Why change career to software development in 2020?

Times are changing. Once upon a time, not too long ago, the norm was to pick a career and stick with it for all of your working days. Nowadays, things are completely different, and there can be no doubting that technology has played its part in opening more dynamic and accessible career paths to the masses. So, why change career to software development?

How technology has changed careers

Naturally, careers are subject to change. This has always been the case. Think about the number of roles that simply do not exist anymore because of technology. No longer is there such a thing as a typist for example. This is primarily because the typewriter has pretty much become defunct and has been replaced by computers. In today’s working world, we’re now being told that many roles will disappear because of automation, AI and RPAs. Therefore, people have to diversify. They need to become more agile, and they need to be willing to change to succeed. 

One source tells me that the average employee tenure is now circa 4.3 years for men and 4 years for women. In my opinion, this can also be down to how connected we have become as a civilisation. We can now see a broader picture as to what’s on offer around the world. Where once upon a time, talking about salaries was taboo, now people don’t necessarily speak openly about their salaries, but they input their information into apps such as Payscale and Glassdoor, which allows us to have a glance at what different roles are offering on average in terms of remuneration. 

Another reason as to why people are now switching jobs and careers more often is because education has never been as accessible as it is now. People can now learn whatever they want, provided they have the willpower, wifi, and a device on which they can learn. My opinion? That’s pretty cool. 

Opportunities

So, what opportunities are available to people who opt to change career to software development? Well, software developers have one of the most in-demand jobs in the world. There is a global digital skills gap, and as a result of this, developers are making hay while the sun shines. 

There should be no surprise that developers are in demand. I mean, all you have to do is take your phone out of your pocket and it will show you how important the internet is for all businesses – not just those that are in the tech industry. Technology is impacting every single industry, and this is why so many companies are searching for good software developers. 

Here’s another thing. It’s never too late to upskill or change to a role in software development. We’ve spoken to employers, and one thing they all say, apart from the fact that they need developers, is that they also need workers with experience from other industries. They need people who know how to work with other people. They need leaders with experience from all walks of like. 

It’s time to change career

Want to know if it’s time to change career? Ask yourself a few simple questions. Firstly, how often do you complain about work? Do you like your job? Do you still enjoy what you do? Are you fulfilled or as creative as you want to be? Are you bored? Do you dread going to work every day? Are you daydreaming about what your next illness will be to get you off the next week of work? Then ask yourself, how long has this been going on?  I mean, we work for approximately one-third of our lives – I know that I’d rather be doing something I love than doing something that fundamentally makes me unhappy. 

What opportunities are there right now? 

No matter where you live, be it in Sweden, the Netherlands, the UK, Ireland, Germany, or wherever, there are vast opportunities available for software developers. All you have to do is look at any job site, search for “developer” and you’ll see what I mean. Sure, you’ll see that many of these roles are split depending on your experience, but there are thousands of jobs around the world for all levels of developer, and when your experience grows within the industry, so too does the demand for you, and the salary and freedoms that come with it. 

What next? 

Well, if it is time for you to make a change, and if you know what you want that change to be in technology or, more specifically, software development, then it is time to get the skills that you’ll need to make the change. The first step I’d recommend is to see if you actually have an aptitude for software development. Thankfully, there are resources out there for people to see if coding is something that they can do.

All of our students have to complete this 5-Day Coding Challenge if they want to apply for our full-stack software development programme. Register for the challenge through the form below. It lets you sample what it’s like being a software developer. It will show you to a certain degree if you have what it takes to be a developer. The good news is that it’s free to do, and you will definitely learn something about coding – like the basics of HTML, CSS and Javascript. 

Before you do decide to make a career change, be sure that it’s something that you really want to do. Also, before taking on any extra education – make sure you find a good motivator. Don’t do this on a whim. Know why you’re doing it, make sure your motivators are in place, and keep your eye on the prize.