Soft, flexible, useful: what soft skills are necessary for a programmer
Posted: Mon Feb 17, 2025 9:15 am
We recently wrote about where to start your path in IT . That article talked about the fact that IT specialists include not only programmers, but also web designers, SEO specialists, internet marketers, etc. And yet, it is those who write code who are primarily associated with the IT sphere. Today we will talk about what soft skills a programmer needs.
Soft skills: what are they, why are they needed and why are they important
Let's start with what is meant by the word skills. Translated from English, it means "abilities" or "abilities". Skills are divided into two categories - hard, i.e. rigid, and soft, i.e. flexible, soft. The second group includes general human skills that complement purely professional ones. It is flexible skills that help to effectively solve work tasks and successfully interact with colleagues.
Soft skills are necessary not only for a programmer, but also for a representative of any other profession. Such skills are useful not only at work, but in life in general. Soft skills can be figuratively called a "gift of nature". However, this does not mean that you should be upset about the lack of this or that skill. If desired, any skill can be developed and made your ally.
Specialists with advanced soft skills are considered valuable personnel. Such employees quickly find a common language with the team and clients of the company, easily adapt to changing conditions, and learn something new without problems. Without soft skills, even a super professional with extensive experience will not be able to move forward and earn well. Many HR managers israel whatsapp data talk about their focus on finding candidates with developed soft skills. If an HR specialist doubts the soft skills of a candidate for a particular position, there is a high probability that the person will be rejected.
The importance of soft skills is obvious. Let's move on to what soft skills a programmer needs.
Manager tells programmers what they need to know by the end of the month
*Manager tells programmers what they need to know by the end of the month
Communication skill
Communicating with people is a real art. Many things depend on mastering it, including success in professional activities. Even among the most introverted programmers, it is difficult to find “lone wolves” who can complete all tasks on their own. Most IT specialists still work in a team. It is important that all its members speak the same language and not only hear, but also understand each other. A programmer interacts not only with those who are well versed in frameworks and libraries, but also with people who are not so savvy in terminology. Developed written communication skills will be especially useful.
If communication is not established in a team, the prospects of such a team can hardly be called brilliant. Programmers are no exception. History knows many teams whose members did not know how to conduct a constructive dialogue and as a result wasted time. The ability to convey your thoughts and hear the interlocutor is a must have for any programmer. If one of the employees has a good idea, it should reach the team leader, and vice versa.
Learning ability
The field of programming is constantly evolving. In order not only to stay in the loop, but also to move forward, a developer needs to learn something new all the time. Learning skills help to absorb information. At the same time, it is important for a programmer not only to acquire new knowledge, but also to turn it into hard skills, i.e. not just to load data into the brain, but to use it in practice.
Put hard skill into practice
*Applied hard skill in practice
Responsibility
The ability to understand the consequences of your decisions and actions distinguishes a good programmer from a mediocre one. Responsibility is a very important skill for both a team leader and an ordinary team member. The position "I have nothing to do with it, I just do what I'm told" is unpromising.
Ability to admit mistakes
This skill goes hand in hand with responsibility. It's okay to make mistakes. It's okay to admit your "screw-ups." What's important is how a programmer deals with his mistakes. If he can admit them and makes every effort to change the situation for the better, you can do business with this specialist.
Time management
In any activity, it is important to turn time into your ally. The ability to rank tasks by priority and plan your work is useful for every programmer. It's simple: the more effectively a specialist manages his time, the more productive his actions.
Creativity
Who said that programming is a complete routine with no room for creativity? Developers who can think creatively are valued much more than those who adhere to a strictly formal approach. Creativity allows you to look at problems from unusual angles and come up with unexpected solutions.
Soft skills: what are they, why are they needed and why are they important
Let's start with what is meant by the word skills. Translated from English, it means "abilities" or "abilities". Skills are divided into two categories - hard, i.e. rigid, and soft, i.e. flexible, soft. The second group includes general human skills that complement purely professional ones. It is flexible skills that help to effectively solve work tasks and successfully interact with colleagues.
Soft skills are necessary not only for a programmer, but also for a representative of any other profession. Such skills are useful not only at work, but in life in general. Soft skills can be figuratively called a "gift of nature". However, this does not mean that you should be upset about the lack of this or that skill. If desired, any skill can be developed and made your ally.
Specialists with advanced soft skills are considered valuable personnel. Such employees quickly find a common language with the team and clients of the company, easily adapt to changing conditions, and learn something new without problems. Without soft skills, even a super professional with extensive experience will not be able to move forward and earn well. Many HR managers israel whatsapp data talk about their focus on finding candidates with developed soft skills. If an HR specialist doubts the soft skills of a candidate for a particular position, there is a high probability that the person will be rejected.
The importance of soft skills is obvious. Let's move on to what soft skills a programmer needs.
Manager tells programmers what they need to know by the end of the month
*Manager tells programmers what they need to know by the end of the month
Communication skill
Communicating with people is a real art. Many things depend on mastering it, including success in professional activities. Even among the most introverted programmers, it is difficult to find “lone wolves” who can complete all tasks on their own. Most IT specialists still work in a team. It is important that all its members speak the same language and not only hear, but also understand each other. A programmer interacts not only with those who are well versed in frameworks and libraries, but also with people who are not so savvy in terminology. Developed written communication skills will be especially useful.
If communication is not established in a team, the prospects of such a team can hardly be called brilliant. Programmers are no exception. History knows many teams whose members did not know how to conduct a constructive dialogue and as a result wasted time. The ability to convey your thoughts and hear the interlocutor is a must have for any programmer. If one of the employees has a good idea, it should reach the team leader, and vice versa.
Learning ability
The field of programming is constantly evolving. In order not only to stay in the loop, but also to move forward, a developer needs to learn something new all the time. Learning skills help to absorb information. At the same time, it is important for a programmer not only to acquire new knowledge, but also to turn it into hard skills, i.e. not just to load data into the brain, but to use it in practice.
Put hard skill into practice
*Applied hard skill in practice
Responsibility
The ability to understand the consequences of your decisions and actions distinguishes a good programmer from a mediocre one. Responsibility is a very important skill for both a team leader and an ordinary team member. The position "I have nothing to do with it, I just do what I'm told" is unpromising.
Ability to admit mistakes
This skill goes hand in hand with responsibility. It's okay to make mistakes. It's okay to admit your "screw-ups." What's important is how a programmer deals with his mistakes. If he can admit them and makes every effort to change the situation for the better, you can do business with this specialist.
Time management
In any activity, it is important to turn time into your ally. The ability to rank tasks by priority and plan your work is useful for every programmer. It's simple: the more effectively a specialist manages his time, the more productive his actions.
Creativity
Who said that programming is a complete routine with no room for creativity? Developers who can think creatively are valued much more than those who adhere to a strictly formal approach. Creativity allows you to look at problems from unusual angles and come up with unexpected solutions.