Programmer: who is he and how to become one?

The profession of a programmer is considered one of the most popular, demanded and highly paid ones. Every year, thousands of school graduates enter higher educational institutions in the direction of "Programming". In addition, it is not uncommon for experienced and well-established specialists to retrain in order to become programmers.

Who is a programmer and why is this profession so popular? What are the advantages and disadvantages of the profession? What kinds of programmers are there? What are the requirements of employers for such specialists? You will find answers to these, as well as some other questions in our material.

A brief description of the profession of a programmer is quite simple to understand. So, if we turn to the professiogram of this specialist, then we can note the fact that he is engaged in the creation of various algorithms and computer programs using complex mathematical models.

The profession of a programmer (like all other spheres and areas of human life) has both pluses and minuses. Accordingly, not everyone can do it. In this regard, very it is important to evaluate in advance all the features and characteristics of the specialtyto analyze and compare your own abilities with the requirements of the profession and see if you can do such a job.

So, first of all, let's talk about the benefits of being a programmer.

• High wages... As mentioned earlier, a programmer is a highly paid specialist. It should be borne in mind that the more your work experience and the more complex your professional skills and abilities, the more you will be appreciated among employers, respectively, the more wages you will receive.
• Demand... Programmers are highly sought-after specialists who will remain so for decades to come. Accordingly, entering the university in this direction, you can not be afraid that you will be left without work. The labor market is quite supportive of such specialists.
• No need for higher education... Recently, one can notice the process of popularizing the trend that employers do not require higher education from applicants who apply for the position of a programmer. Thus, you do not need to spend many years obtaining a higher education diploma - you just need to complete specialized courses or engage in self-education. In this regard, the profession of a programmer becomes available to a wide range of people.
• Creative focus. At first glance, it may seem that the activity of a programmer is connected only with mathematics and numbers. However, in reality this is not entirely true. The thing is that in the course of their professional activities programmers often use their creative thinking and creative abilities to solve certain problems.

However, even despite the large number of advantages, there are also negative sides in the work of a programmer.

• The need for constant clarification of their work... First of all, it should be noted that programming is a rather complex area that not every person understands. In this regard, professional programmers often have to explain their actions to the boss or the team in which he works. And because of this, a large number of quarrels, conflicts and other stressful situations can arise.
• Irregular working hours. Even though the employer will tell you about specific working hours when applying for a job, there are often times when your help may be needed outside of your official working day (for example, late at night, early in the morning, or on a holiday). Accordingly, when applying for a job as a programmer, you must be prepared for such a schedule.
• Professional deformation. As is the case with any other profession, programmers who have been engaged in activities in this narrow field for a long time experience the so-called professional deformation.

Thus, as you can see, the professional activity of a programmer is associated with both a large number of positive aspects and some negative factors.

Today there are several varieties, specializations and levels of programmers: specialty SQL, programming in computer systems, Bitrix or Delphi developer, lead programmer, assistant, etc. Thus, a large number of specialists can be distinguished in the field of IT. At the same time, the most popular classification divides professions in the information sphere into 3 large categories.

• Applied. Specialists who are engaged in professional activities in the field of applied programming, for the most part, develop software of various kinds (this can be both accounting programs and game applications).
• Systemic. System programmers work to create operational networks, interfaces, networks, and other complex systems.At the same time, it is worth noting the fact that highly specialized system specialists are among the most demanded and highly paid, since they must have a fairly large amount of specialized knowledge and skills.
• Web. Web programming is the most popular field among those interested in programming. Such professionals are engaged in the creation of sites and web pages, as well as work with databases.

First of all, it should be noted that all the work tasks that a programmer must perform in the course of his professional activity, spelled out in the job description. This document should be issued to the applicant for employment, and therefore at the very first stage you will be able to understand what the specific job is and whether you are ready to perform it. Due to the fact that such a job description is drawn up by the employer, the responsibilities that it includes may differ significantly from the specific place of work, as well as from the requirements and preferences of the employer himself.

If you try to bring a universal standardized instruction for a programmer, then the following points can be included in it:

• development of programs necessary for performing various kinds of calculations (in this case, specialized mathematical models are used, as well as algorithms for solving scientific, technical and industrial problems);
• creation of schemes for solving certain problems;
• translation of mathematical algorithms required for computation into a formalized (so-called computer or machine) language;
• input of information (while the programmer independently determines its volume);
• control over the operations performed by the computer;
• control over the form and semantic content of documents;
• checking the results;
• development of layouts and schemes for entering information;
• control over computer-produced processes (for example, processing, storing and analyzing information);
• implementation of a desk review of programs;
• determination of the necessary data that will help to solve the maximum number of problems, taking into account a large number of conditions;
• debugging programs;
• use of existing programs and applications;
• work on automation;
• introduction of new methods;
• implementation of programs;
• unification and standardization of various processes;
• creation of standard program files;
• creation of documents for machine processing, etc.

A good programmer to do his job efficiently must comply with the professional standard. This professional standard may change and vary depending on what organization you work in, what industry you specialize in. In addition, the requirements of each individual employer can also vary greatly. It should be borne in mind that a professional programmer should not only possess the necessary knowledge, abilities and skills, but also have a number of individual character traits.

Professional skills and abilities must fully comply with the requirements that the employer puts forward in relation to the job seeker. In addition, the following is appreciated:

• knowledge of a foreign language (English is compulsory for a programmer, an additional foreign language will be a significant advantage);
• ability to work in different operating systems;
• knowledge of the latest trends and trends, etc.

Among the personal qualities that every programmer needs are:

• the ability to quickly adapt to changing conditions;
• stress tolerance;
• striving for self-development and self-education;
• interest in technology;
• creative and creative thinking;
• the ability to work with other people;
• adequate perception of criticism;
• independence;
• initiative;
• the ability to take responsibility for decisions made, etc.

Programmer is a profession that belongs to the category of the highest paid... At the same time, the salary will increase as you gain experience and new knowledge.

So, if we talk about numbers, the minimum wage for a beginner programmer who is ready to work at a state enterprise is about 30,000 rubles. At the same time, this amount will be significantly increased for those specialists who work in the private sector. Experienced programmers receive larger remuneration of 100,000-200,000 rubles.

As mentioned above, in order to become a programming expert, it is not necessary to have a higher education diploma... Modern employers rarely make such demands. However, at the same time, they often arrange various tests during the hiring process, so you need to know and be able to quite a lot. But for this it is not at all necessary to graduate from university. - it is enough to take courses or learn programming on your own.

A programmer's career can develop in many different ways. So, you can move up the corporate ladder and become a department head. In addition, you can start your own business or work as a freelancer - the choice is yours.