A Job in Computer Programming Requires Social Skills Too

The popular image of the computer programmer as a loner who spends all day communing only with a screen is out-of-date. These days most jobs involve interacting and working with a wide range of different people -- both colleagues and clients.

Computer Programmers Need Good Teamwork Skills

If you'd like a job in computer programming (or "software development" as it is now sometimes known) but have been put off by the idea of the programmer as someone who spends all day working by himself with just a computer for company, then think again. These days almost all computer programmer jobs will test your ability to cooperate with others in a team environment, so having the social skills to work alongside others is an important factor.

Computer Programmers Need Good Communication Skills

Programmers deal in ideas, so being able to express and explain these clearly to both co-workers and clients is absolutely essential. For most programming jobs you will be expected to talk and/or write about your ideas coherently; you might also be asked to make a formal presentation to a small or large group of people.

Don't Forget About The Technical Skills

Even if you are a good team worker and communicator, to get a job in computer programming you must have the right technical skills too. Most programmers have earned a bachelor's degree although not necessarily in computer programming; computer science and mathematics are common too.

This field, however, is changing fast, and so too are employers' requirements. If you are not a degree-holder but you do have the programming skills an employer needs, then you might find that not being a graduate is no bar to success.

Computer Programmer Jobs On The Rise

Employment levels in the software publishing sector (of which computer programming is a part) are expected to go through the roof between now and 2014, growing by a massive 68%.

If you have the right skills -- both social and technical -- now is a very good time to be looking for a job in computer programming.

Sources
U.S. Dept Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics
Monster