More and more people dream of a career as a programmer. The work is not only interesting and developmental but at a higher level is also associated with high earnings. But how do you start from scratch and become a top-class specialist? Zoe Talent Solutions will let you know about career development and management skill.

Difficult beginnings
Every beginning is difficult, but you have to start somewhere. In this respect, the career path in IT is no different from other industries. Programming is not easy, but if you have the appropriate predispositions, it can be a real pleasure for you. The most important features that an aspiring programmer should possess are first of all the ability to think logically and solve problems as well as the desire for continuous learning and development. These abilities will allow you to find yourself in the IT world and will be useful at every stage of your professional career.

Learning programming from scratch
There are many different methods of learning programming. You can opt for self-study, IT studies or a programming course. Which one you choose depends on your situation and needs. Some definitely prefer to study at home, while others need the authority care provided by a programming school. If you’re wondering which method is best for you, read our article on how to become a programmer devloper . The method of learning will affect how your career path will look in the future.

One of the key barriers for many people who are just starting their adventure with programming may be the problem of financing science. The good news is that there are free development programs that will prepare you for work in IT from A to Z (e.g. C school). You can read about other funding options in our article about whether programming tuition should be paid. (The answer is no;) It is also extremely important to decide what technology we want to learn. What we choose at this stage may affect our further career. Different technologies are paid differently and are associated with different types of projects. Currently, the most popular technologies are Java, JavaScript, Python and C #. There is a high demand among employers, which is why experienced developers are happy to train them.

Once you choose the learning method and development direction, you have a time of persistent work. At the very beginning, you will have to put a lot of work into your develop and be prepared for sacrifice. It is a great idea to develop your own projects, e.g. on the GitHub platform (this platform allows you to test and store code in a secure environment, and in addition profiles on it are now treated as programmers’ CVs). Thanks to this, when you start looking for your first job, you’ll have something to boast about, and your IT career path will be open to you!

Junior Developer – first job, first experience
Once you gain knowledge, it’s time to start gathering experience and start your programming career for good. Even if you have no experience, to get your first job in IT you must demonstrate diligence, a willingness to learn and a real passion for programming. Therefore, people who are interested in the IT industry only because of their earnings, have little chance of getting a job. IT companies are looking for talented people with great development potential and willingness to learn. You can find more about recruitment in our article about getting your first job in IT without experience.

Use your first job to gain as much knowledge as possible and become independent in your work. You will also learn how to work in commercial projects under time pressure. Teamwork and customer contact are also important here – you will learn all this as a Junior Developer. To make the best use of the opportunities offered by the employer or be open to criticism and comments, ask more experienced colleagues for a code review of your code and try to improve your work all the time. Thanks to this, you will quickly enter the next level of the devloper’s career path.

Mid Developer – satisfaction and pitfalls
People at the Mid Developer level usually have about 2 years of experience behind them. This means that they are already able to use technologies on their own and solve problems. Mid Developers are also the most desirable among employers (they are independent in their work, but their earnings are not as high as those of Senior Developers). Once you reach the Mid Developer level, you’ll enjoy working independently and be able to work on commercial projects. Unfortunately, many people stop at this level of development of their professional path.

Why do some people permanently remain Mid Developers, ignoring the opportunities offered by the programmer’s career path? Unlike Juniors, Mid Developers are already familiar with technologies and there are not so many new, fascinating things for them. Therefore, some fall into a routine and stop developing further, preventing themselves from further professional development. At this stage of your career path, take care of the motivation to constantly develop your skills, not only technical ones. This will open the door for you to become a Senior Developer.

Senior Developer – sees more than code to write
Senior Developers reach a career level when they become more than just a programmer. Because they have vast experience and knowledge, they can see much more than just the task to be performed. They look at the project holistically and also take into account the client’s needs and requirements. They can plan work and create time and cost estimations. That is why they are very desirable among employers.

However, there are also some pitfalls for “old stalkers”. First of all, burnout. Although many new technologies, frameworks, and libraries are emerging, Senior Developers may no longer feel the need for further development and stop enjoying their work. Senior Developers should strive to become the so-called 10x Developer – something much more than a programmer, while also entering the next level of a professional career.

10x Developer – more than a programmer
10x Developer is a relatively new term that defines the next stage in the programmer’s career path. Currently, more and more expectant are coming from Senior Developers – not only from the technical side. Employers want the people they employ to also have soft skills and IT team leaders. 10x a Developer is a person who not only cares for their own development but also cares for the development of the entire team. He looks for solutions and manages the work of the rest of the people.

10x Developer is also a mentor and authority. Often, such people teach less experienced colleagues and help them climb higher in their programming careers. That is why they are such an important part of the team and becoming a 10x Developer should be the goal of every aspiring programmer.