Why Become a Software Developer: 8 Reasons You Should Know

Software development is now one of the most desirable professions around the world for its excellent career prospects and opportunities. Because –

• Software developer is the #1 in-demand job in the world – LinkedIn
• Average annual salary of a developer in the US is $110,140 – The US Govt
• Developers are among the happiest, 36% job satisfaction – Stack Overflow

Therefore, if you ask us – why become a software developer – we can tell you numerous facts. But there are at least 8 crucial reasons for which you might consider becoming a developer.

Apart from telling you the reasons, we will also discuss what software developers do, their current job fields, and how to become a developer along the way.

Table of Contents

• What Does a Software Developer Do
• Why Become a Software Developer: The Reasons to Know
• Current Job Fields for a Software Developer
• How to Become a Software Developer
• FAQ – Career in Software Development

What Does a Software Developer Do

Software developers are the people who create or develop computer programs – from operating systems to video games – using different programming languages, like C#, Java, and PHP. They are also known as computer programmers, or simply programmers, developers, or coders.

All the things software developers do are mostly associated with programming languages. If you become a software developer, the major tasks you will accomplish are –

• Writing programs or instructions using codes
• Designing and building software (e.g. apps and games) and websites
• Editing, correcting, or updating programs when necessary
• Ensuring quality and security of any program or service
• Managing and analyzing data or information

There are about 700 programming languages that exist at present. Of them, JavaScript, HTML/CSS, SQL, and Python are the most popular ones, according to Stack Overflow.

If you want to know what software developers do in real life, just think – the browser you’re currently using to read our article is built by a group of developers, the same thing applies to our website. That means developers are everywhere, powering up the whole tech industry.

Why Become a Software Developer: The Reasons to Know

Software development is the #1 and the best job you can apply for right now, believe it or not. It is ranked top among the most sought-after jobs in the world in various surveys and statistics, including U.S. News, and Michael Page. But why?

The reasons to become a software developer are:

1. Huge Area with Plenty of Jobs to Choose
2. Excellent Career Development Opportunities
3. Ability to Have a Flexible Lifestyle
4. Inexpensive and Accessible Way of Learning
5. Great Area to Prove Your Skills
6. Profession Where You Can Stay for Lifetime
7. Continuous Learning Opportunities
8. Chance to Become a Changemaker

Now, we are going to explain each of the reasons in detail. We will not just keep talking, also try to show you some supportive data to make things clear. So, stay with us.

1. Huge Area with Plenty of Jobs to Choose

The size of the global software industry is huge, and it is growing rapidly. Now, it reached $968 billion and is expected to exceed $1493 billion in 2025, according to Software Products Global Market Report by Research and Markets.

Not only for money; it is also a huge sector in terms of area of work, which we will talk about later. Just try to find a sector that has no use of the software. Even, we individually are highly dependent on software nowadays.

The number of job openings in the US is about 189,200 per year for software developers! And the number of employment was over 1.8 million in 2020, which is projected to grow 22% by 2030, much faster than other occupations.

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

The global picture is not so different from that of the US, because this industry is booming, and new job opportunities are being created every day. So, it’s a big reason why you would become a software developer.

2. Excellent Career Development Opportunities

If you decide to build a career in software development, you won’t have to worry much about getting a job. This part is now clear. But how much would you be paid?

It is hard to find a global average salary. But we have gathered data from different parts of the world which will help you have some idea.

In short, the payment of a software developer is very attractive and much higher than many other professions. It is, perhaps, the most important reason why many people should be interested in becoming software developers.

The average annual salary of a software developer:

• The US: $110,140 (highest in the world)
• Switzerland: $95,394 (highest in Europe)
• Israel: $76,791 (highest in Asia)
• Singapore: $72,993
• Germany: $60,162
• Australia: $53,669
• Canada: $52,567
• Panama: $50,000
• The UK: $42,394

Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Daxx, Statista, Singapore Business Review.

Besides, people in the software industry can make their careers thrive faster than other professions as the average age of a software developer is 29 and a half, according to a Stack Overflow survey. You may read this interesting article to know more about How Much Do Developers Make.

3. Ability to Have a Flexible Lifestyle

If you become a software developer, you will be one of the few blessed professionals who can enjoy a flexible lifestyle, like comfortable work hours, remote work, and a break or tour at the end of a project.

As a result, the job satisfaction rate is very high among them. Check the statistics below: [We have marked the software industry and the other 3 which are related to it.]

As many as 76% of the companies surveyed in the Coding Sans report admit that they allow their employees to work remotely. The report data has been collected from TheCodest.co.

Besides, about 74% companies, surveyed by Gartner, say thay have planed to permanently shift some of their employees to remote work in the post-Covid-19.

These statistics show you how much remote work opportunity software developers can enjoy, which plays a big part in having a flexible lifestyle. If you want to do freelancing, it is needless to say how much flexibility you can enjoy.

Most of the developers can work from anywhere at any schedule. But it doesn’t mean they had to work longer than usual. The average work hour of a developer is around 40 hours/week.

4. Inexpensive and Accessible Way of Learning

Anybody can be a software developer if they have passion for it, believe us. People think you should have a relevant degree or plenty of tech knowledge to become a software developer. But it’s not correct.

A degree or tech knowledge can help you become a developer quickly but these are not mandatory. Yes, you need to have some basic education (at least secondary) and computer knowledge. But it’s not difficult to have these nowadays.

More than 69% of all developers in the world are either partly or fully self-taught! And, only 45% have a bachelor’s or higher degree in computer science or a related field.

Stack Overflow

Besides, you can learn programming at any time anywhere via the internet. You can take help from online resources, like YouTube, e-learning sites, apps, and ebooks. Most of them are free, while some cost only a few bucks.

