9 Vital Qualities Every Developer Should Possess – Women Who Code

If you love to work out complex computational problems, then a career as a developer is probably right for you. You’ll get a chance to use your creativity to come up with innovative solutions. Developers often work on the back-end of websites, apps, and software as a service (SaaS) companies.

There are around 174,300 web developers and digital designers in the United States. The industry is growing at about 8% per year, which is faster than average growth across all sectors. Software developers number over 1 million, and the field expands around 22% each year.

Although plenty of jobs are available, competition in the industry is fierce. Pay often depends on your expertise and ability to adapt to new situations. The longer you work as a developer, the more skills you’ll develop as you learn new technology.

Although specific skills might vary depending on your area of specialization, there are some qualities every developer must possess in order to excel. Here are nine soft and hard skills to focus on.