I am very excited to have the opportunity to write this guide to help beginners navigate their way through the tech industry. I applaud you for taking the initiative and making such a strong decision because it can be a long and difficult process. I myself started out in the same boat not long ago and it has been an interesting, challenging journey so far!
Over the course of my studying, I've met many wonderful developers, mentors, and communities who have been really helpful, as well as a large number of friends from all over the world who are all on the same journey. I can't express my gratitude to them enough.
Finding a new career that you enjoy can be difficult, whether you are new to the workforce or are in a job you dislike. Today's digital world has created a plethora of tech careers, making it difficult to choose which one is best for you. With so many career options available today, it can be a rather confusing and difficult process to choose the right one.
While the upskilling process requires strong commitment and patience, the career rewards it provides are well worth the effort.
What is Software Engineering?
Software engineering is the process of evaluating user needs and then designing, developing, and testing software to meet those requirements.
In simple terms, Software is a program that executes some code to serve a computational purpose. It's a collection of these executable codes, different libraries, and a whole lot of documentation.
Engineering is more about the development of such products, using well-defined methods.
How to Get Started as a Software Engineer?
There are a few things you should think about before embarking on your software engineer journey. The information provided here is intended to provide you with the fundamentals of getting started, as well as a simple guide providing you a direction on how to learn to become a software engineer.
First and foremost, learn about the various software engineering disciplines such as Frontend, Backend, DevOps, and so on. Once you've done your homework and have a good understanding of how these departments operate and what is expected of them, look at the various technologies utilized, for example - HTML, CSS & JavaScript in the Frontend, and how to get there.
The best approach to get started is to choose a discipline that you are passionate about. When people initially consider a profession in software engineering, they may be inclined to study everything and really fast. However, coming from personal experience, I can assure you that this is counterproductive. You must be aware of, and constantly remind yourself of, the fact that you are embarking on a lifetime of technological learning. It requires consistency, perseverance, and solid determination, suffice to say take it slow and know that everyone learns at their own pace.
Rome was not built in a day, but they worked on it every day
What Skills Do You Need to Succeed as a Software Engineer?
Note: I'm only giving an overview of the required skills, saving lengthy details for another day or article maybe 😉
Coding
A software engineer needs a lot of different skill sets in order to maximize the effectiveness of their work. Knowledgeable coding skills are an integral part of a software engineer's toolkit as coding is the backbone of any work that they do.
Problem solving
Using creativity and critical thinking to break complex problems down and finding solutions. Analyzing data to identify the scope of problems and isolate invalid data models. Software engineers with strong problem-solving abilities are well-positioned to advance in their careers.
Attention to detail
Coders must be able to concentrate on minute details for extended periods of time. Noticing patterns, memorizing commands, and identifying flaws can all help create a successful application. When programmers build something, they frequently document their process.
Team work
When team members collaborate effectively to work towards a single goal—building a product that provides the best possible experience for end consumers—they can significantly increase their efficiency. As a result, time to market is shortened, coding and other development errors are avoided, and the team is more cohesive. In addition to having a passion for software programming, software engineers must also be able to work well in a team.
Leadership
A good leadership skill set will help software engineers work themselves out of a tight spot when they have to deal with both customers and other departments. When it comes to getting a promotion, showing these leadership skills is essential. As you make your way up the ladder of success at work, you'll need to be able to delegate responsibilities and keep close tabs on budgets. This will become increasingly important as your projects evolve into more complex affairs.
Conclusion
Now that we've covered the basics of what Software Engineering entails and what to expect, it's time to roll up your sleeves, fire up your computer, open your editor, and start writing code - Whatcha lookin at? That is to say, start writing code or maybe build an app by tomorrow 😂
Look at you! You Just Got Got! 😆 I only wish it were that simple.
It's time to explore all possibilities in tech and see what really sparks your interest! Give yourself the time to process it and more importantly "Know Your Why", knowing your purpose helps you find your true passion, and the passion becomes an important driver for you to achieve something extraordinary, the passion will push you to reach your goals.
Here's a link to software engineering roadmap
In the following parts of this series, we'll go over how to prepare for and plan your journey, as well as the challenges you'll face and how to overcome them while staying focused, healthy, and making progress.
Stay tuned!
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