Uncovering facts about the developer relations career path.
Introduction
Before the widespread adoption of the term "DevRel," developers often used various methods to connect with their peers and stay updated on new technologies. Some of these methods include attending conferences and meetups, reading online resources such as blog posts, and participating in online communities. DevRel teams now utilize these and other approaches to build and strengthen relationships between developers and the developer community.
Throughout this article, I'll share with you facts that will assist you in developing your career as a DevRel professional. You will be exposed to another perspective of DevRel that will positively affect how you relate to developers and how to maintain successful growth in this profession.
Let's begin.
DevRel Vs Dev Evangelism
Before we proceed to uncover these facts about DevRel, I would love to make a distinction between DevRel and developer evangelism. Both terms have been used interchangeably, but there are slight differences between them.
DevRel is a broad term that encompasses consistent efforts made by companies to maintain relationships between developers and the developer community. It bridges the gap between the company and the developer community, ensuring that the needs of developers are met. Some of the tasks involved in DevRel include speaking at conferences, writing articles or blog posts, etc.
Developer evangelism, on the other hand, is focused on promoting a specific technology or platform to developers. This involves educating developers about the benefits and capabilities of the technology and helping them to understand how it can be used in their work. Developer evangelists often act as advocates for their technology and may work to build developer communities around it.
While both DevRel and developer evangelism involve interacting with developers, the main difference is in their focus. DevRel professionals are focused on building and maintaining relationships with developers, while developer evangelists are focused on promoting a specific technology or platform.
Now that we have made a distinction between DevRel and developer evangelism, let's dive into the facts about the DevRel profession.
Common Facts About The DevRel Profession
Know Your Mode of Education
DevRel is made up of four key areas which can be summarized into an acronym, CAFE. It can be broken down into the following:
Community
Awareness
Feedback
Education
One of the most significant areas of DevRel is EDUCATION. It is the ability to teach developers about your software product, company, or new feature. It is an avenue where you pass relevant information to developers and there are a few modes through which you can achieve this.
Some of these modes of education include:
Writing
Speaking
Podcasts
Workshops
Video content
All these methods are used to implement the educational aspect of DevRel. It is therefore critical to understand which one works best for you. Knowing what mode of education works best for you is crucial, as it will help you produce very efficient content.
The primary goal of education is to impart knowledge and skills. The most effective way to do this is by ensuring that the message is being conveyed clearly and effectively to the audience, regardless of the mode used. To accomplish this, it is important to operate at the highest level of proficiency.
Master Your Mode Of Education
Conferences and meetups are means by which developers come together and interact with each other, share their experiences, and connect. During these events, various breakout sessions, workshops, etc take place, and these are opportunities for DevRel professionals to speak about their technology and a particular solution they have.
Before attending any of these events, you must master a particular method of education. Remember the modes of education we discussed earlier? It is important that you can interact with people through that mode before giving a presentation.
In any form of education, the objective is teaching. Therefore, being a master of one aspect would sharpen your ability to speak/teach at tech events.
Devs Lives Matter
Many times, our perspective of individuals before we meet them affects how we communicate or relate to them when we eventually meet them.
Imagine meeting your favorite sportsman or celebrity. Your mode of approach would most likely be transactional rather than relational. A transactional relationship is based on what each other can offer and benefit, rather than based on friendship. On the other hand, a relationship built on true connection and genuine friendship can be categorized as relational.
When I say a transaction relationship, I mean a type of relationship based on questions like this.
"Hey X, can you do this for me?"
"Hey X, my company has a meetup coming up. Could you speak at it?"
These conversations come up 90% of the time in a transactional relationship, which is a problem for DevRel. Remember it is called DEVELOPER RELATIONS for a reason. You must be intentional about forming a relationship with people and this can only happen once you can start caring about them and stop caring about who they are.
Let's bring it back to tech events. At tech conferences or meetups, when we encounter CEOs or individuals who have made a name for themselves, most times we do so out of the conventional "grow your network for business" mentality which would in turn lead our relationship to a transactional point of view rather than a relational point of view.
A tip for when you encounter individuals who are "BIG SHOTS" in your tech space would be to do the following:
Approach them from an "I want to know this person" point of view.
Your conversations with them should not revolve around what they can bring to your company.
Show concern and a keen interest in supporting them in any way you can.
Remember, most favors can be gotten simply through friendship alone, so strive to form a bond rather than a network.
Note: When I say I do not care about who they are, it is not to downplay their contributions to the tech space or community, absolutely not. I mean I wouldn't use that mindset in forming a relationship with them.
A relationship with them should be formed based on a genuine interest in getting to know them and not because of what they have accomplished in the industry.
Be Open-minded
Attending tech events can be a huge boost to your career in DevRel. You should be open-minded to attend any event at all regardless of if it was organized by your company or not, if you have to speak at the event or not, or if you have been given an invitation by the organization/community hosting the event.
Through events like this, without the pressure to grow your network, you tend to form genuine relationships. This is better than being compelled by your job to make bonds that lead to transactional relationships.
Conclusion
When educating a community, you should be concerned about whether the audience is learning. Show care for them. As a DevRel professional, your main target is the developer. Make bonds with them and show concern about their needs and challenges.
Companies benefit significantly from DevRel in the long run. It's just like angel investing. It could be risky, but it could also be very rewarding. It is not a one-off thing, as a relationship is not formed out of that, but out of genuine care. Follow these tips, and I can assure you that you will be able to build solid relationships that will positively impact your business. Thank you for reading!
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