How to become A Software Engineer

Name a field, industry, or activity, and Software Engineers probably contribute to it - whether it is automating traffic control systems or helping a surgeon perform a complex operation. Software Engineers play a crucial role in developing software that provides real solutions and aims at constant improvement and innovation for greater efficiency, simplicity, and cost-effectiveness to benefit the users.

• Software Developer
• Software Programmer
• Systems Developer
• Systems Engineer
• Systems Programmer
• Database Engineer
• Database Developer
• Database Programmer
• Web Engineer
• Web Developer
• Web Programmer
• Database Administrator
• Senior Developer
• Full-Stack Developer

What do Software Engineers do?

A Software Engineer would typically need to:

• Manage the entire software development life cycle - needs analysis, design, testing, and software development to meet the needs
• Confer with users to analyse their information needs by studying systems flow, data usage, and work processes; generate technical specifications; create, maintain, audit, and improve systems and software solutions to meet specific needs, with advice from systems analysts or architects
• Thoroughly understand and test computer systems to detect any hardware limitations that could impact software design and correct faults
• Work in a constantly evolving environment driven by technological advances and company strategy; continually update technical knowledge and skills through in-house and external training, manuals, and new applications
• Investigate and use new technologies; research, design and write new software programs (e.g. business applications or computer games) and computer operating systems
• Work with a team of IT specialists and other colleagues, such as systems analysts, project managers, graphic artists, UX designers, and sales & marketing professionals
• Write diagnostic programs; design, write, and test code for operating systems and software to ensure efficiency; improve and rewrite it as required; liaise with other programmers
• Maintain and improve current codebases; peer review code modifications; make recommendations for future developments
• Communicate effectively with different teams and convert their needs into systems developments
• Monitor and analyse the operational feasibility of current software and systems that run the computers and hardware; consult clients and colleagues on systems maintenance and performance requirements; identify, define, and investigate problems and patterns
• Improve or maintain operations and operating systems by developing or modifying existing programs; integrate existing software products and get incompatible platforms to work together
• Propose, design, and instal new software solutions to improve the quality of information systems by correcting software defects or adding new features
• Conduct systems analysis to recommend changes in policies and procedures; determine and design system specifications, standards, and programming; develop standard operating procedures
• Document the software development process and demonstrate solutions through diagrams, charts, flowcharts, layouts, code comments, and clear code; develop computer instructions through the use of algorithms
• Write operational documentation with technical authors; write systems to control the scheduling of jobs and the access permitted to users or remote systems
• Acquire and license software by getting necessary information from vendors; recommend products, test and approve them; protect operations by maintaining their confidentiality

Typically office-based or located in computer laboratories until recently, the work of Software Engineers is now shifting to full or part-time remote working, whether for solo or team projects.

Travel time and frequency would depend on the nature of the job, and occasional commutes within a working day or absence from home at night may be required, particularly in consultancy work. Installation and implementation jobs will need more frequent travel.

Typical working hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., but deadlines often demand extended work periods. Longer hours than usual are needed towards the end of projects and during testing periods to ensure that Software Engineers can test systems when they are not in use. You may even be required to remain on call, working in shifts on weekday evenings and over weekends to troubleshoot but receiving due allowances.

Software Engineers with specialist skills and knowledge may choose to be self-employed, taking up freelance or contract work, in which case their hours would be more flexible.

Finding a new job might seem challenging, although Software Engineers may work in diverse sectors, including specialist IT firms and organisations that use IT software, systems and equipment.

You can boost your job search by asking your network for referrals, contacting companies directly, using job search platforms, going to job fairs, leveraging social media, and inquiring at staffing agencies.

Depending on the setting and regardless of the job title, your job may include more elements than software engineering, such as analysis, implementation, and support. Sometimes, your title, such as Java or C# developer, may reflect the programming language you use. Your work may also be part of a multimedia programmer role.

