Changing careers can be scary or not knowing what you want to do can be daunting. I’ve been in both scenarios and it is no fun. Hopefully I’ll do a good job and make you consider changing to or pursuing in software development. Without wasting anymore of your time. I’m going to show you 13 reasons to become a software developer.
Reasons to Become a Software Developer:
Financial Prospects
Go figure this is the first one, right? Money is great but it isn’t everything. Now that is out of the way, you can make great money. Anywhere from as low as $20,000 to well over 6 figures. That is insane, but money isn’t created equal depending on where you live. If you live in California, sure you will get paid well north of 6 figures, but the cost of living is so high. That 6 figures don’t matter. However, that same 6 figure salary in a state that is cheap to live in like Texas. You will be living large as your dollar will go a lot further.
Work Freedom
Depending on the company, you can almost do as you please if you get work done and most importantly, it is correct. Want to play a game of ping pong, go for. Want to talk a walk, go for it. Go out for lunch, no problem! Those kinds of places are great. Just keep an eye out for companies that put things on display, and no one is playing or doing those things. That is usually a red flag.
Flexibility Benefits
This can probably go in the freedom section, but I do think it deserves its own spot on the list. It is fantastic to be able to flex your arrival time in the morning. It really helps if you have kids that you need to send off to school, have a doctor’s appointment, or just want a change in schedule. Same goes for the evening as well. Not only will you be able to change your arrival time, but you might be able to take extra hours one day to take off another. That all depends on where you work obviously.
Networking Opportunities
This is important. You can meet some awesome and extremely smart people during your software career, and some may even become your friend. These people may introduce you to things you’ve never tried before or have plenty of things in common. It is great to build up relationships because you will never know when your paths will cross again. Honestly, working with the right group of people will make getting up in the morning 100 times easier and you will look forward to work. You might see videos and stuff saying something like “do not trust anybody.” Don’t let that fool you. Sure they are out there, but I have never experienced that.
Lifelong Learning
This is a good one. If you love to learn new things, that alone makes this a career for you. You will be forever learning about new emerging technologies and different ways to solve problems. Every year there seems to be a new framework for JavaScript released. You will also have to learn about different programming languages since languages are used for different task.
Creative Control
This kinds of goes hand in hand with never stop learning. As you begin to learn new things, you will be able to build different things. Say you don’t like the way a certain app works, well now you can create it your way. Now you won’t have to look for someone to build your website because you will be able to build it yourself. The options are unlimited.
Diverse Career Paths
There are so many topics, you will most likely become indecisive. Everyone is awesome, which makes it even harder. You can go into web development that can then go into frontend, backend, user interface work, etc. You specialize in artificial intelligence helping a giant hedge fund build the next best trading algorithm. Like build games? Game development might be your way. Game development is a hard area to break into and once you get in. It is tough. Late hours, crazy deadlines, and possibly let go at the end once the game development wraps up. The list can go on and on.
Job Security
With a lot of topics listed above, those alone will keep you busy. Just about every company needs a developer at one point or another. The local mom and pop shop might need their website built. Facebook is looking to do a mass hiring event. Car makers need software to analyze crash statistics. You can probably list every company and find something that requires software development.
Degree vs. Skills
When I started, a degree is what everybody wanted. Now we have come full circle and if you have experience, you have a good chance. That is how it should be anyway. There are so many resources and books on development, it is insane. If you can show dedication, you can come from any background. What I mean about dedication is building stuff when you come home after work. Any little bit helps to put on a resume.
Conference Adventures
Enjoy watching DefCon talks on YouTube? If you can show that the conference is beneficial in some way, the company might send you on their dime. How awesome is that? You would get to travel the country and maybe the world to attend different conference. Just keep in mind that, that won’t happen often or at all.
Tech Gadget Perks
Some companies will provide you with any tech gadget you request. If not, those companies usually provide you as soon as you start with whatever tech they have chosen. Some companies also allow you to request addition items. If 1 screen isn’t enough, request another. Beware, you will be addicted to the amount of real-estate 2 and even 3 monitors offer. You will hate going back to just 1. Wait, that might be just me. 😀
Casual Dress Code
You will most likely get to wear casual clothes, you know. Jeans and t-shirt type of deal. You should never have to wear dress clothes being a developer, but there are some companies out there that do that I’m sure. I think being comfortable allows you to get more work done.
Remote Work Flexibility
Literally anywhere you want. If you have a remote job, no place is off limit. Work on a beach? Heck yeah! It gets even better if you have your own web/app based business. Everything you need is right there on your computer. Some places may have you come in every so often, which shouldn’t be a problem. You can save so much money working from home. Personally, I feel like this is the one of the top reasons to become a software developer.
Well, there you have it. 13 reasons to become a software developer. Hopefully I convinced you. If you enjoyed this article, hit the thumbs up at the top. I still have yet to get around to comments on my website yet.
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