Frontend, backend or fullstack? TypeScript, C++, C# or Python? React, Angular or Vue? These are the questions that many coders ask at the beginning of their careers. And they are important questions, no doubt about it. But there are other skills that are often overlooked, and that can make a huge difference in your career. In this article, we will talk about some of these skills, and why they are so important.
The underestimated set of skills
Coders often focus on technical skills, and for a good reason. Unfortunately they often overlook soft skills. These are the skills that are not related to the code itself, but they are often required to achieve success in developer's career. They include ability to interact with other people, solve problems and manage time effectively. Let's take a closer look at some of these skills.
Communication and teamwork
In most cases, you won't work alone. You will work with other developers, designers, managers and other people. You will need to communicate with them, understand their needs and work together to achieve common goals. This requires good communication and teamwork skills.
Assertiveness and negotiation
There will be times when you will need to persuade others to accept your ideas. For eaxmple: you will need to convince your boss that it's critical to do some refactoring, even though there are deadlines. You will need to express your opinions and ideas, and negotiate with others. This requires assertiveness and negotiation skills.
Empathy and patience
You will work with people who have different skills, experience and opinions. You will need to understand their needs, be patient and help them when they struggle. This requires empathy and patience.
Accountability
You will need to take responsibility for your work and be accountable for your decisions. Everybody makes mistakes, but it's important to learn from them and don't blame others. Admitting to making a mistake is perceived as a sign of strength, not weakness - contrary to what many people think.
Critical thinking
You will need to analyze problems, evaluate different solutions and make decisions. The first, most obvious solution is not always the best one. Spending some time to think about the problem and possible solutions is often a faster way to solve the problem than jumping to the first solution that comes to your mind and then dealing with the unexpected consequences.
Adaptability
Things often change - projects, people, technologies, ways of doing things. You will need to adapt to these changes. This requires flexibility and ability to learn new things quickly. It's also important to be open to new ideas and different ways of doing things - don't be afraid to leave your comfort zone.
Time management
There are deadlines, meetings, unexpected problems. You will need to manage your time effectively to meet these challenges. This requires good time management skills. It's also important not to waste time on things that are not important - prioritize your tasks and focus on the most important ones. A good idea is to get rid of distractions - e.g. turn off notifications, mute your phone. There is nothing more annoying than a notification that interrupts your coding flow!
How to work on soft skills
Now that we know some of the most important soft skills, let's talk about how to work on them. The first step is to think which skills you need to work on. Which skills are the most important for your current job? Which skills are the most important for your dream job? Which skills you are the weakest at? Make a short list of the skills you want to work on. Tip: if there's a skill you don't feel like working on, it's probably the one you need to work on the most.
The second step is to find situations in which you can practice these skills. For example: if you never present your ideas during team meetings, think about a good idea in advance and present it during the next meeting. Make sure you are prepared and confident. And just do it. You might feel uncomfortable at first, but it's important to leave your comfort zone. Good preparation and knowing that the idea is good will help you to overcome the discomfort.
The third and final step is to practice, practice, practice. The more you practice, the better you will become. You will also become more confident, which will make it easier for you to practice more. Remember that the most difficult part is to start. Once you start, it will be easier to continue.
Summary
Soft skills are often overlooked, but they can make a huge difference in your career. They can help you to communicate better, work more effectively with other people, solve problems and manage your time. They can help you to become a better developer and find a great job. So don't underestimate them. Work on them and see how they can make a difference in your career.