Software Engineers are generally employed by:

• IT Consultancies
• Large IT Providers
• Software Development
• Internet Providers
• Training Providers
• Retailers
• Law Firms
• Business Intelligence Organisations
• Market Research
• Schools, Colleges, and Universities
• The Armed Forces
• The Public Sector
• Voluntary Sector Organisations
• Manufacturing Industry
• Automotive Companies
• Hospitality and Tourism
• Healthcare Sector
• Navigation and Transport Industries
• Telecommunications
• Construction Companies
• Financial Services
• Global Investment Banks
• Security Market Specialists
• Pensions Sector
• Public Utilities
• Energy Sector
• Consultancies
• Small to Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs)

Professional associations and organisations are crucial for Software Engineers interested in pursuing professional development or connecting with like-minded professionals in their industry or occupation. Membership in one or more adds value to your resume while bolstering your credentials and qualifications. The Institution of Analysts and Programmers (IAP) provides up-to-date information on training and relevant industry-recognised qualifications to its members.

• The possibility of errors being made even by experienced Software Engineers
• Getting used to a new environment and team entering work fresh out of college; explaining your role in a project to the customer once you have established yourself in the team in a way that is consistent with what your teammates think
• Tackling the difference between what you learned in college and what the workplace requires when you finally get an opportunity to write a program
• Dealing with the errors that repeatedly occur during the crucial steps of testing and debugging
• The need to constantly keep current with changes in technology as they take place, which also makes it challenging to take career breaks
• Providing and abiding by the estimated time of completion and the budget, particularly given frequently changing customer needs and workforce shortage
• High levels of concentration needed given the long hours at the keyboard
• Sleep patterns and circadian rhythms that govern our physiological systems disrupted by frequent overnight work, creating digestive upsets, cognitive deficits, and heart problems; impact on productivity from health issues; regular breaks needed to reduce eye and back strain
• Tackling data security threats given that all applications are prone to hacking; the pressure to provide secured solutions
• The need to use code developed by another person, more complicated if the earlier developer has quit the company
• Balancing commitments when working simultaneously on more than one project or handling additional responsibilities
• Less time spent with the family and within the community burdens spouses with extra unpaid household chores and takes away from one’s civic and volunteer work
• Intense competition created by the globalisation of markets, new technologies, and unexpected government regulations

Through relevant work experience, you may favourably demonstrate your commitment and interest in computing to prospective employers. Course-related placements, work shadowing, or a year in industry are helpful ways to chalk up practical experience. Typically, academic programmes in software engineering incorporate supervised internships.

If you can find projects outside of your studies, you will foster your skills and experience and build a base for future internships and recruitment. Summer camps for coding may substitute closely for traditional internships. Internship fairs, university placement offices, or reaching out directly to firms may help you intern for software companies.

Be aware, however, that some companies seek more than five years of professional software development experience. They also encourage acquiring experience as technical lead for a complete software development life cycle through all stages from conception to delivery & maintenance. The life cycle includes architecture definition, detailed design, scoping, planning, implementation, testing, and documentation. It is also handy to be skilled in developing distributed/scalable systems and high-volume transaction applications.

As in any career, reading as much as possible about the profession and interviewing veteran Software Engineers are meaningful ways to explore your interest in the field.

A four-year degree in computer science is typically a requirement for aspiring Software Engineers. However, you may land entry-level jobs with shorter programs, such as an associate degree or a higher national diploma, with the requisite experience in systems development. Be aware that in the absence of any post-secondary qualification, entry is unlikely unless you hold substantial experience as an assistant in systems development.

Although this area of work is open to applicants with diverse backgrounds, those with technical ability and with a degree in computer science, computer software/computer systems engineering, electronics, information systems, mathematics, or physics have enhanced employability.

While a bachelor’s degree may suffice for several positions, a master’s degree in computer science, computer engineering, and other related subfields of computer science will give you a competitive edge in the job market. With a degree unrelated to computing, you will need to demonstrate your technical knowledge and enthusiasm. To be able to do so, you may opt for technical courses to build skills and knowledge.

Employers often seek candidates with expertise in specific high-level programming languages such as C++, Java, or Scala paired with object-oriented design skills, application architecture, and design patterns. What is also helpful is knowledge of professional software engineering and a thorough grasp of best practices for the entire software development life cycle - coding standards and code reviews, source control management, build processes, testing, and operations.

Many tech companies, such as Microsoft, or professional organisations, offer certifications. Certification demonstrates competence in a skill or set of skills, typically through work experience, training, the passage of an examination, or some combination of the three. Voluntary certification from an objective and reputed organisation can help you gain professional credibility, stand out in a competitive job market and become an independent consultant.

