There are a lot of programmers out there doing well but not quite living up to their potential. They may be seeing others making more money, getting better promotions, and enjoying their work more in general and wonder why they are not among them. The fact is that it is a great career but if you are making a lot of common mistakes you aren’t getting as much out of it as you could.
This would be quite sad as a good programmer is hard to come by and is generally well taken care of. If those mistakes hold you back then you miss out on quite a lot. In this article, we will go over several of the common mistakes that are made so that you can avoid making them yourself.
1 – Not updating your skills
The kiss of death of any programmer is to get behind the times and become obsolete. The problem is that technology changes quickly and even programming languages need to evolve. If you fail to evolve along with them then you are doomed to mediocrity and could even be out of a job eventually.
It doesn’t just involve staying up to date with the latest languages. It is also helpful to understand when to move into new territories and new trends. For instance, you could look into taking some augmented reality development programs to be able to stay relevant by getting in on the ground floor of new technologies.
Look into taking some certifications to make sure that you are up to date on the best practices in the field that you’re in. you may even want to go back to university and get another degree or even a master’s to always be increasing your worth as a programmer.
2 – Not specializing
To always have a job and be in demand you need to make sure to be an expert in a particular area. A generalist is disposable because they are not indispensable to the team. When you have deep knowledge of a subject then you will be the person that is there to offer guidance and make sure things are done correctly.
The biggest mistake that some programmers make is to try to be everything to everybody and aim to please. They don’t offer nearly as much as the expert.
3 – Not networking
To get ahead in any industry it is important to have a reliable network of people in your orbit that is always looking out for each other. Being a programmer can be solitary at times, so it isn’t always easy to do. However, a big mistake is not creating a network and trying to fly solo all the time.
Looking into joining groups so that you have peers that understand you and where you’re coming from. Cultivate professional and personal relationships with these people and you will always have somebody there when you need a new job or even just some advice for a problem you may be facing at work.
