Becoming a software developer is a lot like building a house—multiple skills go into constructing something great. The more relevant skills you have, the more valuable you are to a company. The more valuable you are, the higher your salary is likely to be.
Once you get beyond knowing what HTML and CSS do and start looking for actual jobs as a software developer, there will be some key skill-sets that employers will expect you to have.
If you don’t have them, they’ll be looking for someone who does, so make sure to add these things to your resume:
Object-Oriented Programming (OOP)
Object-oriented programming is a computer programming paradigm that represents the concept of “objects” as data structures in memory. A feature object is an object’s functionality that is defined only by its own methods, not by the methods of other objects.
In an object-oriented program, algorithms are written for objects that interact with one another. These algorithms can be reused for different types of objects.
Proficiency in the programming languages
The most important skill of a software developer is knowing how to code. You must know at least one language, but you should also be prepared to be able to pick up new languages quickly.
Most developers are fluent in multiple languages, and you should familiarise yourself with the different options available to you. If you’re unsure where to start, consider looking at some of the most popular languages used today, like JavaScript, C, and Python.
Understanding of Data Structures and Algorithms
A good understanding and the proper knowledge of data structures and algorithms is really the key to becoming a great software developer. Another favourite saying is, “If you can’t code your way out of a wet paper bag, you’re not a real programmer.”
What do I mean by that? Well, suppose you don’t know or understand data structures or algorithms well enough to be able to write code without having to use any libraries or functions in any language. In that case, that means you don’t know how to program.
Summing-up
The ability to design and implement software is one of the most important skills needed for software developers. It’s what separates good programmers from bad ones, and it helps make you a better developer overall. It also means that you have the edge over those trying to get into the industry but don’t have the same ability.
