The tech industry is booming now and everyone wants to have a share of it. Tech is the industry to be in right now. So many young people make careers in tech their ultimate goal. Many of them make it, only to realize that their hearts lie elsewhere. Avoid messing around with tech, I never thought programming was going to be right for me. You will always hear that you must be extremely smart, you need to be good at maths, you need to go to college so I always rule that out as a possibilities.
Lets talk about How to Decide if Coding or Programming is Right for You
It can often be hard to figure that out when you start learning to programme or when you start learning programme. Generally, there's some confusion, there is some feelings of overwhelming even temporarily and you can get frustrated while you are learning to programme or code. Thats a typical thing that you'll come accross when you are learning to programme.
I have decided to make this article to just highlight some of the things that might stand out and let you know if coding or programming are right for you and if it is something that you personally might enjoyed to do long term as a career.
1. If You Can’t Sit For Long Periods
If you dont like sitting in a chair and staring at the screen for extended lengths of time. That is one of the biggest things you have to do when you are programming. Your job is to be on the computer all day.
I, personally often have the consistency and eagerness of coding for hours without feeling bored. I had no problems of sitting in front of the computer. In those days, when I was learning how to code, I would sit in front of computer at least 16 hours a day trying to cram in as much information and work on as much stuff as I could. I actually enjoyed a lots of that. Some people might not like that. Some people don't like being confined to a small space sitting in a chair or a cubicle in front of the computer and that is how it will be most of the time, you are going to be in front of your computer writing codes, reading code, working on problems, answering emails and that is just something you really have to consider when you are trying to figure out if coding is right for you.
2. Do you enjoy solving problems.
The essence of programming is solving problems. Do you enjoy solving problems? Do you enjoy being challenged? Also can you deal with not been able to solve a problem right away? Do you get frustrated easily when you have to think for a long time and focus on something for a while? Or basically work on something for a long time and maybe not get it accomplished in the time frame that you thought you would and can you handle the struggle of not been able to figure out stuff right away and having to research and study and learn until you figure something out? This is another thing that you would want to consider if you want to do well as a programmer or as a coder.
Think about it, this is how the first 3-5 years of your career would be, you are going to really be struggling a lot, you are not going to totally understand things until you are more senior level. Obviously, if you are a computer science graduate and you did 4-years in college, you are going to have advantage over someone who self-taught or went to bootcamp, but nonetheless, you still have to learn a lot. So keep that in mind if you are someone who struggles with solving problem, if you are someone who get frustrated and doesnt enjoy having to deal with problems all the time, maybe software development might not be for you but don't get discouraged just yet - if you do get frustrated with challenges and problems remember that this is a skill that you learn and this is something that you get better at, so the more problems you deal with and the more solutions you come up with and the more you see the same problems over and over, you'll learn how to fix things quicker and you'll learn how to identify a certain problem faster and just as experience in general will make this a lot easier for you, but when you are first starting out and you are dealing with your first few years of been a developer, it can take a while for you to feel confident and comfortable in coming up with solutions and fixing problems.
If you give up easily in the face of problems, you will never be successful as a programmer. So make sure that you can deal with the challenging work that software development entails.
3. Do you like building stuffs
If you like building stuffs, In programming, you might not get to build stuff with your hand but you do get to build applications, you get to build websites, you get to build programs and you get to see things from beginning to end all the way from concepts to full functionality. If that is something you enjoy, then programming might be good for you. If you dont like building stuff then maybe this isn't something you should do.
4. Do you enjoy learning all the time
Do you enjoy learning all the time? When I mean learning all the time I mean learning all the time - Yes! Being in a constant stay of not knowing the answer to something, sometimes you do know the answers and many times this feel really really good, but a lot of time you dont know the answer to things. You are dealing with new technologies, new software or something that you haven't deal with before and you have to go out and you have to read documentation, watch videos, read blogs, look at the examples of how to implement things, and you are constantly learning, reading and trying to figure stuffs out. This can get gruelling if it's something that you don't like to do, if you don't like learning all the time.
