Developer Careers Guide 2: What makes a good developer?

This was one of the first questions RecWorks asked when the company was founded. It’s the question that differentiates RecWorks from many of it’s competitors, as we strive to understand as much as possible about talent in the software development industry. In the years since RecWorks has founded, we have watched many developers progress through their careers to different levels. We’ve seen graduates move from entry-level roles to high-level positions earning well in excess of £650 a day. We’ve seen developers launch themselves onto the conference circuit, write books and launch successful startups.

Getting to the top in software means different things to different people, but whether it’s earning £2,500 a day, creating your own business or working remotely from a Caribbean beach… it’s all possible in the software industry, and living your dream is not impossible. Working with software is one of the most open and limitless industries there is. To get to the top in the industry you don’t need to have pots full of money, an Oxbridge/Ivy League education or vast amounts of charisma as with other careers. What is crucial is recognising your strengths and skills; being clear about the aspects of the industry that fire your imagination and where you really want to spend your time; and how to go about securing the right jobs to give you the experience you need to achieve what you want.

We’ve documented what we’ve found out in our continual efforts to build a strong understanding of the industry. Through organising events with the London Java Community and other user groups, we have met and worked with some of the most passionate people in software and we have learned of many things that you can do as a developer to become more successful throughout your career.

Although there are many great articles on the subject, there is no one place we’ve found that brings together research and information on everything from how to get jobs, to how to recruit and develop talent, how to get the most out of your career and what options lie ahead of you in the industry. We have created the RecWorks Developer Careers Guide to be a place where you can get information on frequently asked questions like:

• “How should my CV look?”
• “What should I include in my personal statement?”
• “
What is the best preparation I can do to ensure a successful interview?
”

and also those questions that aren’t so frequently asked such as:

• “What separates a good candidate from a great one?”
• “Am I doing anything that is damaging my chances of getting the job I want?”

All these questions and more will be covered in this series on our blog.