Coding skills are overrated. They’re not as important as you might think.
As a software engineer, coding skills are just one piece of the puzzle. While they are important, there are other underrated skills that can make a significant impact on your success as a software engineer. In this post, we’ll explore five underrated skills that can set you apart in your career and help you become a more effective and well-rounded software engineer.
Problem-solving: As a software engineer, you’re not paid to write code. You’re paid to solve problems. Good software engineers can identify and solve actual business problems. This requires a deep understanding of the problem domain, the ability to break down complex problems into smaller, manageable pieces, and the creativity to come up with innovative solutions.
To improve your problem-solving skills, try tackling challenging problems outside of your comfort zone. Participate in coding challenges, hackathons, or open-source projects to hone your skills and develop a more strategic approach to problem-solving.
Communication: Whether you are giving a project update or writing a design doc, clear and effective communication is essential. Software engineers often work in cross-functional teams, collaborating with designers, product managers, and other stakeholders. Effective communication ensures that everyone is on the same page and working towards the same goals.
If your verbal skills are not good, try written communication and use it to improve your verbal communication. Practice active listening, ask clarifying questions, and work on your presentation skills to become a more effective communicator.
Prioritization and time management: As a software engineer, you’re constantly bombarded with new bugs, feature requests, and other tasks. Instead of working on whatever comes your way, it’s important to prioritize and learn to say “no”. This requires a deep understanding of the business goals, the ability to estimate the effort required to complete tasks, and the discipline to focus on the most important tasks first.
To improve your prioritization and time management skills, try using a time management system, such as the Pomodoro Technique or the Eisenhower Matrix. Set clear goals and priorities, and learn to say “no” to tasks that don’t align with your goals.
Debugging: While “print” statements might do the job in some cases, strong debugging skills come in real handy when the things get tricky. Debugging requires a deep understanding of the codebase, the ability to reproduce bugs, and the creativity to come up with innovative solutions.
To improve your debugging skills, try practicing on open-source projects or participating in bug bounties. Use debugging tools, such as a debugger or a logging framework, to help you identify and fix bugs more efficiently.
User Experience (UX): At the end of the day, you’re building for the user. If the user doesn’t like your product, no amount of code can help you keep your job. Good software engineers understand the user’s needs, preferences, and pain points. They use this understanding to design and build products that are intuitive, user-friendly, and meet the user’s needs.
To improve your UX skills, try learning about user research, user testing, and user-centered design. Participate in UX design challenges or join a UX design community to learn from others and improve your skills.
In conclusion, while coding skills are important, they are just one piece of the puzzle. By focusing on these five underrated skills, you can become a more effective and well-rounded software engineer, and set yourself apart in your career. Remember, the most successful software engineers are not just good coders, but also good problem-solvers, communicators, debuggers, time managers, and UX designers.
