Just because you don’t have a formal computer science degree doesn’t mean you have no chance of becoming a software engineer. The fact is many people in the industry begin their careers later in life without a specific degree related to IT at all. This doesn’t mean it’s easy to find software developer jobs if you don’t have certain qualifications, but you won’t be eliminated from consideration completely if you don’t have a computer science degree. Here are some tips to consider to help you gain the skills needed to be a software engineer.
Focus On Specific Skills To Learn
Depending on what stage you’re at in your career, you may not have time to waste learning irrelevant topics. Start by looking at job opportunities for software engineers and see what specific skills are required. This will allow you to focus on developing those skills by taking specific courses and gaining experience in those areas.
Work On Your Own Projects
Whether you currently have a job in IT or not, working on your own projects will help you apply the knowledge you’ve learned and determine what gaps you need to fill in. Consider building your own website from scratch, or even developing a mobile app. And as you learn on-the-go, you’re also simultaneously building a portfolio you can use during your software engineer job search when the time comes. Your own projects will help you become more confident with your skills and put you in a better position to be a candidate for certain software developer jobs.
Find A Relevant Entry-Level Job
Try to find an entry-level job in technical support or another related IT field as you’re working on your software engineer qualifications. Just being in an IT environment can accelerate your learning since you’re in a related industry. You can learn from others at the job, talk with co-workers to gain even more knowledge and possibly volunteer your time to help out on projects when needed.
Work Your Way Up
Just about everyone with software developer jobs had to work their way up to get where they are now. Many companies like to hire people for entry-level positions who have a keen interest in software engineering, even if they don’t have all of the necessary requirements. Learning on the job and working your way up is one of the best ways to prove your value and worth, and your lack of a computer science degree may be overlooked as unimportant as a result.
Anistar Technologies has access to hundreds of job opportunities for software engineers. No matter where you’re at in your career, there are many different companies looking for various skill sets to join their team. We can match your current skills and desires with the perfect fit to help you grow in your career. To learn more about how we can help you, contact us today for a quick consultation.