5. Great Area to Prove Your Skills

Apart from coding, a software developer requires a set of skills, like problem-solving, creativity, and teamwork. If you have those skills and want to prove yourself, then we will recommend you to become a software developer.

You also need to have some stress management skills as the software industry has a fast-paced work environment. Don’t worry – all the skills in this industry are valued properly.

For instance, you are good at troubleshooting. If you can do it with codes, you will definitely enjoy working and your contributions will be rewarded by your employer.

6. Profession Where You Can Stay for Lifetime

There is no age limit to become a software developer or belong to this profession although this sector is dominated by young people. If you have the skills and are interested to continue, you may work as a developer as long as you want.

About 13% of software developers around the world are aged 40 and above.

Stack Overflow

Once you become a software, none will be able to force you to leave the profession. Besides, you can take it as the job of your life since it provides a flexible lifestyle, attractive salary, and excellent career development opportunities.

7. Continuous Learning Opportunities

The entire tech industry, including software, is moving so fast. So, it will give you an opportunity to learn new things almost every day. If you can accept the change and like to learn, then you should become a software developer.

There are nearly 700 programming languages and more than 24.5 million people around the world work with those.

Despite having a fast-paced work environment, they maintain a strong community. Can you imagine how much information and learning they share every moment?

8. Chance to Become a Changemaker

Last but not least, becoming a changemaker is another important reason why becoming a software developer. We don’t have to go far to find it out. Just think about the world before and after the invention of YouTube.

Could you ever think that you would be able to watch, share, and search videos (live or recorded) online for free, before the foundation of youtube in 2005?

Nobody did. An initiative of three young software developers made it happen that has redefined our media consumption and web experiences.

If they can bring revolutionary changes, why don’t you? Software development is the profession that can give you the opportunity to change the world. Who knows? You can create something better than YouTube, Uber, or WordPress if you try.

Current Job Fields for a Software Developer

After making up your mind to become a software developer, you need to know what are the current job fields for you and which top positions you can apply for.

Software developers are required everywhere, from manufacturing companies to humanitarian organizations. Developers lead the tech industry, and tech dominates the world. So, you might understand how huge the job fields are!

We have made a shortlist of top fields and positions below to help your decision-making process:

Top Fields	Top Positions
1. Software (including apps, games) 2. Electronics (including mobile, computer) 3. E-Commerce 4. Data Management & Analysis 5. Security & Defense 6. Telecommunications 7. Web & Networking 8. Automobile 9. Finance & Banking 10. Aerospace	1. Full-Stack Developer 2. Applications Developer 3. Game Developer 4. Web Developer & Designer 5. Systems Engineer 6. Data Scientist 7. Quality Assurance Engineer 8. Cyber Security Analyst 9. Cloud/Network Engineer 10. Multimedia Programmer

The fields and positions we have enlisted here are the best and the most popular ones. The list could have been much bigger considering the vastness of this sector, but we kept it short not to make you confused.

How to Become a Software Developer

Becoming a software developer is much easier than you think as it offers an accessible and inexpensive way of learning. Besides, it doesn’t require any specific degree or extensive tech knowledge.

Since you have finalized your decision to build a career in software development, we want to show you 5 easy steps to begin your journey:

Step 1: Learn Programming Languages

It is the #1 requirement to become a software developer. Try to learn as many languages as you can. For a beginner, we would recommend you to learn at least 5 languages – including C++, Java, HTML, JavaScript, and Python.

You can learn them from academic courses, or online resources – like YouTube, e-learning sites, apps, and ebooks – with little to no cost. Top online platforms to learn programming:

1. Codecademy
2. Coursera
3. Udemy
4. Udacity
5. W3Schools, and so on

Read this useful article if you are looking for Top WordPress Plugin Development Courses and Tutorials.

Step 2: Keep Practicing

After you learn the programming languages, you should keep practicing them in real life. You can find problems online, and try to solve them with codes. If you fail, no worries, you will find the solutions online. Read this article to know about the top search engine for programmers.

Step 3: Enrich Portfolio & Join the Community

Now, you will have to start enriching your portfolio to become a software developer professionally. To do so, you can create any project by yourself, take part in different events (like DeveloperWeek and WordCamp), or participate in an internship or voluntary activity.

You will also have to join the developers’ community – like GitHub and Stack Overflow – to make your journey easy. It will not only help you learn new things and share ideas but also enrich your profile.

Step 4: Earn Credentials

You have learned the languages, practiced them, and enriched your profile. Gaining a certificate or credential can work as proof of what you are capable of and your career interests. In fact, many employers value it a lot.

Several noted institutions and companies provide the certifications. Microsoft, Amazon, Google, and Oracle are some of the most common ones.

Step 5: Apply for the Jobs

This is the final stage to become a software developer. While applying to a job, try to find an organization and position which matches your interests, expectations, and career goals.

Relevant article to read: How to Become a WordPress Developer

FAQ – Career in Software Development

We have included some frequently asked questions on the career in software development in this part, some of which you may find useful.

Final Thoughts: Become a Software Developer or Not

You should be your own boss – we like it this way. So, it is up to you whether you would become a software developer or not.

But if you decide to build a career in software development, considering its excellent career prospects, you won’t regret it – that’s for sure.

Our aim was not to provoke you. We just tried to show you the reasons why become a software developer with relevant data and facts. We hope to serve this purpose very well.

Before jumping into this profession, we will just recommend you to find your interests and career goals. If you find them aligned with this sector, you are free to go.

If you are or want to be a WordPress developer, you will have to follow a process to deploy your themes and plugins and manage their licenses. It might be a hassle for you. But with Appsero, you can manage the whole system and your customers within just a few clicks.

For further queries or suggestions, please feel free to knock us in the comment section below.