Your child may have mastered a programming language or two, but she is now wondering if they are enough to get a job. Industries and businesses need skills and knowledge in so many types of technology and applications that keeping up with the latest and greatest technology may have your soon-to-be adult a bit worried that he won’t have the knowledge it takes to land a good coding position. Not to worry: companies often look for general aptitude or just a little experience with a particular technology or programming.
Programmers are always learning. The field is constantly evolving. Programmers teach themselves new languages all the time, and some companies pay their programmers to keep up with the newest technology. Employers know that that this is the case, and they want programmers who can and want to learn it. Matt Weisfeld of InformIT asked employers about the skills that they want to see in job applicants. One respondent from a medium-sized company said, “Degrees are all but meaningless. There are a LOT of degreed individuals that aren’t good programmers. Certifications are a bit more useful, mostly in the fact that they can impress clients (for consulting work). Aptitude, skill, capability, and experience are FAR more valuable in the industry.”
A team member of DevelopIntelligence.com said, “”It is truly a combination of technical and soft skills. Fundamentals of programming logic and the ability to apply those fundamentals to ANY code base they encounter.” Finally, one mentioned, “The ability to solve problems. The ability to learn new technologies rapidly. The ability to find solutions to problems using the internet. A mindset of efficiency and creativity.” If your child has the desire to learn new technology and to keep up with the latest technology and programming trends, tell her she is on the right track to getting a good job in the field. With the passion to always learn more, she will be well-situated to get any job she wants. A college degree provides the foundation to get a foot in the door, but it is the overall attitude and aptitude to learn that will help your child get the job.