When I first decided to change careers, I was worried that I would have to prove my worth. I had heard horror stories of gatekeepers saying that you’re not a true developer unless you can do x, y, or z. Coming from a non-technical background didn’t help.
But it turned out I was wrong. I found software development to be a welcoming community for people of all knowledge levels and backgrounds. And it makes sense. With technology constantly evolving, it’s nearly impossible for one person to know everything. However, when you have a room full of people who all think the same way, it’s hard to come up with solutions that are outside the box. So instead, we build relationships and work with others to form a strong team composed of individuals with varying degrees of knowledge and diverse backgrounds.
For me personally, I have found a range of non-technical skills that I am able to bring to the table. Some are more noticeable than others. For example, my background in graphic design is easily transferable. I am a strong believer that front-end development is pretty much the same thing as graphic design. The only difference is that graphic design leans more toward static, non-moving mediums like paper, while front-end development allows you to stretch and move elements around a screen.
Other skills may not be as noticeable, but they are still very useful. Coming from a customer-focused background, I have learned the importance of open communication. By keeping the customer informed about the status of their job, whether it was good news or bad, I found it much easier to find solutions. In some cases, the customer may be more willing to give extra time to be able to complete their job or provide more resources for us to use. It became a two-way street, where instead of having to figure out a solution by myself, we were able to tackle it together.
I could go on listing other transferable skills, but I’m not a fan of huge blocks of text, so I’ll keep it short. But I did want to share the main two since I find myself using them almost daily. When I started my new job, I had to undergo training in Agile methodology, and I found it amusing how similar it was to the communication methods and skills I’ve been using throughout my career.
I also believe that open communication within my team fosters a stronger level of trust, which is very comforting. After all, who wants to work with people they can’t depend on or trust? Well, I’m sure some do, but I, for one, would rather work with like-minded people to uncover and build solutions. As the saying goes, “Two heads are better than one,” but I would add, “as long as they’re working together.”
