A friend is contemplating pursuing a career in software development and has asked me,
I just wanted to know if there are jobs in this field. I didn't know how easy it would be for me to get into the field once I complete the classes.
What do you think? Please describe your experience/perception on breaking into the field at the early point of your career.
Top Jobs for 2009: #2 Computing & Engineering
Best & Worst Jobs in the US: #8 Software engineer (out of 200)
Top US Jobs: #1 Software engineer; expected growth 46%
Software engineering is said to be one of the fastest growing jobs in the modern day. It's safe to assume that, yes, there are jobs. You just have to have the right skillset for our rapidly evolving market.
I agree that this should be Community Wiki, but nonethess I'll lend my two cents...
Your friend should be a developer because he LIKES it, not because he thinks it will be a lucrative job. Yes, the field can pay well if you're lucky, but it can also pay poorly and be very frustrating. The best developers (IMHO) are those that would do it on their own even if it wasn't their job. I've met many people who got into the industry because they thought they'd make a buck, and I've never had a whole lot of respect for their code or methodologies.
That being said, this industry--like almost any other--depends on your location. It's true that you can telecommute to this job, but most work that you'll find (in the US anyway) is going to be at an office at least a portion of the time. Your friend should be checking job boards and talking to recruiting agencies; that's how many, many development jobs are placed.
Huh, I"m sorry but I have to ask. Is this a serious question? Are you a troll?
Okay, I'll give you the benefit of the doubt.
http://jobsearch.monster.com/Software-Engineer/get-jobs-5.aspx
There are about two thousand pages worth of job listings.
Yes, there are "jobs" in the field. There always will be. But not all of the jobs are wonderful pony rides and ice cream... they really are real work.
The real trick is searching for a specialty that is enjoyable... and stay away from big companies like HP that treat programmers like cogs.
If you can highlight yourself from others technically,qualification and aptitude.You can survive in software field at all periods.
It certainly feels like there are jobs in our field. We are not immune from the effects of the economy, though. I have seen a lot of people loose their jobs within the last several months... BUT most of them quickly found new jobs.
When (if) the economic downturn fixes itself, I think there will be a ton more jobs. So if your friend is spending a few years in school, it seems like a good bet to me.
A key question I'd return is which kind of place does he see himself fitting into:
1) Software company - Microsoft would be an example though there are other companies that sell software out there. iPhone developers or Facebook application developers would also fall into this category to my mind.
2) IT position - Here you may be working on a custom ERP or CRM implementation that may take years. This may be called Information Systems or Information Technology in many companies.
3) Consultant - Accenture and IBM come to mind here for companies that sell services to other companies and need to have people around to actually put the software to use. While these may sound like exciting jobs, it is worth recognizing that this will often be repititious work as you may be doing SAP implementation after SAP implementthation whereas in the previous one you'd just have one company's implementation to work with.
There may be other types of developers out there but these seem to be the most common ones I've seen in companies though there is academia if one likes that kind of environment.
No the field is full! Overcrowded! Thank you very much! I went through the dot-com era, I don't need this again.
My own opinion on this is that it is dangerous to go into this field (or another) because it will be a high paying or an easy job. It should be a very rewarding pursuit/career if you are truly interested and passionate about it.
It was challenging for me to break into the field, but I did it. I also love programming. I do it on my own time, all the time. I think that has a lot to do with my being able to get into the field and make a living from it.
Besides that, I would say that while earning a degree is necessary, it should definitely not be the primary means of learning how to develop/design software/etc. My college training contributed VERY LITTLE to the talent/skill/knowledge that I have accumulated. In fact, I got a job and I haven't even earned the degree yet (I graduate in May 09 with a BS in CIS). I went hunting for jobs starting just after I began serious study of programming and I didn't let up. I hope that I will gain more from the master's program that I am about to begin. But I think it is key to study/practice on your own. I also attend monthly user group meetings. Anything you do outside of school will help you tremendously, in my experience.
I had a lot of difficultly finding a job when I graduated post-secondary in 2003. I think there are more jobs available today, but an important factor I didn't originally consider is where are the jobs located? For someone willing to move anywhere in the country, there are jobs available. But I wanted to work close to home, and there are very few jobs in my area. Most computing jobs are at least an hour away from my home, and I'd rather not spend 2-3 hours of my day sitting in traffic.
For the past five months I've been working as an analyst. I get to do a small amount of programming, which suits me fine. Most of my day is spent in Excel and Macola (ERP system). I also get to spend some time on the production floor (manufacturing company). I like the variety, and I like the drive (8-12 minutes each way).
To make this long story short, studying programming is not a complete waste of time, but be open to considering jobs where you don't write code every hour of every day.
If your friend already has a job he should keep an eye out on internal job listings. Companies are quite often willing to train an internal employee. If he can show that he is keen and willing to learn he may strike it lucky. To channel Joel: Knowing that someone is "Smart and get things done" outweighs what skills they have and any good employer should recognise that.
In case he does get an internal offer he has to make sure that he gets the proper training and support/mentoring, though. Although being able to learn on your own is a key skill for software developers there is a great risk of not learning proper development techniques and just sticking with "what works".
Like ryeguy nicely pointed out, there are lots of job opportunities because the field is growing.
How I think software development differs mostly from other professions, is the rapid changes that sweep the field every few years. New languages pop up, new tools pop up, new methodologies, better ways to develop software. So if you want to be good, you need to "embrace the change", be able to adapt and learn learn learn!