What is A software developer?
You might spend your lunch shopping, checking your bank balance on your phone before making that big purchase. Later, you cook a new recipe from that great app your friend told you about. As you go about your day, you realize that software developers are the masterminds behind the technologies you now can’t imagine living without.
The best software developers are creative and have the technical expertise to implement innovative ideas. You might expect software developers to sit behind their desks all day and design apps—and they do, but their job involves a lot more responsibilities. They can spend their days working on a client project from scratch and writing new code. But they can also be tasked with maintaining or improving the code of programs that are currently running.
Software developers also check for bugs in the software. And although this work involves intense focus and uninterrupted time, software developers must collaborate with others, including fellow developers, managers, or customers. Developers are often natural problem solvers with strong analytical skills and the ability to think outside the box.
Software developers work in a wide range of industries, including computer systems design, manufacturing, and finance. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects employment growth of 22.2 percent for software developers between 2020 and 2030. During this period, about 409,500 jobs should be created.
How much does a software developer earn?
How to become A software developer?
1. Earn your bachelor’s degree. Software developers often pursue a degree in this field computer sciencewhere they will study computers and programming.
2. Get practical experience. Employers are often drawn to applicants with practical experience. Many students take internships or seek experience beyond the classroom to prepare for a career in software development.
3. Continue studying at the master’s level. Although not required, some employers prefer to hire developers with advanced degrees.
Sam Schillace writes in an email: “Understanding CS fundamentals such as big O notation, common algorithms, standard languages, and technical approaches is very important. You can learn this from school or from an internship, but you have to learn it somehow. learn.” Schillace is vice president of industrial solutions engineering at Google. Before that, he founded Writely, which he later sold to Google, where it was used to create Google Docs.
So, yes, a bachelor’s degree in computer science is a good idea, but a degree alone won’t help you land that dream job. “We look at academic backgrounds as much as the school—someone from a top school with no outside programming projects or interesting technical accomplishments is definitely less interesting, and someone who’s a rock star coder with no degrees but a big list of accomplishments. Yes, it’s a person. Easy to hire,” explains Schillace.