In the field of software engineering, both ability and experience drive career progression. At the entry level, you would typically work under supervision, designing code and formulating the objectives and scope of systems. Three years down the line, you may have expanded your responsibilities and may be working at the highest technical level, formulating detailed specifications which become the basis for writing programs

Senior Software Engineers typically have at least five years of experience, which allows them to supervise a team of developers on a large project or several smaller projects. Through such team leadership and project management roles, they may progress into management. Or they may head via the route of technical specialisation to Designer/Consultant roles. Progression may also occur through transferring between organisations.

Being specialists, Software Engineers may choose to abide by one organisation and one role. Or they may enlarge the scope of their functions to make software engineering a part of technical writing, IT training, and education. Software Engineers may also move to become Software Architects.

With moderately high job competition, the number of applicants is greater than the number of positions, but not substantially. Excellent analytical skills and a good college education will enrich your job prospects.

Continuing professional development (CPD) is the holistic commitment of professionals towards enhancing personal skills and proficiency throughout their active careers through work-based learning, a professional activity, formal education, or self-directed learning. CPD allows individuals to upskill continually, regardless of their age, job, or level of knowledge. It prevents practical and academic qualifications from becoming outdated, will enable individuals to identify any knowledge gaps, and allows professionals to progress to a new specialism.

Employers may also ask for evidence of CPD outside the classroom, for which project programming is evidence to demonstrate technical aptitude and practical problem-solving.

Given that software engineering is a continuously evolving field, it is critical for Software Engineers to keep pace with technological innovations and the latest developments in hardware, systems and coding and update their skills and knowledge.

You must take the initiative to fulfil your training needs as required from time to time, particularly in smaller organisations, where you may not have expert technical supervision. In such a case, and if you are a freelancer, you will also need to factor in the time and cost of training. Larger firms may have a structured programme to help you acquire experience through team projects in diverse areas and may also offer in-house or external training courses on an ongoing basis.

You may choose various software-specific certifications, including Microsoft Learning, Certified Scrum Master (CSM) and Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH). Courses to achieve these certifications may be costly, but enjoy industry-wide recognition and enhance your job prospects, especially when you pair them with your experience.

You may also earn professional qualifications at different levels through the BCS (The Chartered Institute for IT). BCS is also a resource of helpful information and counsel to members on how to identify and fulfil their learning needs and develop their strengths.

Diversification is another way to progress in your career, and you may take courses in business, management, marketing, and finance.

The Process In a Nutshell

Understand and formulate the requirements, which will tell you what the software you develop should do. Typically, the software is designed on paper, to begin with, charting out what the components are and their relationship. Once you complete the design phase, you must code each element that will instruct the computer. Then comes testing to check if the various parts and the entire system meet the overall requirements. If you find bugs or new conditions arise, you may need to repeat any portion of this process or all of it.

Engineering Solutions to Challenges at Work

Building and exercising your communication skills as you do your technical skills will make you a valued team member and help you learn from other’s experiences. Be clear and open even while you communicate with your customers to understand their needs better.

For your initial coding projects, break them up into bites that you can tackle. When you view your final program as a series of small targets, every target completed is an achievement. Test the program at the earliest, taking help as needed, and fix each error that shows up.

Keeping current with new technologies is helpful for you and your clients, who might appreciate your work better if it reflects innovative trends. Also, learn to work smart instead of long to meet delivery schedules and factor in breaks to refresh your mind and ideas.

Security is critical in your field. Make sure to keep your workstations secure. Limit data access to prevent data or project code theft or misuse. If you need to work on a working program, it will help you understand the code and analyse expected results before tackling the work.

Specialisations

Front-end engineers form the largest pool of talent in the industry. They select, install, and test a website’s user interface elements, even mobile applications.

Mobile engineers are the second-largest speciality and the youngest. They develop software applications for smartphones and other mobile devices.

Test and quality assurance engineers are believed to be the most gender-diverse group and those whose supply exceeds the demand. They monitor the entire software development process to ensure the design quality of new products and compliance with company standards before their release into the market.

Embedded and application engineers form a small niche group but are vastly experienced, particularly in the Internet of things (IoT). The embedded software that they develop controls and manages a hardware device, such as an electronic board with a microcontroller.

