We can thank the rise of technology for introducing many new jobs to a rather stagnant job market. One fast-growing tech job is software engineer. If you possess soft skills like problem-solving, ideation, strategizing, etc., you might enjoy working as a software engineer!
At HiCounselor, we try our best to help people get on the right career paths. That’s why we create guides like this one to help you decide if you’d like to be a software engineer. If you’d like more help in shaping your career, contact us and one of our friendly experts will gladly guide you.
What is Software Engineering?
Under the umbrella of computer science and engineering, lies the field of software engineering. This branch works on the development, operation and maintenance of software products by utilizing technological methods, principles and processes. Basically, sound engineering principles are used to get software that is efficient and dependable.
What Tech Skills Should a Software Engineer Possess?
As a software engineer, you’ll be expected to have extensive knowledge of programming languages, like Python, JavaScript, R, C++, etc. and be good at coding. You must also be familiar with all the stages of software development. You should know the ins and outs of computer operating systems and be able to apply engineering principles to build software solutions.
What are the Roles and Responsibilities of a Software Engineer?
The exact nature of your software engineer job will depend on what products and services the company offers to its clients. That said, there are still some similarities across the board. Most of these tech jobs involve executing the full software development lifecycle (SDLC), developing software solutions, determining operational feasibility and improving operations.
There are many areas that you might find yourself working on, such as video games, mobile applications, middleware, operating systems, network control systems, etc. You’ll have to understand users’ needs, then build, test and launch software to cover them. A software engineer is usually part of a project right from the planning stages to its execution.
Are There any Sub-Divisions in This Field?
Generally, software engineers are divided into two broad categories: applications engineers and systems engineers. The first role covers the creation or modification of applications for various companies by analyzing and understanding the end user. Applications engineers design, create, execute and maintain these programs.
Systems engineers are involved in the creation and maintenance of a company’s computer systems. They generally work with all the different departments of an organization. They help connect systems, suggest technical solutions for technical and manual problems, troubleshoot errors, and generally help keep the daily work going.
What Fields are Open to Software Engineers?
We know that technology has permeated nearly everything out there so there are software engineer jobs in almost every field. You might find a suitable job in any number of interesting areas, such as healthcare, automobiles, aeronautics, non-profit, finance, green energy, remote sensing, government, and of course for a tech firm itself.
What Kind of Job Security and Salary can I expect?
Software engineering is a job role that’s here to stay. As technology continues to become a bigger part of our lives, we’ll need these roles more and more. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), software engineering jobs will grow at the rate of 22% from 2020 to 2030. There will be an estimated 189,200 job openings each year in the decade. The median pay for this IT job is US$110,140 for now.
We hope this article has cleared some doubts you might have had about software engineering! If you’d like more help in getting your career started, contact HiCounselor and one of our experts will gladly work with you. Since we only take payment after getting you a job, you don’t have to worry about paying when you’re not working!
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