be thick-Skinned - From the time you first perform in public, some people are going to judge your music harshly. This might come from a label rep or a departing band member or a publisher, but you can't let it get you down. Keep believing in yourself, and move on to the next thing.     

The second day of the career seminar

first day of the career seminar