If you’re thinking about what your future career might be right now or are feeling tired of your current job and want a career change into something different, the tech field might be something that appeals to you. Tech careers are becoming easier for those with an interest in this field to get into, especially when it comes to software engineering and programming roles. Roles in tech and IT offer various different opportunities, lots of advancement and progression, high job security, the option to work for some of the coolest companies in the world, and plenty of other benefits. Whether you’re a high school graduate choosing your future career goals or want a career change later in life, there are many different reasons to consider a role as a developer, which include:

The High Demand

Tech jobs are growing rapidly, and with technology advancing every day, it’s safe to say that tech jobs are here to stay and the need for people with strong technical skills and backgrounds is only going to rise. Currently, there’s a huge shortage of tech professionals to keep up with the demand as a result of tech advancements. There are now more ideas for new software than there are people with the right skills to build these technologies, so if you want to get into a role where you can find work almost immediately and enjoy a very high amount of job security, tech could be the perfect sector for you to consider. 

Excellent Starting Salaries

Developers and other tech professionals will often start their careers on very high starting salaries, which are much higher than what you’d expect to earn in an entry-level position in a different career. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that in 2015, the average salary for a software developer was more than $98k per year – and this is only getting higher. Right now, the starting salary for software developers is very generous compared to other roles, with junior developers with just a year of experience in the field earning an average of $80k per year. If You are unable to decide between Power automate and uipath check out power automate vs uipath .

Massive Earning Potential

With generous starting salaries and higher average salaries compared to other roles, it’s no surprise that working as a software developer comes with a huge amount of earning potential. From the moment that you start studying, working as a software developer can make you a lot of money. When you’re getting your online masters computer science from Worcester Polytechnic Institute, you can start working in the tech field with jobs in IT support, coding, programming, web development and more, providing the perfect opportunity for computer science students to gain relevant work experience and start earning money. 

Follow Your Passions and Interests

If you are passionate about or interested in something other than computer science, tech and IT, one of the biggest benefits of working in this field is that it allows you to work in almost any industry and find a job that’s in line with what you are interested in outside of work too. For example, if you enjoy fashion, you could find work developing an app or a website that is designed to help users put together the best outfits. Or, if you are passionate about movies and TV shows you could find yourself working on the next big streaming platform. Take gambling as another example. If you want to create a sportsbook app, the latest pph software is there to help you do so. Today, there’s an app or a website for pretty much everything, which gives developers a lot of freedom of choice when it comes to the projects that they want to work on based on what they’re interested in outside of developing software, making the job much more enjoyable.

Career Advancement and Progression

Software and web developers are in a great position when it comes to career progression and advancement. The sky is the limit for tech professionals who want to move up the ladder in their careers. Whether you want to keep on coding and developing software or get into a management position, there are various opportunities to consider when it comes to moving up the ranks and taking on roles that offer you more responsibilities and a higher rate of pay. You can find more specific information on Careers4U.tv but to be brief, developers often go on to become successful consultants, public speakers, mentors, executives, and business owners. If you decide to study computer science and get into a role as a developer, there are no limits standing in your way, especially as tech professionals are needed in more industries than ever today. 

Never Stop Learning

With technology now advancing and evolving at a more rapid rate than most people are able to keep up with today, working as a developer means that there will always be chances to learn something new and get to drips with the latest technologies, developments, and more. If you love the idea of working in a job that never gets stale and there are always new opportunities and challenges to get into, studying computer science and getting into a career as a developer is definitely worth considering. Even with coding languages, there will always be new ones in the future to get to grips with, so your learning doesn’t have to stop there even if you have learned them all. You could check out Bay Valley Tech, an online coding school to help you on your learning journey.

How to Get Your Career as a Developer or Tech Professional Started

Whether you’re growing tired of your current career and want a change or are leaving high school and considering software development as your future career goal, there are certainly lots of different reasons to consider this career option. Maybe tech and IT is something that you have been quite passionate about for a while, or perhaps you like the idea of working in a career that has such a generous starting salary for professionals. Or maybe you’re simply looking for a new challenge and want to find it in this kind of a role. 

With lots of different avenues in tech and IT to explore alongside development, such as cyber security, data science, and IoT, there’s a lot on offer when you get the qualifications needed to work in this industry such as a computer science master’s. If you’re considering getting into a development career, here’s what you’ll need to work in this dynamic and fast-growing field. 

