So, you are all set to give your first software developer interview. Or maybe you are already placed in a good position and you are going to start your work from next week. Whatever may be the case you will have to work with and around other people in a company. Obviously, you have all the technical skills required for the job, but what about the soft skills? In this article, I am going to talk about the top soft skills you will need as a developer.
Before moving further, if you are new to my blog, then you may want to check one of my previous posts, 7 Habits Of Highly Effective Software Developers.
In both the articles, the ideas will pretty much coincide, though with some subtle differences. In the previous post, I talked about the technical stuff required by a developer as well. But this post is solely dedicated to the soft skills that a software developer or programmer needs to be successful in the workplace.
1. Communication
Perhaps this is the most important soft skill anyone can bet on for working effectively in a team. Communication in the workplace is important. Many people can communicate with others, but how many actually communicate effectively?
Effective communication not only means pouring out your ideas to others but also listening to what the other person has to say. This becomes even more important when you are a programmer because a lot of people contribute to the same code base. When your code breaks because of the commit of some other developer, then don’t just get into all defensive mode. Try to relate what the other developer has thought and whether it was a mistake on his part which he is ready to admit.
So, listen to others, then analyze and finally speak out your ideas. Even more so when you are the team lead.
2. Teamwork
If you are a developer, then there is a very high chance that you will be working in a team. The team may be big or small depending on the project, but you cannot escape teamwork and contribute along with others.
Some of you may argue that working alone makes you a lot more productive and you only get back to your team when something is really important. But believe me when I say that if you learn to work in a team along with others, then it will be much more fun.
Working in a team also has the added benefit of getting help instantaneously when you are stuck at some point. Also when you will be helping others, then you may well become the Go To person when others face problems.
3. Empathy
Employing a bit of empathy in the workplace can go a long way in creating an impactful relationship with other developers. It may so happen that some other developers may oppose the idea that you are proposing or may try to shed some light on their point of views. Maybe you are the one trying to make someone understand why your code is better than his / hers. Whatever may be the case, understanding the viewpoint of others is really important.
In the above situations, it is very common to directly reject others’ ideas. But before doing so you should actually understand that thought process and feelings of your fellow developers. Knowing their feelings and connecting with them emotionally can make the process of software development really amazing.
Again, I am not telling to know others in and out. Just have a basic idea about their feelings and always try to welcome the new ideas that they propose before discarding them.
4. Openness
This point can easily be a follow up to the previous point. Any developer should be high in openness or you may call it open-mindedness. This will help you to welcome the ideas of others.
You will have a better time analyzing and providing feedback for other developers. High openness can also help you come up with better ideas yourself as you begin to think more broadly. Also when you talk to your clients, then your open attitude and making them feel comfortable while they pitch their ideas can make you more likable. It will also help you communicate better with your superiors.
5. Accountability
I cannot stress enough how important it is to be accountable for your own work as a software developer. The code breaks because of your commit, take ACCOUNTABILITY. A new bug appears in the latest feature update because of your code, take ACCOUNTABILITY. Your code corrects an application breaking feature, well I don’t have to tell you to be accountable in this case.
See, being accountable in the workplace, you will have to take the credit as well the blame for the work you do. This benefits you a developer. How? You may ask. Well, if your teammates or manager knows that you are such a responsible developer who is always ready to admit his / her mistake, then you will get a bigger appreciation when you do good work. This is very much true. So, always take pride in your work and be Accountable for what you do.
Conclusion
Talking about soft skills in this post I have only mentioned those which are most essential at the workplace. There are many other such skills which one should employ in every aspect of life. But that would require a book of its own. If you really want to improve your life as a software developer or a programmer, then I would highly recommend you to read the book Soft Skills: The Software Developer’s Life Manual by John Sonmez. Just give it a try and you can learn a bunch of things.
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