There are about 20 million Software Developers worldwide. United States might be the global hub of the IT industry, but according to a recent report, by 2017 India is likely to surpass U.S.A in the number of software developers by 2017. This justifies the career scope and demand for Software Developers in India. Here are the top skills required to become an ideal software developer:
1. Technical Knowledge
Technical skills are the most highlighted subject in the resume of a software developer. Knowledge of programming languages, software development life cycle, hardware, operating systems and other computer related terminologies come under technical skills. Since different companies use different programming languages for software development, specializing in specific programming languages is usually the trend.
Technical skills of a software developer are constantly assessed and tested by their managers and also their co-workers. Staying updated with the latest technology trends is very essential for software developers. A developer should learn technical skills which he finds interesting so that he could maximize his value in the market. But although it’s good to specialize, a developer should also remain flexible to learn new tools and technologies as per the work requirement and changing trends.
2. Problem Solving Skills
Every developer must be aware of the fact that the principle thesis of software development is “solving some kind of problem”. The software development or technically the “coding” done to develop software provides the solution to that problem. A software developer without problem solving skills is more likely to write code which fails to give desired outcomes and rather ends up creating more problems. A good way to learn the best practices of software development is by learning from the suggestions of the experienced developers. Expert recommendations and experiences are often shared at a number of websites and developer forums/blogs. There can be situations when a developer isn’t able to find the apt solution to a problem. In such a situation he can seek help from several online forums and communities like stackoverflow.3. Business Skills
A lot of developers often overlook the importance of business skills. Any skilled software developer can develop software applications, but a great software developer is the one who apart from mastering the skills, also understands the business significance of the software application. Business skills thus could be considered as an important parameter to distinguish between a good and a great software developer.
Every product is manufactured keeping in mind the requirements of the client and the business. We thus need not justify that a software application developed with the real understanding of both the business and clients can come out as an excellent advantage for any company.
4. Zeal to Keep Learning
The IT industry is growing constantly and software are often frequently updated with new features. A skilful software developer must possess the zeal for learning the new trends and upgrading his/her skill set. This is possible only when you have a passion for software development. Only a passionate professional takes interest in learning new skills and work even after hours By reading about the latest updates in IT industry and understanding how to solve real time business problems, a software developer can keep pace with the advancing IT industry. Google could be a helping hand to your learning by providing you access to the useful tutorials, books, articles and other learning resources.5. Communication and Interpersonal Skills
Communication skills (both verbal and written) and People skills are essential in almost every domain today. Software developers must be able to explain the information clearly to their managers and other co-workers and should also be able to work collaboratively with them to achieve results. Verbal skills also play a crucial role while delivering presentations and written communication skills also matter since all the documentation involved needs to be well written.
Being able to convey your ideas clearly is undoubtedly essential for every professional. A lot of skilled software developers do not get recognition for their work only because they fail to establish a good communication with co-workers. The efforts which they put to achieve expected outcomes are often lapped up by some other individual just because that individual has better communication skills. A good software developer must therefore master the skills of communicating with clarity and efficiency.
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