A Relevant College Degree

Most of the time, working as a software developer or in another tech role will require you to have a relevant degree qualification. Whether you are considering changing your career or starting out as a high school graduate, it’s important to consider your choice of college degree to ensure that you get off to the right start in this degree. Computer science is a popular choice along with IT and technology, computer engineering, software engineering, data analytics, programming, design, and data science. But even if you have a bachelor’s degree in a subject that is not relevant, there are still options to get into this field either by getting a master’s degree in a relevant subject or working for an employer that is willing to train you through a graduate program. 

Industry Certifications

If you want to get a master’s degree in computer science, software engineering or similar, the good news is that many colleges and universities don’t require you to have a bachelor’s degree in a similar subject. In many cases, universities will accept students who apply with a bachelor’s degree in any subject if they have an industry certification. Industry certifications offer a fast way to break into the field of IT, with many colleges considering this on top of any bachelor’s degree qualification for entry to master’s programs. Along with this, many employers will be willing to consider you for a position if you have an industry certification. There are various certifications that you can get including ITIL, Network+, Security+, and CompTIAA+.

Soft Skills

Not everything that is required to get a job as a software developer or another role in IT and tech is about qualifications and relevant skills. Your soft skills will also play a huge part in how suitable you will be for certain roles, so it’s a good idea to take into consideration the skills that you have built so far in other positions, especially if you are thinking about changing your career to work as a developer for the first time. Chances are that your past work experience has helped you develop a range of important soft skills that you can use to your advantage when it comes to getting a job as a developer. Some of the most sought-after soft skills when it comes to tech, IT and development roles include customer service, time management, communication, and organization. You will also be expected to be skilled at using common computer programs such as Microsoft Office. 

Learn to Code

One major way to improve your credibility as a developer and increase your chance of finding more work is to learn some programming languages. For the most part, developers tend to master and become fluent in their preferred language and have some working knowledge of other popular coding languages. There are various programming languages that you can learn to get into your IT and tech career. The main ones are:

• Java: One of the most popular programming languages. It is easily run across a variety of different programs and tends to be used for building mobile apps, video games, and a range of other applications. 
• JavaScript: Although the name sounds similar, JavaScript is a programming language that is not related to Java in anyway. It is everywhere on the web and is used by programmers who want to add intricate elements to websites. It’s definitely a top language option to learn if you want to get into a web development career. 
• Python:  A great starter language since it is one of the easiest to learn, with a straightforward, simple syntax. The language also has various applications since there is a Python framework for pretty much anything, so learning this one can seriously boost your work opportunities. You may want to check out some Python OOPs interview questions, for instance, to help you prepare if you need it.
• C: C is typically the first programming language that you will learn as a student. It is used to write versatile apps that can be run almost anywhere. Along with this, it’s also one of the easiest programming languages to learn. 
• Ruby: Also called Ruby on Rails, it’s a programming language that’s mainly used for developing web applications, along with many other uses. This is another programming language that is a popular first choice as it is relatively straightforward to learn. 
• PHP: A programming language that is typically used in app development and for dynamic-heavy websites. It is behind the massive social networks like Facebook and Twitter. PHP is an open-source language, allowing for lots of creativity. You can easily modify the pre-built modules free of charge. 
• C#: Almost identical to Java when it comes to the syntax, this programming language is used for the development of Microsoft apps. 
• Objective-C: This programming language is used exclusively to develop iOS apps and is a worthwhile option to learn if you want to eventually develop apps for iPhones. 
• SQL: A slightly different programming language that is used for big data rather than developing software. It allows programmers to easily siphon data from large databases and is a popular choice for IT professionals and students who are interested in data analysis. 

Finding Work

Once you have the qualifications, certifications, and skills necessary to work in software development, there are various options to consider when it comes to finding work. Software developers are often hired by large tech companies and agencies who develop apps, websites, and other software programs on behalf of clients, or you can work as an in-house software developer for a specific company. There is also the option to be self-employed, working for various clients as an independent contractor which allows you more freedom of choice when it comes to the projects that you work on. 

If you are looking for a future career option or want to change to a new career, there are plenty of reasons to consider getting into the fast-paced, dynamic world of software development.