If you are impatient about learning and expect to master everything quickly and effortlessly, you will never truly be successful at programming. It is not easy to do something everyday that you hate. So, if you find that learning something new everyday is too difficult for you, may be should consider changing your job of been a programmer or a coder.
Learning how to code is something I love to do but some times it can get pretty stressful and if you are someone who doesn't want to sit there and read for couple hours and have something works in order to be able to fix something, or implement something, then maybe coding is not for you. But if you do like to sit out and learn stuffs and read about new tech and figure out how to fix problem as I have talked about before and learn how to fix problem constantly then programming might be something that you should pursue and try out as a career or as hobby and maybe then turn it into as a career.
5. You Prefer Normal Work Hours
In the software industry one thing is particularly consistent, and that is 'inconsistent working hours'. Programming jobs are flexible. Some jobs in tech will have you work on-site, in an office. Some allow you to work remotely. You can work for a start-up as a freelancer to pave your own path.
In either case, a successful programmer needs to be dedicated. It's not uncommon to hear stories of late nights, long coding sessions, and a diminished work-life balance in either scenario. Software development comes rife with strict deadlines. To get all of the necessary work done, developers often invest plenty of personal time into their work. Even freelancers have to grind through long hours to stay ahead of the competition.
And, when you finally get off the clock? Programming problems tend to get stuck in your brain and follow you around everywhere you go. It can be hard to disconnect yourself from your work; you'll likely face long nights lying down in bed, your brain rattling off syntax and possible workarounds. You’ll be working through solutions while in the shower, while commuting, and even while lying in bed. Coding is a labor of love. How to know if programming is for you: you enjoy the feeling of this constant companion, even when you're supposed to be sleeping.
So, if you are someone who loves having regular office hours, then may be programming is not for you.
6. You're Focused Primarily on the Money
Everybody knows that software development is a very high paying industry. But if you are in it only for the money, then my friend, you are going to get very frustrated and burnt out really quickly.
None of the developers out there do it for the money. Now, some of them may say that they are in software development for the money, but the truth is deep down they just love programming and software development in general.
Can you even believe when somebody says that they grind their heads in front of the computer for 10-12 hours a day so that they would get paid every month? No, every developer just loves the thought of creating software and products from an idea. If your primary motivation for being in this industry is to make a lot of money in the shortest amount of time, you are in for some disappointment. So, think again whether you are doing it for the money. If yes, try to find something that you really love doing.
Bonus
How can I Develop a Passion For coding or programming?
You can develop an interest in programming but do not force yourself. There are other IT-related jobs out there that does not involve coding yet they pay well so you have to know yourself, your strength, capabilities and intellect level before you make a career choice. You can read my article where I wrote about How To Get started with Tech to help guide you gow to make a career in choice in Tech
Conclusion
While programming can be a difficult skill to learn, it is certainly one that most people can learn. Anyone can learn how to code but not everyone can do it in a long term. Making a living out of programming involves more than learning how to code. If you are interested in learning to program, I encourage you to begin the journey. Explore and be honest with yourself.
You don't need to learn how to code and go straight for jobs, but many people do wants to pursue this as a career. And if you are considering programming as a career, think about some of this things that I have mentioned and know if coding is for you and software development is the right choice for you to make and whether or not you want to go self taught, or bootcamp or go to college for this stuff. Getting a job as software developer was my main goal when I was learning how to code, I am really glad that I did it, and I knew that coding and programming was for me. When I found programming, I knew it was right for me, and you might feel that way right now and if you do so, that is a good sign that you are on the right path, so stay in the course, keep on learning, keep on programming, keep on building stuff and eventually you will get to where you want to be in your goals, whether if that is to create your own app or get a job as a programmer. Whatever it may be you will get there.
With all that said. Thanks for reading. If you enjoy this article make sure to give it a like and you can follow me on twitter. I'll see you next month.
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed here are strictly my own, based on my professional experience as an Educator and Web Developer.
