Most of a programmer’s work is conducted in front of a screen. This lack of human interaction makes the hiring process even more complicated for programming jobs than it is for most other job types. Technology is always evolving. The skills and abilities a programmer has today will likely be outdated in a few years. It’s important to find a programmer who is interested in following the latest trends and who is eager to participate in any available opportunity for continuing education.
Creating code is only part of a programmer’s job. When software doesn’t work as expected, a programmer is expected to get to the root of the problem quickly and effectively. Instead of spending hours blindly making changes, a good programmer will prefer to carefully investigate their code and research possible issues until a resolution is found. For those who have never attempted to create an application from scratch, programming can best be compared to solving an extremely difficult math equation. A good programmer thrives on finding ways to make something work despite the odds. If programmers quit at the first sign of difficulty, you would hear the phrase “that can’t be done” every time an innovative new project is proposed.
Programmers generally aren’t expected to have great customer service skills, but they must be able to communicate well. It is generally understood that a programmer will spend most days sitting in front of a computer, but they rarely work alone even if they are the only developer in a company. Programmers are still expected to regularly interact with managers, co-workers, and clients so the ability to work well with others like fellow programmers, business users, marketing, and sales staff is a must. This is especially true if programmers are occasionally asked to participate in client meetings to explain how a system works.
Rather than jumping into a new assignment, a good addition to your programming staff will first learn as much as possible about the desired end product. Once they have completed their analysis, the programmer will begin by designing the program’s structure before ever typing the first line of code.
Programmers rarely get everything right on the first try. In fact, failure is almost a certainty. It’s important to find programmers that see errors and bugs as a challenge rather than a sign of defeat. Persistence is important, as is the ability to start over if necessary even if it means walking away from hours of work.
Combining all these attributes takes a carefully designed curriculum. The right curriculum can give your child the chance to grow mentally and upgrade their way of thinking to become more organized, up to date, and to the point. These qualities will all help your child if they do decide to pursue a career in programming sometime in the future.
