How did you first get into DevRel?
I started my career as a software developer intern but realised I found my joy in DevRel type of activities; advocating for developers, creating learning resources, building communities, etc. and I decided to pick up from my days as community manager back in school.
I did a little research and realised there was actually a career field for all of these things I loved to do, and that’s how I found out about DevRel as a field. Did more learning on it and pivoted fully into it.
Why does your company do DevRel?
Just like every other company that is actively building for developers and wanting to see them succeed, it’s the same goal for us. There’s the innate desire to create communities, programs, initiatives, and resources aimed at helping them build better, explore more, and achieve success.
How does DevRel work at your company?
It’s such a large team with different units all focused on the main goal, including developer advocates, program managers, community managers and so on. You name it, it’s all right within the team all working together to ensure an active developer ecosystem of different products across the globe is built and maintained. It’s all intertwined. I can’t fully speak for the larger team but for my role — community management — you can clearly tell there’s full on collaboration with developer product teams and the respective developer communities.
And what role do you play in your company’s DevRel?
I help manage the Google Developer group community and Women Techmakers community program within sub Saharan Africa.
What’s your DevRel philosophy?
Quite simple: “Developers first”. Especially within my role, which revolves around a community, I have to continuously remind myself about putting their needs first as they make up every part of the community. Without them, it’s nothing really.
What challenges do you see for DevRel right now?
From a community manager POV, even with things opening up and offline events kicking back in, I would still say the major challenge is around user/community participation and retention across developer programs and activities.
What are you hopeful about in DevRel?
I’m looking forward to seeing more entry level roles encouraged, a more open culture of encouraging people who are interested in DevRel, kicking off their career in tech right from DevRel, without having to go through other career fields and then switching. I’m really looking forward to when that’s more embraced.
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