The Biz of Writing Code

Let’s consider you’ve completed four to five years as a coder. If asked what you plan to do in the next ten years, are you still willing to write and review code? Or do you want something else? If you’re looking for something more than writing lines of code, it’s time to consider skills that go beyond coding.

Take a Step Back

We understand any product or service offered by a company can fail without developers. But, they aren’t the only ones that contribute to running a fully functional company. It takes a village.

Before you can start writing a code, you must take care of multiple things. From planning a new product and creating its mockups to testing it and getting it approved by the client, many people with different roles collaborate to bring a simple idea to life. And, developers are often included only in the 4th stage of this process.

So, you can learn a lot if you want to become more than just a developer.

Think Beyond Coding

Understanding the requirement

The best way to fulfill or exceed any client requirement is by putting yourself in their shoes. Only when you understand their perspective will you have a complete idea of what they are looking for and how you can help them make it a reality.

So, before jumping to code, take some time to understand your client, their expectations, preferences, likes, dislikes, and target audience. 

This research won’t only help simplify your job but also give your client the confidence that you know what you are doing. And, who doesn’t like happy clients?

Being involved from the beginning

As mentioned earlier, developers usually start working on a project at a late stage. Unfortunately, this workflow doesn’t give you the chance to get complete know-how of the project and set clear expectations.

So, we recommend getting involved during the pitching stage. You don’t necessarily have to be a salesperson. However, involvement in the early stages can help you better understand how pitches work and project expectations relate to timelines. This understanding will help you achieve project targets with greater efficiency.

Learning the art of sales

Yes, you could be the best coder in your company. But does it matter if the relevant stakeholders don’t know what your code does? Why is it so important, and how can your code make things easier?

Along with being a coder, you need to know how to advocate for your code. This stage is where selling comes into the picture. While you may not have “sales” in your job title, you should still consider learning it.

Whether you are pitching a new project or willing to get new members on your team, consider learning the art of convincing, engaging with your audience, presenting, and negotiating.

Managing a team

Chances are you’ve already worked with other developers on a project. But, when it comes to managing a team and running a project, you need to learn how to deal with different types of people (developer or not).

To learn how to manage a team, you will have to step aside from your keyboard and delegate. During this process, you can supervise, take care of the retention and attrition rate, provide tips to increase productivity, and track your software team’s time.

Managing a team can seem overwhelming. But with time and experience, you will get better at setting clear goals, communicating empathetically, and leveraging the latest technology.

Developing Talent

If you are willing to manage and lead a team, you have to pull together the best talent available. It is important to amp up their existing skills and knowledge to do so.

Now, there are multiple ways to do this. For starters, you can review codes and provide feedback. This review will help the developers on your team improve their coding skills and eventually produce bug-free software.

Another way is by providing training and development tools. You can either consider hosting a workshop, inviting an expert, subscribing to learning platforms, conducting individual assessments, or encouraging your team members to build something of their own. 

This little bit of extra effort will push your team to learn something they’re passionate about, get a chance to do something other than their planned activities, and boost overall morale.

Managing finances

Now, managing finances for your department is something you don’t think of while starting as a coder. But, if you are interested, you can learn and completely control it. The daily work of financial management includes managing invoices, setting a budget, forecasting needs, etc.

When you want to take the next step and lead a team, financial know-how can help you in well-informed decision-making and drive business success. It will also give you a chance to enhance your existing skills while helping you move forward in your career.

Being innovative

If you have the time and resources, why not develop something you’ve always wanted to? There are multiple AI and machine learning projects from which you can take inspiration.

Now, we understand there are work deliverables you need to prioritize. But, if you are passionate about using your skills and knowledge for something more, consider having a pet project. You can be your boss and let your imagination run wild with this.

Working on a project from scratch can also help you develop new perspectives, write code the way you deem it appropriate, implement new techniques, and the list goes on.

Conclusion

Your career doesn’t have to be just writing code. If you are looking for something more, there are multiple ways to push you up your professional ladder. Learning new soft skills such as building and managing a team can help you take the next leap in your career toward more responsibility and a brighter future!

Also Read: The Best Coding Apps Mobile Apps to Learn to Code