Should Testers Bother With Social Media?
In this episode of the Vernon Richard Show, the hosts discuss the significance of social media and community interaction in the software testing field. They explore how social media has evolved, the importance of content creation, and the balance between personal goals and professional networking. The conversation also touches on their favorite podcasts and books, as well as future directions for their own show.06:10 - Olly FairhallOlly's LinkedInOlly's Bluesky11:27 - Chris ArmstrongChris's blogChris's podcast The Testing Peers (of PeersCon fame!)Chris's YouTubeChris's LinkedIn19:52 - Anne-Marie CharrettAnne-Marie's book (why are you still here? Go and buy it right now!)Anne-Marie's blogAnne-Marie's LinkedIn28:21 - Angie JonesAngie's website (including links to her public GitHub repos, blog, and allTheSocialMedia profiles - I told you she was prolific!)28:33 - GopsTo prove my point, I cannot find this man's LinkedIn profile 🤦🏾♂️😂 (this is a dude who I've known for multiple decades btw!)34:05 - I work at Phrase, I'm having a great time, and we're hiring (and if you see something you like, apply! Just don't forget to tell them Vern sent you! 🙂)34:36 - People who help me think about testing (and life in general)Angie (scroll up for the links!)Ash Coleman Hynie's LinkedIn (don't forget to check out the app she's building over at CountrPT!)Martin Hynie's LinkedIn (check out his new podcast The Ghost In Th Machine explaining AI!)James Thomas's LinkedIn (he also has a wonderful blog)37:35 - Dean MoonDean's websiteDean's LinkedIn37:35 - Jit GosaiJit's blog Jit's Quality Engineering Newsletter Jit's LinkedIn48:47 - Our influencesVernonDiary Of A CEO (DOAC)Modern WisdomOwner NationBig DealSame As Ever by Morgan HouselThings I need to go back and bingeAB Testing podcastQuality Talks podcastTesting Peers podcastRichardEngineering Quality podcastSecrets Of Consulting by Jerry WeinbergExplore It! by Elisabeth HendricksonThinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel KahnemanAgile Testing and More Agile Testing both by Lisa Crispin and Janet Gregory57:03 - Rachel MlotaRachel's YouTubeRachel's LinkedIn00:00 - Intro00:46 - Welcome (Tiredness, Sleeper walls, sweaty chilli, and strongman training)05:59 - QUESTION (Observation? Comment? Ramble? Whatever it is, thanks Olly!): How important is social media and community interaction to testing?06:46 - Vernon's experience of social media over the years08:30 - The impact of the "Influencer" phenomenon on testing09: 59 - The golden age of Testing Twitter10:57 - What LinkedIn can't replace12:10 - The LinkedIn algorithm is weird!13:15 - Algorithm anxiety and the overthinking spiral15:45 - Community: planned vs organic17:24 - Lurkers, reactors, and why it still counts18:04 - To be or not to be... an influencer?20:07 - Rich reflects on the impact of social media on him and testing24:00 - Vern reflects on the impact of social media on him and testing25:35 - The power of sharing with purpose (not just promoting yourself)27:19 - QUESTION (From Olly): There seems to be a push to create content. What do you think about that?30:12 - What is "content" anyway?31:09 - Angie's 1-2-punch for content creation (that we should all copy!)32:39 - Do you know why you're posting in the first place?!33:23 - The impact of talking about testing (it's not just about "likes")37:35 - Rabbiting on about writing40:31 - Talking vs Doing41:12 - Goal confusion & content fatigue44:20 - Now that we mention it, what are OUR goals for content and social media?!48:47 - QUESTION: What podcasts do you listen to, what books do you read, and do any of them influence what you'd like to do with the show?57:20 - Where are we taking the podcast?58:24 - Is Salesforce as dull as Rich thinks?59:35 - Outro