Whether you are just starting out or taking your first steps into the huge world of coding, the one skill you should be focusing on is problem-solving. It’s a vital skill, both in programming and in real life, but it’s also something that most people don’t learn properly.
If coding is your passion, opportunities are galore in 2023. You may be a student, a fresher, an early professional or a senior developer – upskilling is always a constant in the upward career journey.
Top Skills You Need to Succeed in the Coding World
Just as in a video game, there are multiple levels in your career journey too. The more skilled you are, the more levels you can ace, and the better the rewards!
Shall we begin the game? Ready, Player 1?
Level 0: Technical Skills
To start off a career in coding, proficiency in any language is a basic prerequisite. It can be Python, Javascript, Node.js, Ruby, R- or any language that you want. It’s true that if you are a fresher, no one expects you to be 100 per cent proficient in your field, but they will expect a diverse mix of theoretical knowledge and practical implementation skills from you.
Experienced professionals also stress the knowledge of C, C++, and Java since these are ubiquitous programming languages. Having learnt these languages allows you to have a strong foundation for the acquisition of newer languages.
Companies often prefer coders who have mastered more than one language. Preferably, one being an object-oriented language, and the other being a functional language. Or a client-end language and a back-end language. Some good combinations can be Python and Java, or Javascript and Ruby.
A good coder also needs to know about servers, relational databases, the cloud, IDEs, and the basics of computer networking. These may not be directly related to your work, but the knowledge will definitely come in handy more than once.
Another highly underrated skill is the ability to read code. Especially, code written by someone else. India Today lists this as the number 1 skill in their article.
As a programmer, a large part of your time will be spent trying to understand jumbled pieces of code and trying to structure them. Invest in learning this now and reap benefits later.
Level 1-6: Communication Skills
Call it a genius cheat code, or a super bonus, but possessing good communication skills can work magic in the coding world. It lets you jump levels depending on how good you are.
Communication is not how well you speak or write, but how well you are understood.
Experienced professionals often list communications skills as more important than coding skills. The logic is simple. A large part of your job will involve explaining tough technical stuff to people with very little or absolutely zero technical knowledge. As you aim for senior roles, this skill becomes crucial. Managers, investors, business developers, customers – the list goes on.
A good way to do so is to use every day scenarios which non-techie people can relate to. Break information down into small chunks. Keep in mind the needs of the person you’re talking to. A potential customer will be thinking about the lines of, “How can this feature be used.” A marketer would be thinking, “Who are the people who need this feature.” Both are contextually very different.
Writing about your niche in the most non-technical manner is a good practice, to begin with. Engage in online communities, solve the problems faced by non-techies, and teach an interested non-techie the basics of coding. Remember, it’s all about how well you are understood.
Level 7: Problem-solving Skills
“Programming isn’t what you know, it’s about what you can figure out.” – Chris Pine
That’s the basic difference between a videogame and a damn good videogamer. The second variety has already anticipated the upcoming hurdles and figured out a solution, while at the same time the former is wracking his brains on how to survive.
Being a programmer is being a problem-solver.
But problems won’t come in structured frameworks. They’ll be chaotic black holes bouncing around. In order to be extremely good, you’ll need to be on your toes always, on a ground which is always shifting and changing. Just like the second kind of videogamer.
Building good problem-solving skills involve identifying the root cause of the problem and coming up with possible solutions. It might be tempting to find a quick fix and save time and effort, but do remember that short-term solutions rarely outlast the problem.
Instead of being fast, focus on being efficient. “Once presented, solved forever” outlook will certainly help you in the long run.
Level 8: Management SkillsÂ
You may want to curl up in your favourite corner as you work on your code, but eventually, you’ll need to move out, interact, and build a rapport with others. Literally, any company is a company of people who work together. In fact, recruiters often care more about how well you can fit in the company and be productive as compared to technical skills.
Working in teams, leading teams, liaising with other departments, with other teams, and with other companies. The scope of work is limitless. So it demands a skill equally flexible. Knowing how to work as a team is one of the best skills to have in the corporate world
As you move up, it evolves into knowing how to lead a team. A good leader always leads by example. You’ll be the one responsible for creating the working culture. For transforming individual coders into team members. For ensuring the task is appropriately delegated and completed within deadlines. As a project manager, you’ll be representing your company’s goals, ethics and culture to your subordinates.
Level 9: This version is being updated
To stay relevant, never stop learning. There will always be something new being developed, something being done in a new way. Something you will be developing in the future. And you’ll want to work with like-minded people who share your vision.
Today, you don’t even need to be on the same continent to build your network. Tons of online resources, Github, online communities, LinkedIn, and coding competitions are one click away.
Unlike a game, there’s no last level. Continuous learning is not a skill, it’s a lifestyle.
Tomorrow, you could be the trendsetter.
