How to become a Software Developer – Define Your Dream Job

Your Dream

You have to see what you’re moving into before you go there.  It’s okay to dream and if you’re serious about realizing your dream then you have to turn it into a goal where you can apply some action.  This probably isn’t something that’s going to fall into your lap without some preparation and hard work.  This post is another in the How to become a Software Developer series and is going to help you define your Software Developer dream job.  It’s an exercise to help you decide with as much accuracy as possible on what your ideal job is going to look like so that you can fine tune your efforts.

Dream Job Aspects

I’m going to cover several aspects that you’ll need to nail down before going after your Software Developer dream job.  After reading through them you’ll think, well all of that was obvious, but hopefully this will help you to solidify your goal and give you a great foundation to build on.

Specialization

If you’ve read the previous posts in this series then you’ve already thought a good deal about the type of development you’ll be doing, if you’re not already doing it in some capacity.  You’ve got to get specific about the language(s) you want to work with.  Specialization is important when increasing your value as a developer.  Some places may want a generalist but you’ll be better off getting better in one language or area, especially starting out.

Location

Where do you want to do your dream job?  Do you see yourself going to a nice office building where you can collaborate with your peers face-to-face?  Or do you see yourself working from home or maybe a local coffee shop every now and again?  Do you want a job close to where you live now or do you want to relocate to a cool city?

Think about the location in detail and list pros/cons.  What is appealing about it?  What is not so appealing?  Maybe your an outdoors person and would like to have easy access to hiking or biking.  It could be that the city life is for you with all of its convenience and night-life.  Don’t only choose the are because of good pay but consider your quality of life if you were to move there.

It could be that you’re considering a work from home position.  Do you thrive when working alone and need minimal supervision?  Or will you really do better seeing your teammates in person?  If you have any doubts about it then see if you can try it out in some capacity, maybe do it part time to start with to make sure that it’s going to work out.  Remember the old saying that the grass is not always greener on the other side.  It could be that that grass is greener because its got a bunch of fresh manure on it!

Pay and Benefits

Whether we admit it or not we all want to make more money, right?  But as you know, mo money mo problems.  Well, maybe not but there is typically more pressure and responsibility with increased pay.  Ensure that your expectations are in line with the position that you’re going for.

You need to set a target salary before going for your new position.  Do your research and determine your value.  What do you bring to the table that makes you valuable?  List your technical (programming languages, tools, etc.) as well as soft skills (traits that make you a desirable person to work with and be around in general).  

What additional benefits are must-haves and icing on the cake?

• Health Insurance (Medial, Dental, & Vision)
• Vacation
• Retirement
• Stock
• Training
• Allowances for items such as internet, cell phone, and so forth.

Get all of these items lined out before you get going.  You have to take control here and be sure of what you want.  It never hurts to ask right?  Most likely there will be some give or negotiation especially when it comes to vacation days.

Your Ideal Team

What are you like and what are the types of people you’d like to be around, maybe virtually, for at least a third of your day?  You may rather work on a small versatile team or maybe it’s a larger team having more specialized members that you’d prefer.

Given your chosen development niche or path will play into the type of team you’ll likely be a better fit for.  For example, if you’re a Full Stack Developer then you’re able to work in different areas of the stack so the team may be less specialized.  If you’re a dedicated web developer then that could indicate that the team is more specialized meaning you may work better in such an environment.

Your Ideal Company

Company culture plays a big role in job characteristics for developers.  How progressive is the company?  Is it a startup or well established with a rich history?  Do you want to a be ‘just a number’ in the company or possibly work along with the CEO to take the company to the next level technologically?

Get a strategy down around researching (https://www.themuse.com/advice/the-ultimate-guide-to-researching-a-company-preinterview) your prospective companies.  Knowing someone that works there helps but if that’s not the case then you may be able to connect with them on LinkedIn or Twitter.  If you really want to work somewhere then it’s worth knowing as many facts as possible around what you’re getting into.

Your Own Thing

Doing your own thing may be the most appealing option!  Most of us, including non-developers, would love to be able to set our own hours and have increased earning ability, gaining the freedom of being our own boss.  This all comes with the risk and task of finding consistent and profitable work along with finding affordable and effective health insurance.  If you’re young and single with minimal risk then this may be a better and more intriguing route for you.  Perhaps you’re married and your spouse has a killer job with all of the perks.

Conclusion

Hopefully this post has helped you to define your dream job and will help you turn you dream into reality.  All of the posts in this series are ultimately for helping you to put the pieces together to achieve your career goals as a Software Developer.