Developers must keep their skill set up to date in order to keep pace with the fast changing world of technology, says recruiting experts Hays.
Technology continues to evolve at a rapid pace and in order to ensure their skills remain relevant developers must keep up with its rapid evolution. With some programming languages being considered more valuable than others, it’s important that developers know where best to focus their time when developing their skill set.
“We are seeing consistent demand for .NET developers at present, where the fastest growing technologies in demand are Angular JS, Java and Python” says Lynne Roeder, Managing Director of Hays in Singapore. “There are a lot of programming languages present in the market, so it’s best for developers to know where the demand is, to make sure their skills are still relevant in the job market.”
Java is one programming language which has seen steady growth in its popularity and this can partly be attributed to the rise in Android use. It is seen as a simple, readable programming language compared to others.
Lynne says, “Java programming skills have remained in constant demand, so developers without this in their skill set should look to add it as a priority. There are online courses available which provide developers with the basics of the language and with the launch of Java 9 next month [July], it’s more relevant than ever.”
Other programming languages experiencing demand in the jobs market and growing in popularity among developers at present are Python and Angular JS. The basics for both of these can also be learnt at home.
Lynne added, “With Python you can learn the language by picking up a Raspberry PI microcomputer, these are relatively cheap and allow developers to create something different which will stand out on their CV. The JavaScript framework for Angular JS has seen big improvements between versions and as a result has seen its popularity rise, and like Java, there are online courses available to help you understand the basics and to help you hone your skills.”
Lynne continues, “Aside from these three mainstream programming languages there has been a rise in demand for new and complementary tools, such as the ReactJS library, the Docker container system and Google’s Go language. Go was named the programming language of the year in 2016, as a result there has been a growth in its popularity.”
While a developer will always need to be a good coder, Hays has reported that businesses are also looking for developers who have a good understanding of business practices in order to meet deadlines and understand corporate culture.
Lynne closes by saying “To keep ahead of the competition, you must keep on top of the latest trends and in demand skills, this is an absolute priority. But not only that, show you have the soft skills necessary to work in a business too, demonstrate that you understand business practices and that you can meet deadlines. This way you will ensure your skills remain relevant and they will continue to be in-demand by employers”
This content originally appeared on Viewpoint, the careers advice blog from recruiting experts Hays.