How to grow your software engineering career in 2021

Back to Hub

Are you ready to propel your career in 2021? Yes? Great.

If you want to grab hold of your dream job, then you’ll need to stand out. So many candidates will be applying for the same roles, and you need to have a competitive edge to be successful.

Last year was difficult. And we know that one of the most urgent issues today is in bridging the tech skills gap that is present in many disciplines. Companies may also be assessing their internal tech skills and capabilities in order to compete for new business and projects.

Setting yourself apart from the rest of your sector’s tech talent is crucial. There are lots of exciting opportunities for Software Engineers coming up. So, if you want to get ahead this year, here are some things that you need to do!

Just keeping coding, coding, coding

In software engineering, we are now seeing more self-taught programmers enter the market. They’re learning to code off their own backs. This, combined with the rise in low-code or no-code technologies, will widen the talent pool and provide opportunities at both entry level and for experienced developers moving forwards.

Today, knowing one language as a Software Engineer often isn’t enough. A lot of businesses look for multiple languages across Front or Backend development to support the technology stack at that business. That means that the ability to pick up other languages and have personal and commercial experience is very important.

After all, you need to keep up to date to stay valuable.

Tell us what you’ve done

Ongoing training, building up core skills and adapting into new markets, plus immersing yourself in practical experiences and having crucial insight into the market is important for staying on top of your game. It’s also a good way to enhance your skills for a new project or to help you move into a new area in tech.

Showing an employer what you have actually learnt, delivered and been involved in is so important in making your capabilities stand out. It’s not just about talking about what you can do.   

Get involved in forums

There are many online news and media outlets that have thriving communities. It is on these forums that you can connect with software professionals that have differing skills, experiences and backgrounds that you can learn from.

When working on a range of assignments at once, it can be an invaluable asset to a project to have the core insights and knowledge of the industry and skills in the market to hand. We also encourage Software Engineers to take the time to learn more about the roles, challenges and opportunities your discipline faces, to ensure you’re well positioned to sell your skills in to enhance new projects that arise.

Answer the following questions: 
Are you experienced in multiple languages? 
Have you got a portfolio of challenging and exciting work? 
Do you know the latest trends in your sector? 

If you said no, you’d better get your skates on! It’s never been a more important time to enhance your skills and demonstrate your value.

Finding the best information on your chosen language can be a minefield. develop help you simplify the complex. Get in touch with one of our team today, 0207 733 0430.

  • 15 Aug 2024
    Female Technology Leaders: Rosie Hatton
    Read Blog
  • 30 Jul 2024
    Which Programming Language Are You? Zodiac Edition!
    Read Blog
  • 30 Jul 2024
    Female Technology Leaders: Natasha Dunn
    Read Blog