Infrastructure and cloud computing engineers are also highly experienced professionals and have essential skills both now and in the future. They first evaluate an organisation’s technology infrastructure. Then, if an organisation wishes to move to the cloud, they explore options to do so. Once the organisation decides to move, these engineers oversee the process known as migration. They also maintain the new system.

Machine learning & data science engineers are the smallest in number but the highest in demand. Machine learning is an area of artificial intelligence where a category of data-driven algorithms help software applications gain high accuracy in predicting outcomes without explicit programming. Data science deals with the description, prediction, and causal inference from data, structured and unstructured, to enable individuals and firms to make better business decisions. It studies the origins of data, what it represents, and how to convert it into a valuable resource. A data scientist carries out statistical analysis to select a suitable machine learning approach, models the algorithm, and tests it through prototypes. A machine learning engineer makes the prototyped model function in a production environment at scale.

Quick Facts

The rate of change is fast across all industries but incredibly swift in the high-tech world of Software Engineers. Where they are located has a significant impact on their salaries. The time they spend learning and updating their skills and knowledge is much higher than that of professionals, especially as they must keep pace with evolving IT trends and technologies.

Languages

Software Engineers may have a preference for one programming over another. Some of these languages are Python, Javascript, and Go, the first two enjoying greater use than the last. A reason often cited for language preference is whether it is fun to program with, even if one uses it for work.

Boot Camps

Short but intensive courses that teach software development, boot camps are now a valuable and popular source of recruits for employers.

Areas of Interest

The top three areas of interest for Software Engineers are reported to be machine learning, user experience, and blockchain. Handy Tools Flowcharts, UML diagrams, debugging tools, compilers, and text editors are among the various tools and practices that Software Engineers use to develop software.

Projects of a Different Kind

As a Software Engineer, you may have to pull several all-nighters participating in a project that may not see the light of day and is termed a “death march” based on war history. Such projects may be more frequent in software development than in many other sectors, as it is a highly project-oriented industry. Start-ups in the industry depend on demos to attract investors, partners, and consumers. However, the resources spent on the demos may not always translate into a final product. While some projects that start-ups initiate are innovative and exciting, making employees willing to work extra hours, other projects are commonplace but still demand long working days and nights.

The speculative perks of stock options may deter developers from demanding overtime payment, contrary to the concept of distributed ownership and implied responsibility. Plus, since overtime is associated with lower hierarchical levels, Software Engineers who consider themselves professionals are worried about overtime payment lowering their status. Labour unions, which could also regulate work hours, are not active enough in the field.

However, it does not mean that all projects of this sort or the companies that encourage them are at fault. Some worthwhile exceptions include start-ups hard-pressed for time to release new products and young risk-taking programmers looking for a challenge while aware of the pros and cons. Even big and mature firms may sometimes find the “death march” style of driving projects more advantageous than an organised manner.

Potential Pros & Cons of Freelancing vs Full-Time Employment

Being a freelance Software Engineer offers freedom regarding flexible schedules, working hours, and location. They have full ownership of the business and can afford selectivity in terms of various projects and clients presented.

While it has unlimited earning potential, freelancing comes with less stability and security, with inconsistent work and cash flow. There is more responsibility, effort, and risk involved. There are no paid holidays, and sick/maternity/paternity leaves are almost unaffordable. There is the added pressure of a self-employment tax and no eligibility for unemployment benefits.

A full-time Software Engineer has access to company-sponsored health benefits, insurance, and retirement plans. They have job security with a fixed, reliable source of income and guidance from their bosses. Despite that, they are susceptible to potential boredom and inability to pursue passion projects due to their lack of time or effort. With a lack of flexibility, ownership, and variety, there is also a need to budget extra money for commuting and attire costs.

When deciding between freelancing or being a full-time employee, consider the pros and cons to see what works best for you.

Given that many programming languages are similarly structured, students can learn a new language easily if they have mastered one already.

As a Software Engineer, you have the satisfaction and the challenge of working in a highly diverse, versatile, and competitive field while generating outcomes that apply to and are affordable for a breadth of industries and areas. You are, of course, already skilled and knowledgeable when you take on the job but remain enthusiastic about acquiring new skills and knowledge to keep pace with ever-evolving technology and user needs.

Better quality software is easier to use. Its code is easier to understand, maintain, and supplement with new features.