If you think that knowing how to code is the only thing that is going to help you land a job as a professional programmer, you may be missing a few other key factors. In a world that can be trusted to rapidly change, the struggles are never-ending, even for veterans in the field. Not only does one have to know how to become a professional programmer but also keep honing and sharpening your skills.

From team-work, stressful problems that need urgent attention, to version control, there’s a lot more to professional programming than just writing code. A clear and straightforward teaching method such as that of Job Ready programmer through online tutorials takes care of your knowledge of coding and programming. It also highlights all the responsibilities that you will have as a professional programmer when you are ready to be one.

Tips to Become a Professional Programmer

Just like writing the near-perfect code takes years of practice, observation, and work, so does becoming a professional programmer who is good at the job. Following are a few foundational tips one must remember when venturing into professional programming. While these will help you see through and get a better insight into what you should be working on, know that there are no strict rules and it all depends on you and your abilities.

Communication is Key

While programming and coding are commonly portrayed to be a loner’s craft, it is quite the opposite. Working in an organization as a professional programmer means that you will be working and communicating with a development team. Hence, when studying how to become a professional programmer, you would want to spend a lot of time learning how to communicate with clarity, conviction and preciseness over email to your coworkers, managers, clients/partners and executives.

You will also have to take into consideration your client’s point of view when doing so. A platform like Job Ready Programmer will help you hone not only your programming skills through several different effective tutorials but also shine a light on the aspects of professional programming people tend to overlook.

Don’t Put All Your Bets on Tools

It is no news that understanding and selecting the right tool for work is one of the basic and general skills for all programmers. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean that you should be blind-sided by them and don’t pay enough attention to the important underlying process. There will be new tools coming your way every day. It is up to a professional programmer to remember that there are no tools good enough to solve all the problems. A deep understanding of the core concepts and processes is the only thing that will push you forward. So, as someone looking to become a pro at programming, you should have your fundamentals right and in place and not make a God of any tool.

Never Stop Learning

As mentioned earlier, the world of coding and programming is one that keeps evolving and developing every day, demanding the same from a developer’s knowledge and abilities. If you wish to crack into professional programming, you have to prove that you are ahead of everyone else simply with your knowledge of the new programming languages, software, and hardware. Job Ready Programmer is one such platform which consistently keeps bettering itself to provide the best of programming knowledge through easy-to-follow tutorials that you can take from your home.

Expert lessons, jumping into a community of coders and programmers, and constant support through resources to sharpen your skills — Job Ready Programmer’s certification courses in Master Java, Python, Spring Framework, SQL, OOP, Data Structures and Algorithms has continued to change lives and bring in jobs.

Have Knife-Sharp Problem-Solving Skills

Understanding a programming language is not the be all and end all of professional programming. There is a substantial amount of problem-solving skills that are required of a professional programmer. It is a lot like putting a puzzle together, something which needs time and practice. We suggest starting early by taking on small projects like developing applications, calculators, etc.

Rather than just understanding the programming language, focus on figuring out the logic behind a code and crack how a computer works and thinks. Having a systematic approach to programming and solving problems is an important aspect of how to become a professional programmer.

Be Transparent, Honest, and Hard-working

As we mentioned in the very first point, when working as a professional programmer in a company, you will be expected to be a team player. Be transparent with your team and reach out for help when you need it. Similarly, lend a helping hand to your team members if they find themselves in need of one. While this may sound like something that applies to all professions, it is also especially true for professional programmers who tend to get arrogant because of their knowledge base.

Remember that we are humans and aren’t made to think like machines. We will only achieve the desired results when we put our intellectual strengths together. Programmers also know when they write a bad code. But professional programmers don’t lie about it; they acknowledge it and learn from it. This is where team-work also comes into play.

Be Open to Breaking Rules

While programming comes with a set of rules that help you write a clean and effective code, you must also be open to flexibility. While a principle, say OOP, can work well in some situations, procedural programming can be a saviour in small projects as opposed to big tasks. When you learn from a platform like Job Ready Programmer you ensure that your knowledge of programming and the right tools can help you navigate any difficult situation as a professional programmer.

It is with that knowledge that you must experiment with your code and your selection of tools. The rules of programming from ten years ago do not stand true today, which goes on to say that like every other field, this is also prone to monumental changes. An open mindset will help you unlock how to become a professional programmer who can take on unforeseen and difficult challenges and have ready solutions for cases where the rules can’t apply.

Conclusion

Remember that as a professional programmer, your job will not just be to sit back and write codes. When working as a programmer in a company that is only one part of your job that is accompanied by others. However, you must have an unshakeable base of knowledge in professional programming before you seek a job with a company. Job Ready Programmer is just the right platform to add meat to your existing skills or start afresh through video tutorials, assignments, and certification that make you a job-ready programmer.