Being a newbie in any field can be challenging. It takes a lot of learning and experience to be considered an expert by many companies. And without the proper guide, you could be wasting your time training and thinking that you are preparing yourself for the field you dream of. But in reality, you are doing the complete opposite.
Similarly, many junior software developers take months and sometimes even years to get a job in the IT industry. Despite the demand for professionals, landing a junior developer could be difficult. You need to have a mix of technical and soft skills, attitude, and natural abilities. Likewise, this article will help you identify the must-have Junior software developer qualities and guide you to succeed in your software developer career,
Who is a Junior Software Developer?
A junior software developer is an entry-level software developer position. Their primary duty is to assist senior developers with writing and maintaining code, learn the base code, conduct minor bug fixes, and shadow higher-level developer tasks.
Aside from that, the following are the most common junior developer job description:
- Troubleshoot software issues,
- Develop ground-breaking solutions and features,
- Improve coding skills,
- Participate in code reviews and QA activities,
- Discuss with the product team and suggest solutions and features
Top 10 Junior Software Developer Qualities and Skills
The history of software development only began in the 1960s. And with a few qualified software developers, employers will hire anyone with technical skills. However, as time goes on, developing software has evolved into one of the most in-demand and sought-after careers. There’s an abundance of need for a software developer in the 21st century. And the skill set to be one has since become diverse with all the technology rising and being developed.
Writing software has become more complicated, and employers pretty much choose only the best to develop their apps and software. As a starting software developer, no one expects you to have all the mid- or senior-level developers’ technical skills. However, you must have the essential qualities to make up for the lack of experience and practice.
To help you with that, here are a few Junior software developer qualities that you might want to develop:
1. Team Player
Most software developers are stereotypically like to work alone. Most tend to be introverted and like to spend time alone. It is not an issue if you work freelance and develop the software independently. However, nowadays, employers have a team of developers who work together.
The company usually operates through teams of developers with different skills sets. Mainly as a junior developer, you will likely communicate and work with the senior developer, QA Analysts, and even designers.
And even if you are the only developer in the company, you will need to communicate with everyone from clients, business owners, marketing, HR, sales staff, and designers. And if you are not upright at working with others, this could be an issue with your employers.
Most employers are open to wanting a team player. They often ask this during the interview. One Junior Software Developer Skill that you might want to be developed is being a team player.
2. Analytical and problem-solving skills
The life of a software developer usually revolves around debugging – identifying errors in code and fixing them. According to a study conducted by authors of Cambridge Judge Business School titled “Reversible debugging software studied,” software developers spend 30 to 50 percent of their time validating and debugging software.
Likewise, one must-have Junior software developer qualities is an analytical and proactive problem solver. A good developer must have the skill to analyze, collect data, solve problems, and decide independently. And to do that, you need to be analytical and notice deviation and patterns.
Similarly, a good developer should have logic, imagination, and creativity to develop intelligent solutions to any problems. They need to identify potential issues and solve them before they even happen.
3. Time management
For most professions, time management is a must skill. It reduces stress, helps workers streamline their workday, and guide them on being productive with their tasks. Employees who have exemplary time management skills eliminate distractions and can even support their colleagues to accomplish their goals.
In software development, time management is a must-have Junior software developer quality. Software developers must multitask – from writing test cases, coding, preparing reports, daily standups, and documenting to familiar with the latest technologies. As a result, these everyday tasks could sometimes overwhelm a junior developer, leading to burnout and unmet deadlines.
Time management is essential as it affects the developer’s performance and impacts its business operation.
4. Communication and collaboration skills
Effective communication and collaboration are critical in developing the best product, especially software development. The development team must work together to meet expected business goals. They need to understand each other and make sure that they are on the same page.
A Junior Software Developer should have one skill: communicating and collaborating with all the team members.
5. Attention to detail
Having attention to detail is one of the imperative Junior software developer qualities. As mentioned earlier, developers must identify errors and solve them accordingly. And to effectively do that, you need to be able to notice errors – from the largest to the minor bug.
Junior developers need to be meticulous in every data and effectively write a clean and near-perfect code. Developers should avoid the error as it affects your performance and the overall company. According to a study conducted by CISQ, software issues cost business 2.8 trillion last 2018.
6. Ability to see the big picture and plan a long-term goal
As mentioned earlier, software development is a comprehensive job. It includes a lot of researching, designing, implementing, coding, testing, debugging, and reporting. Often, they get carried away on small tasks and forget about other aspects of the project. They focus on a small section of code and sometimes miss the deadline.
Likewise, having the ability to see the big picture is a vital skill for junior software developers. Seeing your real aim and big goal will help you get back on track and observe other aspects that need attention.
7. Basic knowledge in coding and tech skills
In any profession, no one will expect you to have all the necessary skills to succeed in your career. Even the well-experienced and tenured professionals continuously learn new things every day. However, this does not mean that you must be unequipped when diving into becoming a junior developer. You need to have the right tech skills to succeed in this profession.
Likewise, a web developer must study both front-end and back-end software development. Here are some other essential Junior software developer qualities that you might want to consider:
- Knowledge of primary coding languages, including C++, HTML5, and JavaScript.
- Software Development and project management Tools
- Debugging
- Basic graphic design
- Libraries and frameworks
- Back end and Databases
- Working with Hosting (Publishing website)
8. Willingness to learn new technologies
The world is constantly changing. New technology appears daily, and some of the things we learn may become irrelevant in a few months. Learning new trends, technologies, languages, and platforms is essential as a junior developer. As such, junior developers need to have the flexibility to adapt so that your company will stay ahead of the competition.
Moreover, employers will more likely hire developers who are up to date with the latest technology and can help them transform and automate their organization.
9. System Design Skills
System Design is critical for efficiency, consistency, and scalability. Since design is constantly being maintained and updated, the system design will ensure that the software requirements are still being followed and considered.
Moreover, system design can help junior developers be on track when developing a product. A good system design will guide a junior developer with tasks and make them more efficient. It also makes it easier for the product owner and development team when discussing updates and changes.
10. Background or degree in Computer Science
While some employers do not require a degree, having an associate or bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, IT, or Computer Engineering will likely give you an advantage when applying to be a Junior Software Developer.
According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, most companies recruit applicants with a four-year degree. However, a two-year computer programming course is still considered by some. In addition to this, having a degree in computer science will help you understand the basics and prerequisites of the development career path.
Are you ready to be a junior software developer?
In summary, these top ten qualities are just a few junior software developer qualities you need. However, learning and developing these skills and qualities will help you land your dream junior development job. Still, remember to research and be prepared before the interview.
If you want to jumpstart your junior software developer career, Flexilabs can help you! We offer a junior developer training program to help you build your network and work with Australian clients. Contact us now!