Why is Software Development A Popular Career?

Technology is a game-changer. It ‘s the most disruptive industry in history. One reason why software development is a popular career and is so disruptive is that it has the potential to automate previously tedious tasks that required a human oversight and approach; human processes that are intrinsically prone to human error.

With new technologies come new solutions. Since the late 70s, software development has rapidly evolved — no longer bottlenecked by the precarious indisposition of technology not being able to evolve at the same scale. There ‘s never been a more exciting time in history to get involved in this industry.

But what is a software developer? How do you become one? What kind of job can you expect to land? And what skills are needed to integrate into one of the fastest growing and highest paying industries in the history of mankind?

We ‘ll help answer these looking questions for you—so you can decide what your next career choice is!

What is a Software Developer?

A software developer is a type of Information Technology (IT) Engineer that specializes in the development, coding and creation of logical equations and calls that are required during the development of any type of software solution. Most commonly, software developers will use a tried and true process of software development that includes (but is not limited to): research, design, programming and testing of computer and hybrid-cloud based Software as a Service (SaaS).

What Kinds of Things do Software Developers Do?

Software developers wear many different hats. For starters, they need to be proficient in the coding languages they are using. Common coding languages range from basic ones like C++ to R, Python, SQL and many others. A software developer is fluent in these languages and their practical application—and deduces the interior logic and makeup of such languages to create Graphical User Interfaces (GUIs) that reference logic, tables, various algorithms and culled data. The result is a usable interface that helps streamline operations in various fields and industries.

The Median Paygrade of Software Developers

What type of software development jobs are out there and why should you be interested? According to a Business Insider report, which references current Glass Door job listings, a software developer job is among some of the highest paying careers in the U.S. at the present. The base salary begins as a Scrum Master—which pays a handsome $95k per year to start, and increases from there based on experience, duties and more.

If you score a job in software development as a Systems Architect, you can get a median salary of $97k per year. By comparison, a Solutions Architect makes a median salary of $102k per year. At the upper end of this threshold is an Applications Development Manager, which starts at $110k per year.

As you can see, careers in this field offer veritable financial rewards. It is important to bear in mind that some of these careers will require previous experience and certification, something you can begin the path to with one of the many exciting, fast-track software development programs offered by Woz-U.

Types of Software Developer Jobs

These jobs aside, there are many different types of software developer jobs that are available to skilled candidates. While the job type and required skillsets and daily tasks vary greatly, the paygrade and salary thresholds are high, and the kind of work you ‘d be doing is challenging and rewarding.

An in-depth report from Computer Science Zone emphasizes this, and finds great variances between the top-50 software developer jobs of today. But they all do share a commonality: The pay is impressive and enticing.

For example, a UX Design Manager can make up to $140k per year and is tasked with improving the end user experience, debugging, testing and improving system proficiency and usability. By comparison, an Information Technology Manager can earn as much as $146k per year, and is tasked with managing, securing and maintaining the flow of data in a company while ensuring modernization.

Checklist of Software Developer Skills

You ‘re probably thinking, “This is great and all, but what kind of software developer skills are required and how do I go about learning them?” The simplest answer is that these types of skills are robust but many of them are included in the curriculum at Woz-U.

Basic core skills you ‘ll learn include:

• What Programming Language to Learn
• How to Structure Code
• Object-Oriented Design
• Algorithms and Data Structures
• Mastering a Development Platform
• Framework or Stack
• Database Knowledge
• Source Control
• Build and Deployment
• Testing
• Debugging
• Methodologies

 

Don ‘t let this seemingly lengthy list overwhelm you. At the core, these are innate functions and processes we already possess in our cortex. With that in mind, you ‘ll want to start simple and ask yourself: What kind of programming language excites me the most?

Once you made that leap forward, it ‘s time to dig in and learn about the structure of that code and its logic. Following this, you will take things a step further by learning object-oriented design, algorithms and data structure, and practical application.

Your education continues with mastering a development platform, learning and executing in framework or stack, improving your database knowledge, integrating source control, building and deployment, testing, debugging and mastery through application and processes of these methodologies.

If these intricacies caused a lightbulb to shine in your noggin, you ‘re probably a good fit for the software development program at Woz-U. Keep reading to learn how you can fast-track into your dream career today… and a lot faster than you may think is even possible!