Top 5 Soft Skills Every Software Engineer Need to Master
The US Bureau of Labour Statistics indicated that “employment of software developers is projected to grow 21 percent from 2018 to 2028, much faster than the average for all occupations.” With such a high job demand, how does one become successful in this competitive field? While technical skills are essential for a software engineer, soft skills are equally important if you want to excel in the industry.
Here the top five soft skills every software engineer need to know to make their resume stand out:
1. Communication Skills
Software development is a complex project filled with jargons and technical ideas. Each engineer must be able to communicate well with different people involved. A good way to describe an idea is to use analogy or draw things out visually to simplify the technical language. Therefore those non-technical individuals such as product managers and C-suite directors will not be confused by the spectrum of complexity, saving everyone’s times and leading to quicker decision making.
2. Team Working
Software development is a supportive community. The teamwork attitude will make your colleagues want to work with you, talk to you, and listen to you. Given that you will be spending more time at work with your team more than with your family, it is vital to be a good teammate. You will definitely need their help in solving complex problems because you will be doing many project together.
3. Logical Thinking
Problem solving is the number one task. By thinking logically, software engineer will need to pin point the cause of the problem and deliver a set of effective solution. This skill is much needed in developing, testing and debugging a new system. In addition, the step by step thinking process can help you analyze the problem so that you will not miss the smallest detail.
4. Take Initiative
Since the programming world is dynamic, there is always room to learn. You should always be proactive in bringing up new ideas and be willing to try something different. This will not only show that you care about working in the company, you will also be a better engineer overall. By taking initiatives, you will be able to progress faster in your career. The senior developers may let you take on a side project.
5. Curious Learner
The technology industry moves fast. New inventions and new solutions are constantly getting discovered. You must embrace the fast pace environment, learn how to find opportunities and develop the skillset. Every engineer will eventually run into a problem where he or she doesn’t have the answer. Good engineer will speak to right people to find the answer or perhaps even self learn online. Don’t forget. The wealth of knowledge that is available online will definitely help you to further your professional career.
Where to learn coding in Hong Kong?
If you think you have the soft skills to become a great software engineer but lack the technical skills and financial support, you should consider FEF Foundation scholarship program to enroll in the Xccelerate Full-Time Immersive Software Engineering.
You can apply for our scholarship here.