Becoming a software developer is just the first step...

The profession of software developer is increasingly chosen, but with a (re)training to become a software developer you are not there yet. In this blog I explain why.

High demand for software developers

It is not surprising that more and more people want to become software developers. It is a fun profession with many possibilities and not unimportant: there is a great need for software developers. Every year, many computer science students start a career as a software developer after their studies, but also more and more people with a different study background are being retrained as software developer. Even if they have been working in a completely different profession for several years. From physiotherapists to lawyers, from stockbrokers to carpenters, I have already encountered them.

Not always successful

The influx of new software developers is a good development, but it is not always successful for everyone. I think this is mainly because software development is not an easy profession and may be underestimated. Fortunately, there are plenty of people who successfully complete a (re)training process. Only if you have done that you are not there yet, in fact: then it just begins!!

How to further develop your skills?

The fact that you are not ready after a (re)training program seems obvious, but not everyone sees that. Full of good energy, many software developers go to work after their (re)training process to gain a lot of experience. A great step, because after all you learn the most in practice, but that is not enough. In addition to your daily practical experience, it is also necessary to maintain and expand your knowledge and skills.

I like to draw comparisons with soccer players here. Not only do they train several times a week to get better, but they also watch footage from matches to learn from them, devise battle plans to beat the next opponent and practice different forms of play (e.g. 4-3-3, 3-4-3 or 5-3-2). All to keep getting better.

So, what's involved?

Continuously working on your knowledge and skills is therefore a must. However, there is no such thing as a single path that you can walk as a software developer, simply because every person and every situation is unique. Nevertheless, there are tools that can help. The most important is time! You will have to invest a lot of time in your professional development. But also having a plan, sparring partners and courage are examples of tools that are important.

Conclusion

If you want to become a Software developer, I think that's a good choice. Depending on the study background, this will be easier for some than for others. One thing applies to everyone: once you start working as a software developer, you are not there yet. Continuing to develop yourself is necessary.

In subsequent blog posts I will go a little deeper into some tools that can help software developers in their development into a good professional.