Have you ever considered a career in the world of software? Becoming a software engineer in this current age is one of the most expansive careers one can take up because it gives you an insight into almost any field you work for, especially if you’re working on specialized applications. This means you can work in finance, medicine, textile, and even game development.
Almost every field is looking for ways to make technological advancements to increase their productivity and effectiveness further. This is where the need for software engineers comes into play. You could learn about any industry you’re keen on developing software for and earn a decent amount to go with it, but if that’s not enough to convince you, here are ten more career benefits of a software engineer.
You never stop learning
If you want to become one of the most sought-out software engineers in the market, there’s no way for you to get too bored or complacent because the opportunities for learning and expanding your knowledge are never-ending. Your experience and depth of knowledge in the field will always propel you to seek more opportunities and fit into any field.
Growth in technology
The need for software engineers grows every year. This is largely due to competition to create and develop ground-breaking technologies. For instance, businesses constantly look to simplify or automate tedious, time-consuming tasks. What is a software engineer‘s role in that? You have the opportunity to create high-quality and easy-to-understand solutions to deliver exceptional results to your customers.
Great salary package
The software gig is pretty sweet when earning a decent income. The average income for a software engineer is $100,000/year, and it can go up if you develop your software and build a good reputation with your company. Since there is a high demand for software engineers worldwide, the opportunities are endless, so it creates a sense of job security for you.
Remote work opportunities
If there is one thing the COVID-19 pandemic has shown us, it’s the ability to work from home without being stuck in an office space. This holds great advantages such as not wasting time and money on commuting, not having to relocate for a job opportunity, and being in a familiar and comfortable environment to work. As long as you can deliver your work on time, you are given the flexibility of working when and how you see fit.
However, the only disadvantage is that it is really easy to let our work life consume us and take over our whole day. It is important to set boundaries for yourself and make it clear to your company not to get in touch with you after business hours.
Travel to attend conferences
More often than not, companies will pay for you to attend some of the best conferences in the tech world like The RSA Conference, The Dublin Summit, and so on. Sometimes companies will sponsor these events in return for benefits such as free advertising in booths and huge exposure in the tech community.
As an employee, you can get a trip to these conferences and get the opportunity to learn, travel, and connect with some of the brightest minds in the community, all under company money.
Work with an amazing team
Software Engineers usually work in teams. This allows you to get together with some brilliant minds and collaborators in the field. This requires good communication skills, but this develops over time as your career progresses. Working with a team as motivated as you will allow you to learn from them and get some invaluable experience.
Explore your creative and problem-solving skills
As a software engineer, you are met with new problems every day. This is a treat for those who love being challenged and coming up with solutions. Tasks that do not have clear or easy solutions require you to get a bit creative with your approach to tackling them.
This requires you to think out of the box, but it also challenges you to provide a sustainable solution through coding that can be reused if the problem ever comes up again. This improves your skills, but it also builds up your reputation in the company and industry.
You don’t need much capital investment
If you’re looking into creating your own software company, it’s not too complicated to set up. You can easily hire a small team, get a few computers, and work in a small office space.
This does not require much capital investment, nor are there any licensing and regulatory procedures. You can easily set up your own business and compete with other tech companies offering similar services.
Code your applications
Many people have had great app ideas in the past but have not figured out how to go about it. As a software engineer, you have a unique skill set for making your ideas come to life. If you are a talented software engineer, you can write your application and design it the way you envisioned it to look. You’ll find out later whether the application was worth it or not, but it’s pretty cool to be able to have the skill with you.
Conclusion
Becoming a software engineer is a great career path to pursue. Among the advantages and perks mentioned above are incredible career mobility and flexibility. As a software engineer, you’re not just tied to your desk writing code all day. You can step into any department that is software-centric and fit in perfectly.
You can participate in research and development, quality control, and even design if you know your product well and the knowledge that goes with it. The opportunities for a software engineer are endless, and you can be a part of the market to learn, grow and have a fantastic future ahead of you.
Photo credit: The feature image has been done by Lukas Blazek.
