Programmer Competency Matrix

Ran across this excellent matrix

http://www.starling-software.com/employment/programmer-competency-matrix.html

I plan to start using this when I interview people, it'll help.

But more to the point, I suggest that it is highly valuable as a sort of check list that we should all use to help ensure that we build and maintain our skills. I suspect it is a rare developer who is comfortable with everything in the boxes on the far right of the grid, but if you've been in the industry for ten or more years and you can't comfortably check off most of them, it is probably time to start sharpening your skills.

Pick up a new development book, write some code in a language you've never used before. Code up a few new algorithms or data structures. If that doesn't sound like fun to you, you are probably in the wrong industry.