What is a Software Developer?

MEDIAN SALARY
$103.620
UNEMPLOYMENT RATE
1.6%
NUMBER OF JOBS
241.500

Software developers invent the technologies we sometimes take for granted. For
instance, that app that rings, sings or buzzes you out of a deep sleep every morning?
A software developer helped design that. And when you roll into the office and turn on
your computer, clicking and scrolling through social media, music and your personal
calendar – software developers had a big hand in shaping those, too.

You might spend your lunch shopping, and before you make that big purchase, you
check your bank account balance using your phone. Later, you're cooking a new recipe
from that great app your friend told you about. As you look over the course of your day,
you come to see that software developers are the masterminds behind the technologies
you now can't imagine living without.

The best software developers are creative and have the technical expertise to carry out
innovative ideas. You might expect software developers to sit at their desks designing
programs all day – and they do, but their job involves many more responsibilities. They
could spend their days working on a client project from scratch and writing new code.
But they could also be tasked with maintaining or improving the code for programs that
are already up and running.

Software developers also check for bugs in software. And although the job does involve
extreme concentration and chunks of uninterrupted time, software developers have to
collaborate with others, including fellow developers, managers or clients. Developers
are often natural problem solvers who possess strong analytical skills and the ability to
think outside the box.

Software developers are employed in a range of industries, including computer systems

design, manufacturing and finance. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 25.6 percent
employment growth for software developers between 2018 and 2028. In that period, an
estimated 241,500 jobs should open up.

How to Become a Software Developer?

You can take several different paths to build a career in software development. Here’s
how many developers get started:

1. Earn your bachelor's degree.

Software developers often pursue a degree in computer science, where they'll
study computers and programming.
2. Gain hands-on experience.
Employers are often drawn to applicants with practical experience. Many
students complete an internship or seek out experience beyond the classroom to
prepare themselves for a career in software development.
3. Pursue a master’s degree.
Though not required, some employers prefer developers with an advanced
degree.

"It's super important to understand CS fundamentals like big O notation, common

algorithms, standard languages and technical approaches. You can learn this from
school or from apprenticeship, but you need to learn it somehow," Sam Schillace writes
in an email. Schillace is the vice president of engineering for industry solutions at
Google. Before that, he co-founded Writely, which he later sold to Google, where it was
used to create Google Docs.

What is an IT Manager?

MEDIAN SALARY
$142.530
UNEMPLOYMENT RATE
2%
NUMBER OF JOBS
46.800
Computer and information systems managers, or information technology managers, are
the guides who help organizations navigate the always-changing labyrinth that is
modern technology. These all-important employees deliver short- and long-term visions
for the company's technology needs and goals. Even though most IT managers have
the technical chops to execute the various jobs of the workers they supervise, they are
more likely to be caught in a meeting room than a server room.

Coordinating technology-related matters with top executives, planning upgrades of

existing software or hardware and negotiating with vendors for the service of current
products or the purchase of new ones are all common tasks IT managers encounter. IT
managers also install and upgrade an organization's computer system and protect the
office network from hackers and malware.

While the highest-profile jobs are in computer systems design, almost all organizations
need IT managers, especially financial and insurance companies, manufacturing firms
and federal, state and local governments. The rapidly growing health care industry is
also expected to greatly increase its IT use, resulting in newly created positions.

How to Become an IT Manager?

IT managers typically need a bachelor's degree in computer or information science,
including coursework in computer programming, software development and
mathematics. Companies often require their IT managers to have a graduate degree,
such as a Master of Business Administration.

Most spend five to 10 years in an IT occupation before being promoted to manager, but
smaller companies generally do not require as much experience as larger companies.
Successful IT managers can further advance to IT directors, chief technology officers
and perhaps even chief information officers.

What is a Web Developer?

MEDIAN SALARY
$69.430
 UNEMPLOYMENT RATE
1.3%
NUMBER OF JOBS
20.900
Web developers are responsible for creating websites. When these artists do their jobs
well, everything about a site seems to fit together superbly, from the colors and
graphics, to the images and special effects (or "animation," to those in the know), to the
navigation.

The job includes meeting with clients and asking broad questions like, "What do you
want your site to accomplish?" and more detailed questions like, "What features do you
want your site to have?" After ascertaining a client's desires, web developers will start
designing. At Big Drop Inc., a web design and development company in New York City,
this involves a multistep process, which includes innovating a new design, writing the
code, adding animation if needed, checking for bugs and fixing them, presenting the
client with a test site, and moving the site to the client's server. "We don't use any
templates," says Garry Kanfer, president of Big Drop. "We start from a blank canvas,
and the client has to approve everything, page by page."

Although some web developers will design a website's front and back end, many web
development companies split these responsibilities. For instance, some web developers
will work in Photoshop to create the overall design, while others will be in charge of
writing the code in programming languages such as HTML and CSS. Developers must
take into account a client’s products or services as well as the target market to create a
site that appeals to the client’s customers or intended audience. The job requires a
knowledge of software programs, web applications and programming languages, as
well as a solid understanding of design principles. Work environments for web
developers vary from large corporations or governments to small businesses.
Developers may be full-time employees or part-time consultants, or work on a contract
basis as freelancers.

"The biggest shift in the industry is mobile technologies," says Andrew Ruditser, lead
technology coordinator at Maxburst Inc., a web development company on Long Island.
"We have to make sure our sites don't just look good on desktops, but also on Androids
and iPhones." The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 13.0 percent employment growth
for web developers between 2018 and 2028. In that period, an estimated 20,900 jobs
should open up.

How to Become a Web Developer?

Some employers prefer a bachelor's degree in a computer-related field such as
computer science or information technology. Web developers may also get
certifications, including Certified Web Developer, Certified Internet Webmaster,
Advanced Web Developer and in Mobile Application Development, all of which
demonstrate varying levels of expertise. But other employers put more weight on a
prospective employee's previous work. "Focus on the portfolio," Ruditser says. "Even if
you don't have real world experience, you can make up your own mock projects. It's not
about being polished; it's about being creative."

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