Are you a junior software developer looking to progress your career? Maybe you’re looking to break into the industry for the first time and wonder what a career path in IT may look like for you? Here we’ll take you through some helpful tips to get you ahead!
Whether you are
interested in becoming a software developer, are newly qualified and learning to code or build your first app, or are more experienced and ready to take the next step in your career path, we’re going to take you through the top tips that will help you stand out and succeed!
With earning potential being as high as £70,000 for an experienced developer, it’s definitely worth finding out how to climb the career ladder in IT.
With hard work and experience you could become a senior developer – this gives you the opportunity to diversify your career and pursue project management in roles such as Lead Developer, Project Manager and Chief Technical Officer. There’s certainly room for progression in this exciting and rapidly expanding sector!
But let’s not get ahead of ourselves too quickly! First let’s look at how to succeed in your role as a junior software developer.
We all strive to be better and working hard will certainly help, especially in programming where technology is always changing and evolving. For the first time ever, we have the luxury of having a world of knowledge at our fingertips, so it’s important to keep learning and growing in this fast-paced field.
With more and more developers coming out of colleges and training academy’s every year, you’ll need to keep your skills sharp as a way of getting noticed in a sea of applicants.
Here are our top tips to help you succeed in IT:
Tech skills: This is probably the first skill that comes to mind when you think of a job in IT…and you’d be absolutely right! You’ll need to live and breathe all things techy to be successful in the world of IT, but if you really want to get ahead, it’s important to make sure you are smart about what you focus on. Senior developers spend time understanding the
why of technology, for example: why certain software problems exist, why a particular framework is in place and why a certain code language works best for a particular programme.
Improvement: If there is one thing that is bound to give you a leg-up in your career, it’s the constant strive for improvement. If you can help the company you work for develop their process and deliver a better product more consistently, you are definitely going to stand out and get noticed (and let’s face it, it doesn’t hurt to make your CTO’s life easier!)
Here’s why being certified is essential for your IT career.
Developer’s edge: There will always be people with more experience than you, but if you can work smarter and more efficiently, this will not only make you a better developer, it will also help you to become a valuable asset to the business you work for. So, keep reading up on all things tech and become a master of your craft!
Communication: You can know all of the cool programming techniques in the world, but if you can’t communicate well with your team and co-workers it can make the smooth running of things a little tricky. It’s important to work on this essential skill, especially if you plan on going into management somewhere down the line. Showing strong leadership skills early on is never a bad thing, and it will make sure your team are all working towards the same goal.
Team work: How you work with your team members will be an important piece of your success story. Being considerate, cooperative and encouraging to your team and co-workers will not only earn you some new friends in the office and brownie points in your annual review, it will prepare you to be a great team leader or manager in the future.
Not sure which IT career is right for you? This quiz will help you decide.
Client friendly: You may not directly deal with clients now, but you are certainly aiming to in the future. Start working on the skills you’ll need to ace the client meetings and form strong corporate bonds. If you can understand what the client needs and suggest ways you can achieve those goals, you are already ahead.
Even better, if you can talk about technology with a non-technical person (without that puzzled expression spreading across their face) you’re winning! In your future roles, you’ll be meeting all kinds of people and some of them aren’t as clued up on the tech stuff as you. It’s worth taking the time to break down complex topics into simplified, easy to follow examples – trust us, you’ll be thanked for it!
Don’t be afraid to speak to other developers and ask them questions - they’ll be able to pass on a wealth of knowledge and a few excellent skills you can use too!
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