Take a moment to think about the technological advances we’ve made since 2006. We saw the rise of social media platforms like Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, and Periscope. Cell phones evolved from just phones to miniature portable computers. Not to mention all of the advances in nanotechnology, robotics, and biotechnology. Now start thinking about what amazing advances we’ll see over the next 10 years.
Behind most of those fantastical advances you just envisioned will be a software engineer. If working on the technology of the future sounds like your dream job, then start working on these 10 software engineer skills you’ll need to thrive in the next decade.
1. A Love for Code
A passion for code is a necessity for today’s software engineers, and it will still be a necessity over the next decade. No one ever became excellent at what they do without first falling in love with the process.
2. Computer Science Skills
Obviously, a software engineer needs basic computer science skills. The reason it made this list of software engineer skills is this skill set is sure to evolve over the next decade. Software engineers must be willing to learn and master the new tools and techniques of their trade.
3. Adaptability
You’ve seen how quickly technology has developed over the last decade, and that rate is only going to increase over the next 10 years. Software engineers have to be able to continuously adapt as they build the technology of the future.
4. A Functionality-First Mindset
The software engineers of the past didn’t put much stock in testing to make sure every little bug was worked out. They released the software and figured they’d just whip up a patch if any issues popped up. Today’s consumer doesn’t appreciate being used as a guinea pig. Software engineers of the next decade must be willing to spend more time testing and perfecting their work before release.
5. The Ability to Code Smart, Not Hard
You’ve probably heard the cliche “work smart, not hard” at some point in your working life. This adage applies to coding as well. Tomorrow’s software engineers will have to code smart by repurposing functioning code for complex projects.
6. Vision
Software engineers are often working on projects that won’t hit the market for 1-3 years. This requires the ability to visualize how the user of the future will interact with a new technology.
7. Child-Like Curiosity
Think back to when you were a kid. Do you remember how you’ve acquired all of the knowledge you now take for granted? By being curious. For the software engineers of the next decade, adopting a child-like curiosity will be necessary in order to continuously innovate.
8. Attention to Detail
One mistake in thousands of lines of code can be the difference between functionality and failure. Codes will only get more complex over the next decade, so an attention to detail will be one of the most important software engineer skills to cultivate.
9. Discipline
It takes discipline to comb through lines of code to find mistakes. Especially when you’ve already spent countless hours writing the code in the first place. This is a skill that will only become more important as codes become more complex.
10. Teamwork
Complex codes mean complex projects, and this means more people working on a given project than in the previous decade. Being able to effectively work in a team will be an essential skill for software engineers over the next 10 years.
Do you have any software engineer skills you think should have been on this list? Give us a shout on Twitter!
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