As our community becomes more and more reliant on mobile apps and websites for everyday needs, the demand for skilled programmers continues to grow in the market. In fact, coding is now taught to young children as it is becoming a crucial skill to have in the 21st century. Needless to say, there are plenty of career opportunities in the field of programming.
If you are a student who is still sceptical about his/her career choice or a professional who is thinking of switching his/her job, perhaps you should consider becoming a computer programmer. The process may not be a cakewalk, but it is worth exploring. In this blog, we will discuss how to become a programmer and some other significant details about the world of programming.
What Does a Computer Programmer Do?
Before we learn about becoming a programmer, let’s understand what a computer programmer does. A programmer writes code that instructs a computer or other computable devices what to do in simple words. While the responsibilities of a computer programmer vary depending on his/her profession, the fundamentals of all programming jobs remain almost the same.
A computer programmer builds or creates something based on design parameters set by someone else most of the time. However, programmers can create or design their programs. If you have some innovative ideas, you can certainly use this option.
How to Become a Programmer?
As mentioned before, learning programming can be a bit challenging at times. However, it is comparatively easier to learn programming than learning other major skills that take three or more academic years. While you have the option to enrol in a programming course to learn programming, the right approach includes the following steps.
Figure out why you want to become a programmer?
It is important to understand why you want to learn programming and become a professional programmer. If your vision is not clear, you will not feel satisfied even if you learn programming and land a good job. So, it is better that you take some time and ask yourself the following questions:
- Why do you want to learn programming?
- What do you hope to achieve with the new knowledge?
- Are you serious about learning how to do programming?
- What type of programming do you want to pursue?
Once you have the answers to these questions, you will have clarity about your choice of becoming a programmer.
Choose the field you want to pursue:
You will be surprised to know that there are a wide variety of programming jobs available in the market. While you figure out how to learn programming, you also need to think about which field to pursue for your career as a computer programmer. Here are some of the major types of programming jobs that you can get in today’s date:
- Web developers
- Software programmers
- Data scientists
- Database Administrator
- Mobile app development
Moreover, new job titles and roles are being created as technology continues to evolve. So, it is recommended that you stay up to date with the latest industry trends and news while expanding your network within the programming field.
Learn a programming language:
After you have chosen the programming field you want to pursue, you need to learn the programming languages that are relevant to the particular field. If you choose to become a front-end web developer, you will need knowledge of CSS and JavaScript. For database administration, you will need SQL. And for mobile app development, you will need to know Java or Swift.
Then, what are the top 5 programming languages to become a programmer? We have a few suggestions for you.
- Python
- CSS/HTML
- JavaScript
- Java
- Swift
- Solidity
- Ruby
If you still have confusion about which programming language should you learn for becoming a coder, you should consult an experienced programmer.
Practice your programming lessons religiously:
While you can enrol in a programming course to learn a particular programming language, you need to practice your programming lessons rigorously if you want to be a good programmer. Practice is the key to success when it comes to developing a skill, and programming is no exception.
Practice writing codes the moment you start learning about programming. Download a code editor in your browser and start writing your smaller programs. You can even join different programming communities, where you can share your little programming projects and ask people for their feedback on your code. Keep practising every day, irrespective of which programming language you choose.
Develop a portfolio of work:
While you practice writing code, you should also think about building a portfolio. It will help you showcase your skills and knowledge to prospective employers. Since every job in the field of programming is competitive, you need an edge over the other candidates to secure a job, even if it is an entry-level job. A portfolio helps you have that edge.
Save all the little bits of code that you write while practising. Save those codes somewhere. You can consider building a website that you can customize or even build yourself using your programming knowledge. Once you are done working on the website, make it accessible to potential employees when you are applying for a job.
Start applying for jobs:
With a significant amount of knowledge assignment help of the relevant programming language(s), significant coding skills, and a great portfolio, you are now prepared to apply for jobs. At first, you should look for entry-level jobs in programming. Make sure the job is related to the languages you have learned and are relevant to the type of programming you want to do.
Start sending out resumes and other crucial information to potential employers, and wait for their replies. Even if you don’t hear back from the employers, it is still a good practice to apply for jobs. You have already learned how to code. Now, you need to know how to present your skills to employers.
It will be foolish to expect that you will land a job in your first interview. You need to know how to stay calm and answer all the interview questions properly. Eventually, you will get your first job as a professional programmer. Until you get the job, consider taking freelance jobs to sharpen your programming skills.
Conclusion:
As mentioned, becoming a programmer is not going to be easy, but with the right steps and proper guidance, you can pursue a successful career as a professional computer programmer.
Author bio: Kara Drew is a web developer who is working at a reputed e-commerce company for the past couple of years. He is also a part of the team of experts at MyAssignmenthelp.com, where he offer essay writing help & essay rewriter to students on request.
