Aside from designing program applications, they are also responsible for testing the program to see if it works. Being a computer programmer will require formal education and training. Some people can turn this into a hobby as well. But still, there are several requirements that a computer programmer must have. First off, they should be familiar with the computer hardware and the computer programming theories. Second, they should have both the creativity and the analytical skills to be able to actually design a computer program out of scratch.
Testing the newly designed programs will usually involve distributing it to a selected part of the public and gathering feedback from these people. Most of these feedbacks will be used to develop a better version of the program for better functionality and customer satisfaction. Aside from that, the job responsibility also includes updating program logic and coding to suit the different needs of the users and clients. They also provide support to existing clients in case of technical problems.
As mentioned earlier, formal training and education is required for these kinds of IT professional jobs. It requires knowledge on the most common programming languages such as Java and Python. It also requires knowledge on computer operating systems, servers, programming codes, flow charts and micro-computers. Sometimes, the job may also call for writing and making of instruction manuals to go with the software application.
Generally, most employers will prefer programmer applicants that have four year degrees on related courses (computer science, computer programming or software engineering) but some company can also settle for a technical certificate or an associate degree. But most of the time, lower degrees such as these must be accompanied with the right years of experience.
One of the top reasons why application programmers have become the top choices for IT related jobs is the good pay. In the United States alone, the Bureau of Labor and Statistics reported that programming professionals earned an annual average salary of over $69,000, as of May 2008. Of course, the salary can largely vary on the position, the location of the company, the size of employer, experience and educational background.
Although there are some who predict that the demand for computer programmers in the market will decline by 2018, some still believe that with the way technology is evolving, the industry will need computer programmers for years and years to come. But when it comes to choice of career, one of the most important things that you need to keep in mind is to find the one thing that you are passionate about. So if you find your joy in computers and programming, then by all means, invest in a good degree that can help you get that edge in the job market. These kinds of IT professional jobs are very competitive so you will definitely need all the experience and know-how that you can get.
