Starting A Career As A Programmer: Where To Begin?

It seems magical to think how much we can accomplish while sitting on our chairs at home today. From conveniently binging hundreds of shows on Netflix or instantly speaking with a colleague on video call to ordering groceries and food through digital food delivery services, the impact of digital apps today is inescapable.

It, therefore, comes as no surprise that programmers—the digital architects who create the computer codes that make all this magic possible—are some of the most highly paid and in-demand professionals in the world.

Some of the reasons why many people want to pursue a career in programming these days are the ability to provide digital solutions to real-world problems, the possibility of working in innovative new-age companies, and, of course, the highly lucrative pay-packages. The Bureau of Labour Statistics estimates that employment in this sector will grow by 13% between 2018 and 2028, a figure that is over twice the rate of growth that is expected for any other given occupation.

Given all this allure, maybe you too would like to consider starting a career as a programmer. If that is so, this article should help you get around the most crucial question that you would face: “Where should I begin?”

Starting a career as a programmer

How to start a career in programming is an understandable source of confusion for many computer science enthusiasts. Indeed, starting a career in coding is probably the hardest part, but once you get through, all your dreams would start to be within arm’s reach.

To help you get start a career as a programmer, we have listed an efficient four-step path. Read on to know more.

Get familiar with programming languages:

Starting a career in programming would require you to be familiar with various programming languages. This means that you will have to study such programming languages and understand the kinds of application that they would have. The first step to going about this is to decide whether you want to work in front-end or back-end programming.

Front-end programmers work on elements that clients directly interact with. For instance, if you’re a front-end programmer working on a social media platform, your job will be to create and enhance the app’s visual appearance, work on simplifying its content for a large user-base, and structure it in an understandable way so that people feel comfortable using your application.

A back-end programmer, on the other hand, would work on the server aspects of the app, ensuring that the data structures and libraries of the app work smoothly, so that a user enjoys the best-possible experience.

Each of these roles require familiarity with different types of programming languages. Front-end programming, for instance, would require you to be familiar with HyperText Markup Language (HTML), Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) and JavaScript. Similarly, a back-end developer would have to be familiar with languages like Node.js, Python, Git, Structured Query Language (SQL), and the like. It is important to note that many different languages exist for these tasks, and you should independently research on them as well, before deciding on which to learn that would boost your career development. This is the crucial first step to starting a career in programming.

Attend a coding bootcamp (Online or offline):

If you have acquired a college degree that was not focused on programming, you should definitely join a Bootcamp. A bootcamp is a structured course on programming that could takes you through the languages and skills that you wish to learn in a time-efficient fashion (usually 3 to 4 months).

Many bootcamps are available on online learning platforms, including Viva Coder, one of the top coding institutes in Dubai, UAE. Joining a bootcamp will help you acquire coding skills or even help you polish your skills. Check out our course pages to choose the best bootcamp for your needs.

Choose a problem that you would like to solve:

Look around yourself, take note of your workplace, think about everything that happened the last time you met a friend. It is quite likely that there would probably be at least one thing that would have made you think, I wish this could be done more easily.

Such problems could include an existing software does not help you efficiently keep track of your tasks at work or finding something to keep your dog busy when you work from home. Even some of the most mundane issues that we may come across on a daily basis can help serve as the basis for the next big thing in programming! Therefore, you must keep an eye out for such issues and look for creative ways that can help you become a solution-provider and possibly the next tech-innovator that the world has been waiting for.

Create an online portfolio:

If you want to work for an employer, you will need to have a publicly-accessible portfolio of your work. This will help potential employers evaluate your work and see if you would be a good fit for their team. It is also an opportunity for you to show-off your mastery of various programming elements and show that you are ready to start off your career as a programmer.

Programming as a career would need you to have a handy set of work that you have created, so that you are able to clearly distinguish yourself from your competition. You can either have your portfolio on your personal website, or house them on coding sites like GitHub.

Most people in the world wonder how much one can earn as a programmer given the limelight that the profession enjoys in the media today. In the UAE, for example, coders can earn a starting salary of AED 10,000; however, this would depend on the company you start off your career with.

Viva Coder: Helping you kickstart your programming career in the UAE

Viva Coder is one of the most popular institutions to help you kickstart your programming career in the UAE. You can choose from a variety of courses that are certified and beginner-friendly to help you in your journey.

Check out our website www.vivacoder.com to know more!