Working in IT attracts many candidates, mainly because of the high salaries and high demand for programmers in the custom web application development market. However many positions in this industry require really specialized competencies, continuous training, and extensive knowledge.
Besides, IT is a very broad field: if you want to become a programmer, you need to know exactly what you want to do. At the same time, programming also requires basic math and analytical skills.
However, if this doesn’t discourage you, in this article you will read how to become a programmer without studying and from scratch. You will also learn what skills are important in this profession and how to write a good resume for an IT job.
How To Become A Programmer? Research, Courses, And Basic Information
First of all, programming is a very broad concept. If you have already been looking for a job in the IT industry and browsing job ads, few of them offer you a job offer for a programmer. Much more common are English-language titles such as custom web application developer, frontend developer, full-stack, software engineer, and many, many others.
IT is a very broad field and there is no chance for one person to know all programming languages and be able to write code for everything. So if you want to become a programmer, start your training by researching very carefully and choosing the specific technology you would like to specialize in.
To make it easier for you, below you will find a short cheat sheet. Treat this as a starting point for finding a new career path.
First of all, you can program web applications and websites (in web browsers), or what is known as software, which is software. These two web application development career paths differ primarily in the technologies and languages used on a daily basis, as well as the organization of work.
Web developers will more often collaborate with sales and design professionals and business clients, while software developers/engineers will collaborate with other programmers and IT professionals.
Among web developers, the Digiteum team distinguishes:
- Frontend developers, who program interfaces – everything that the user of a website or web application sees and interacts with. The most commonly used languages for this work are HTML, CSS, JavaScript, React, and Angular.
- Back-end developers, who are responsible for the smooth operation of the entire site or application, program the architecture of the system that will ensure its operation (i.e. those parts that the user cannot see). Popular programming languages here are Ruby, Python, and PHP.
- Full-stack developers who combine work on the front end and back end.
- Software writing positions, however, are most often those of software engineers or software developers. In addition, you can also work on creating computer games as a game developer and analyzing data as a data scientist.
What Skills Do You Need To Become A Programmer?
Although the stereotype of the programmer who writes code in a dark basement, feels best in the company of his own computer and three monitors, and rarely communicates with others is still strong, in reality, the job of a developer also requires many soft skills.
Professional qualifications required of programmers include:
- knowledge of specific programming languages
- ability to work within a certain framework
- knowledge of specific technology
- knowledge of selected computer programs
- debugging (finding and fixing errors in code)
- testing
- database management
- source code management
- english, at least at a communicative level
Interpersonal skills and character traits that will certainly make working in this profession easier include:
- problem-solving ability
- logical and critical thinking
- communication skills teamwork
- accuracy attentiveness
- patience
- willingness to continuously improve your competencies
- planning and time management skills.
Once you have the skills you need, it’s time to start looking for a job, and for that, you will need a professional resume.
How To Write A Resume For A Programmer?
A programmer’s resume, like any professional resume, should be tailored to the job offer. What does this mean? Your document should show the employer or recruiter that you have the professional competencies they are looking for in a candidate.
So before you start writing your resume, read the ad carefully and try to show in the document that hiring you will benefit the employer.
Since the most important things in the IT industry are skills, knowledge of technology, and experience, put this information in a prominent place in the resume—for example, at the top of the document, just below the so-called professional resume, which is a brief description of your most important competencies. In the personal information section, you should also include a link to your project portfolio, e.g. from GitHub.
Of course, if you’re changing career fields, it’s worth having a section on your resume with courses and training you’ve taken. But remember that most often in the IT recruitment process, you will have to complete a practical assignment that will test your knowledge and technical skills.
If you want, you can send a resume without a photo – this is where core competencies really matter. However, if you want a photo on your resume, you can add one, unless you are applying for a job overseas, where resume photos are a thing of the past.
You should also be aware of the paragraph on your CV with consent to process personal data – without it, you will not be able to participate in the recruitment process.
Cover letters are very rarely required in the IT industry. However, if you do need to write one, don’t repeat information from your CV word for word. Write about why your hiring will bring measurable benefits to the employer, praise your professional achievements, and explain why it is important for you to work for the company you are applying for.
