For many people, coding is a black box. They don’t know how things work. They think that programmers are just like programmers in movies. a
And because of this, many people who have great potentials for becoming a developer never even try! Here we look at common misconceptions about becoming a programmer!
Hollywood directors portray programmers as genius anti-socials who don’t like to talk to anyone.
They always have their hoodies on and just look at their computers. Well, the reality is a bit (actually much!) different than movies.
Programmers need to talk to project managers, designers, and other developers to build a great product. As a programmer, you need to master the art of communication if you want to be successful in your job. It’s not “cool” to pretend to be anti-social to portray yourself as an “expert” programmer.
As many programmers start coding at early ages, many other successful developers couldn’t write a single code line before their 30s! Coding is for everyone. Whether you are 10 years old or 80 years old. It’s not too late (or too soon) for you to learn to code!
The oldest programmer [Masako Wakamiya] is 83 years old ios developer who is living in Japan!
The youngest programmer is [Arham Om Talsania]. he is only 6 years old and is the world’s youngest programmer. He also has entered the Guinness World Record after completing a test on the Python programming language.
This is one of the biggest misconceptions about programming that stops many people from learning to code. Although you need to know the basics of mathematics, you certainly don’t need to be an expert to become a programmer.
A good programmer needs to have many skills but, creative thinking and problem-solving is much more important than math!
No, you don’t! Many people think of programmers as Guinness’s type on the keyboard and build stuff! The reason for this misconception is that programming is a black box for many people. Once they realize what it is and how it works, they can understand that you don’t need to be a genius to be a programmer.
This is one of the worst misconceptions that are still on some people’s minds (developed by some sexist programmers).
Everyone has their own approach when it comes to problem-solving. None is nearly better or worst! Every person can code. To support my statement here, are some links to read more about top girls who code!
“programmers are logical; they just think 1s and 0s.”
While you need to think logically to implement a solution, you need to think creatively to develop a solution.
A good programmer has a balance between logical and creative thinking.
No, you don’t! While college might be an extra point in your resume when you are getting your first job, it certainly won’t matter much after landing your first job. Most companies are looking for creative thinkers who have strong problem-solving skills.
Your degree doesn’t code; you do.
As someone who studied literature and became a programmer, I can tell you that it was hard first to take it seriously. But a few minutes into the interview, it all would be solved as they see how much I know!
Hell no! just in 2019, there were approximately 213000 positioned to be filled for programmers, which increases every year!
You have not missed anything!
This is another misconception about the programmer. While some people feel more productive at night, many other developers are most abundant in the morning. You don’t need to force yourself to code at night if you don’t feel like it! And it’s ok! Everyone has their own timeline!
While programmers have a reasonable employment rate, it’s not “easy” to get a job. Graduating from college or Bootcamp is just the first step. You need to study, create a portfolio, and go to lots of interviews before you can land your first full-time job.
Don’t expect that companies are eager to hire you just because of your “know” coding. You need to work on yourself to become a problem solver, not only a coder!
It’s your decision when to start learning to code but, it’s not yours when to stop! Learning never ends for a programmer. You need to always look for better ways and read books and articles to keep yourself updated with the new technologies developed every day!