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BrainStation’s Software Engineer career guide is intended to help you take the first steps toward a career in software engineering.
The best first step if you want to become a Software Engineer is to learn software engineering fundamentals, and for most people interested in this career, that begins with code.
Although Software Engineers will often leave the bulk of the programming work to Developers and other experts on their team, it’s still crucial that a Software Engineer be able to examine the code at any point in the development process to solve problems or spot errors.
Someone looking at becoming a Software Engineer might start with one programming language – perhaps HTML or Python to start – before moving on to others. Ultimately, the more programming languages a Software Engineer has under their belt, the better.
Studying software engineering principles isn’t just about learning programming languages, but also about underlying principles of design and development.
For instance, Software Engineers should understand not just object-oriented programming languages like Python and JavaScript, but also possess a deeper understanding of what object-oriented programming is on a theoretical level. Other fundamental software engineering concepts include using data structures and algorithms, understanding the software life cycle, and learning how to use project management tools and methodologies to ensure software development projects stay on track.
Those interested in gaining this background and becoming a Software Engineer have lots of options. Some may choose to pursue a degree in software engineering (which can be attained as the bachelor’s degree or master’s degree levels), a computer science degree, or to attend a shorter bootcamps, courses, or other software engineering programs to fill in gaps in their educational background.
For those with some technical skills but little programming experience looking for a new career in software engineering, a coding bootcamp might be an especially appealing option. An immersive coding bootcamp could have an aspiring Software Engineer coding like a pro in virtually all modern programming languages in a relatively short period of time. Especially if you have an educational background that’s close to software engineering – for instance, a bachelor’s degree in computer science – a coding bootcamp might be all you need to pivot your career path.
Software engineering generally can be broken down into two main specializations: applications and systems development. As you look to a new career in software engineering, it’s worth considering whether you see yourself focusing on a smaller niche within those larger specializations.
Software Engineers can find jobs with a greater or lesser focus on things like full stack web development, DevOps (which combines software development and information technology operations), or systems maintenance.
Other aspiring Software Engineers explore the various certifications that can give a boost in the software engineering job search. Some popular software engineering courses include the Certified Secure Software Lifecycle Professional from (ISC)², the Certified Software Development Professional from the IEEE Computer Society, and the Institute of Certification of Computing Professionals’ Certified Software Engineer.
Certifications are also available from technology vendors including Microsoft, Oracle and Cisco.
Then there is once again the bootcamp route for would-be Software Engineers who want to stand out. Although the idea of a bootcamp specifically focused on software engineering is a relatively new one, a coding bootcamp would provide a relevant skill boost for almost anyone interested in this career.
Software Engineers have a hard job, but fortunately there are many free, open source tools available to make the job a little easier.
There are a host of important tools you should get familiar with to complete day-to-day software engineering tasks such as version control, code review, software development, and bug tracking.
Tools like ProofHub, GitHub, Adobe Dreamweaver CC, and Codenvy – among many more – are invaluable for working Software Engineers, so learning how they can save time on projects will be key regardless of where you are in your career.
Although it’s once again worth noting that software engineering is about a lot more than programming, it’s still an essential step for future Software Engineers to post projects they’re proud of to platforms like GitHub to show potential employers what you can do.
Although you don’t necessarily need a library of your open source projects to land a job, it will prove your programming skills to a degree, and it’s important to be able to show your work regardless of what industry you’re working in.
A strong GitHub repository is also said to be helpful in getting past the initial recruiting phase or giving one job candidate an edge over another with a similar educational background or experience level.
And the practice that goes into creating and polishing these projects will only hone your technical and problem solving skills.
Regardless of where you are along the software engineering career path, a good Software Engineer is committed to lifelong learning.
There will always be new tools, tech, computer software, and programming languages to learn, as well as new approaches to project management, software development, and more. Technology constantly evolves, which is part of what makes it so exciting. While some principles and approaches of computer science have remained for decades, software development is constantly changing.
Knowledge in domains like data science, UX design, product management, digital marketing, and SEO, can strengthen a Developer’s overall understanding of technology, helping them relate and work with colleagues and clients across departments and industries. So there’s no end to the training and skills that a Software Developer or Engineer could find relevant to their job.
As you move along in your career, make it a habit to attend conferences, complete online tutorials, and take courses and bootcamps. This sort of curiosity and commitment to the craft will set apart the best Software Engineers.
