When it comes to career planning, we usually think that if we go to college and acquire some coding skills, we'll get a decent job. But because computer programming will be integrated into so many different industries in the coming years, the process isn't as straightforward as it seems.
It’s important to think about what field you would like to work in, and then plan for the specifics of the industry as well as learning programming along the way. This will not only give you a leg up in job applications, but it'll also help you find career field that makes you happy, which should be the end goal. For something like this, it's crucial to think about what you really want to do in your career and plan accordingly.
These questions should help you determine what you want to do:
Is coding your main interest, or are you learning to code for the sake of a particular application?
This is an important question. If you really love coding, figuring out solutions for the biggest programming issues of the time, and teaching other people, then maybe academia is a good choice.
According to Riddhiman Das, programming in academia usually consists of projects under the guidance of professors or other faculty that focus on learning best practices. It's more theoretical and research-based as these kinds of jobs concentrate on finding new and better ways to program.
Just know that this career choice can be very different from applied programming.
The end goal of programming in industry is to create a functional, usable product for consumers to buy. Instead to taking the time to find elegant solutions to problems, oftentimes projects will be rushed, as "some product is better than no product".
What fields are looking to hire programmers in order to change the way people in that field work?
This is another helpful consideration if you know that you want a job that includes programming. Studying computer programming doesn’t mean you have to
become a software programmer. Computer science is a versatile degree.
Here are some examples of alternative career paths:
Medicine
The U.S. Bureau of Labor projects the job market for coders in the field of medicine to grow by 7% in the next decade. As the population ages, this field will need increasingly more programmers to make sure all patient data and billing information is correct. They must have an eye for detail to identify potential billing fraud.
Entertainment
Now more than ever, the entertainment industry centers around the internet with streaming services, online games, and social media. Companies like Netflix and Hulu use AI to recommend shows and movies to users based on what they already watch. To be a game developer, you need to have a degree in computer science and have experience in that field. If you're artistic and you love programming, this could be a fitting choice.
Transportation
From 2020-2030, the job outlook for self-driving cars is projected to increase by 25%. In 2014, Tesla introduced its autonomous driving feature for its electric cars, which would require computer scientists specializing in AI. These programmers work on developing new uses for AI in transportation, improving current technology, and fixing bugs.
In these alternative fields (there are a lot more!), it might be a good idea to get some additional background knowledge in your field. For example, if you want to be a medical coder, you could minor in biology.
What is the day-to-day life as a programmer like?
Programming languages and applications are constantly evolving and improving, so as a programmer you would need to keep up and continually learn on the job.
On the contrary, one of the downsides of the field is the discrimination, especially towards women. Only 20% of Google's software engineers are women. The stereotype of a programmer tends to be male, which probably contributed to more men pursuing a career in coding. To combat this, there have been more and more opportunities for women to go after their passion for coding.
Another important part of being a programmer is that it's a team game, according to Jaycee. Working with others forces you to have a growth mindset and improve.
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