Here's how you can prepare for the future as an entry-level application developer.

Love of learning new things is criticial but don't just read about new things, "do it", play with it, build something so you learn it deeper and better than everyone else in your company and soon people will be coming to you for your insights because they know you really know what you are talking about.

In the rapidly evolving field of technology, continuous learning is essential for staying relevant and advancing your career as an application developer. By embracing a mindset of continuous learning, you will not only stay current with the latest technologies and methodologies but also position yourself as a valuable and adaptable professional in the ever-changing field of application development.

It is an absolute must-do for anyone serious about a career in development. I organise my week to always allocate time for learning new things, every day should be a school day. Having done this for 40 years, it is the only way I can compete with new graduates (who often think they know everything).

To prepare for the future as an entry-level application developer, it's crucial to gain a deep understanding of how computers work, from the fundamentals of operating systems and networking to the intricacies of algorithms and data structures. This knowledge will empower you to write efficient, effective code. Additionally, you must develop the ability to balance cost versus benefits in real-world applications. This includes considering factors such as performance, scalability, and maintainability while staying within budget constraints. Building a solid foundation in both technical skills and practical, cost-effective problem-solving will make you a valuable asset in any development team.

Leveraging connections is really a very important part of landing into a good job. A person already working in a company you are targeting will help in pushing the envelope further up in HR ladder and cut the waiting line. Try working on the following: 1. Alumni associations 2. Local chapters of working network groups 3. LinkedIn connections 4. Get referral from friends of a friend 5. Attend big events related to subject of your choice e.g. AI conferences, Hackathons

An application developer should focus on adoption of several platforms that consider participation in workshops, trainings, hackathons and bootcamps, technical conferences and seminars, subscription to the tech blogs and newsletters.

Réseautage vital dans l'industrie technologique. Rejoindre communautés développeurs, assister à conférences. Tendances sectorielles, conseils carrière, opportunités d'emploi. Développer système de soutien par les pairs.

You will naturally find people along the way who are like-minded and as you grow in your Tech Career you will network. There's also important to keep on the lookout for mentors. Mentors who are currently where you want to be and ask them for advice and opinions

An application developer also focus contributing towards open source community where he will be able to participate, collaborate for the code revies and feedbacks and understand the strategies that other discusses as well as he will be able to contribute towards the implementation of real world problems.

There are plenty of projects out there and with AI assisted coding simple projects are as easy as writing a single prompted to chat GPT and getting the code and running it in Python. Don't just do toy projects like The Game of Life or snake But build something complex and meaningfully deep. Even if it is a academic project make sure it has some depth. For example build a ticket management system. Develop a Content management system. Create an API. Stay away from simple silly games

Expérience pratique inestimable via projets personnels, open source. Consolider compétences, démontrer capacités aux employeurs. Expérimenter nouvelles technologies, méthodologies. Rester pertinent dans domaine en évolution.

Working on projects either paid or through an internship is in valuable and strengthening and sharpening your skills. You will learn things by doing and making mistakes then correcting them better. You will learn them by reading a book so get out there play with things. Write some code come up with your own Case and product something like I don’t know helping the local garage schedule appointments and notifications with API or with text messages to their customers something simple but practical and the skills need to be reusable if you walk in the door with some of these skills, things that you’ve done already, you look much more attractive to an employer than you do if you don’t have them

Understanding the business is crucial for entry-level application developers. It ensures their solutions align with company goals and meet user needs. This knowledge fosters better communication with stakeholders and helps developers make informed decisions, enhancing their contributions and growth within the organization.

Comprendre l'aspect commercial de la technologie aussi important que les compétences techniques. Permet de développer des solutions logicielles plus efficaces, performantes et alignées sur les objectifs business.

Technologie en constante évolution, adaptabilité essentielle. Apprendre nouvelles technologies, saisir opportunités. Accepter le changement ouvre portes à carrières passionnantes dans le développement d'applications.

Technical prowess is essential, but don't underestimate the importance of soft skills. Communication, teamwork, and problem-solving are critical in a collaborative environment like application development. These skills help you work effectively with others and can be the deciding factor in landing a job or leading a project to success.

The waterfall of new technologies and fads can be anxiety inducing and truly overwhelming. There’s no need to switch to every new fad language, architecture, deployment type, framework, operating system, or IDE. Learning the fundamentals will be transferable from language to language (or framework, etc.). Learning is extremely important, but you’ll get a lot further focusing your energy and time and leaving shiny objects alone while first getting into the industry.

In future, tools like Amazon Q will do the heavy lifting of writing code and emphasis will be on software design and architecture. As a developer, learn how to design software systems properly- learn software modelling languages like UML to develop the mindset. I learnt these over 22 years ago and I still benefit from them.