2020: the year all of our lives became a wibbly-wobbly mess. Some people quit their jobs, and some started looking for new ones. Many started to recognize their value, searched for new opportunities, and tried to find things that would make their hearts sing. Some started to bake, cook, and write. Others started to draw, paint, or design. And still, others started to look into program coding and application development, because why not? The opportunities for computer programmers are absolutely endless. The question is, are you ready to land the big job as an app developer?
Level Up Your Skills
This may seem like a no-brainer, but before you get started, you have to ask yourself, do you have the skill set you need? While getting a certification or taking a couple of classes may have introduced you to the how-tos, it may not have prepared you for some of the harder parts of being an app developer or a programmer.
There are so many skills out there that are required for an app developer. Beyond a full understanding of different coding languages, you also should be able to:
- Understand user interfaces
- Maintain back-end computing knowledge like framework, database management, hardware interaction, and security; and
- Demonstrate an understanding of the Internet of Things (IoT)
But, more important than any specific skill set (because your employer/clients will determine what you really need to know), you have to be able to stay up to date on the changes in coding and application practices.
Prepare Yourself for the DevOps Team
DevOps are in demand. Not sure what DevOps is? A development operations team is a group of IT professionals made up of system admins, network engineers, software administrators, and programmers. This group gets together to brainstorm, plan, create, and test new software applications. As the programmer, you’ll have an important voice in this huddle.
Many businesses are looking for DevOp compatible programmers. While most programmers and developers enjoy solo work and projects, having the ability to work as a team and potentially be a leader on the said team will catch hiring leaders’ attention.
Recognize Your Worth
So many people recognize that they don’t have a lot of professional experience — but remember, the number of years you’ve worked is all relative. The question is, can you do the job? If you’ve been working as a freelance developer, created something for your buddy, or maybe worked just finished an online training/certification program — guess what, you’re a developer. You don’t need to say that you’re entry-level or junior. Your future HR team will determine those monikers for you. You don’t need to undervalue yourself because you haven’t done the job for long.
Many of today’s most successful system admins or programmers started where you are — as someone who was doing the work as a hobby, and it blew into a full business. Recognize that you are a developer. Say you are on every application and resume you send out. You don’t need to modify your developer status. We’ll say it together: “I am a Developer.”
By recognizing your value, you are going to force others to recognize your value as well. You’ll get paid more, recognized for your work, and appreciated because of your skillset. You got this.
Do It To It – You Truly Got This
Whether you’re making a career change or are looking for something different in the developer field, now is a great time to get started. So many business owners recognize that there is young and fresh talent (even if you’re in your 50s and 60s) that you can bring to the table as a fresh set of eyes. The best thing you can do is walk in there or send your application in with confidence. Remember, you are the developer they are looking for this year.
