13 Reasons Why You Should Learn to Code
Learning to program is an invaluable skill. This is undeniable. But most people could think of 13 other things they would rather be doing than sitting down and learning how to code a web application for hours on end. Did you Know the Steve Jobs wasn´t even that great of a coder? The multibillionare with a net worth of over 31 billion dollars may not have coded but he had an amazing knack for understanding technical concepts and how they could be relevant. Steve Jobs didn’t code, but he sure knew how to sell. As long as you can show your value, you don’t have to have an engineering degree and be able to acutally code, but you better be able to bring in the bacon.
“I think everybody in this country should learn how to program a computer, because it teaches you how to think. I view computer science as a liberal art.” -Steve Jobs
Learning to program is the new form of literacy. So much of the things we interact with have been touched by code. The more you can learn to code, the more interaction and impact you can have with the world around you. In other words, learning to code won’t just give you technical knowledge — it’ll also give you a new way to approach both how you work and life.
1. Makes launching a startup 100 times easier
Ever dream of running your own startup in the future? A true entreprenuer doesn´t just sit around and wait for his or her company to be made for him? No one is going to come to you and give you free money. You want to know to bring in the bacon? Then knowing how to code and build web and/or your own mobile application sets you ahead of the game. Gone are the days of waiting back to hear from the freelancer you hired everytime you have a technical difficulty or user interface problem. Most entreprenuers start out with a budget for their app. Maybe 5–6 thousand dollars. Little do they realize that their little budget of a couple thousand dollars leads easily to 20,000 dollars just to pay that freelance developer for their company website. Imagine knowing how to build a website/prototype app! Not only does having that knowledge allow you to save literally thousands of dollars but also gives you the power and freedome to design, build, test, and fix your own creations without relying on others. Talk about being a boss right?
2. Having the upper hand during your job search
Having employable skills such as HTML, CSS, and the ability to build wordpress sites gives you the upper hand when you´re on the job hunt. How many of your fellow colleagues know how to build an app or create their own website? Unless most of your friends are developers (which if thats the case you have a gold mine of awesome friends) probably not many.
3. Coding Equals New Opportunities
Anyone who has been working as a developer knows this to be true. Once you know how to code and start working on new projects and offering your services to companies around you doors start opening. Sometimes too many doors. Every company in the world has a demand for people who know how to code and build real world applications. As I mentioned in the previous point, knowing how to read and write code will be a crucial skill in any future job search.
4. Communication and Collaboration Skills
As much as programming has a reputation of being solo work, it is more often an incredibly collaborative effort. Developing an application or web page usually requires multiple people with a variety of perspectives, ideas, and skills to come together and work in harmony. This point also ties into being an entreprenuer who either knows how to code or has a good understanding of it. You’ll have a better understanding of what’s realistic in terms of results, quality, and timeline, which, believe me will take a whole lot of stress away from both sides. You will know what to expect from yourself or from the developer you have hired which will help you manage development costs better. Thus making you a much better teammate and leader.
5. Ability to choose your work and say no to job offers
The stronger and more experienced you become as a web developer the more you can chose which projects you take on. Gone are the days of uninteresting job offers, meaningless job interviews, and forcing yourself to work on boring tendious projects. As you gain experience you know that as you grow bigger and better opportunities will come your way as long as you keep up the hard work and hustle.
6. Earn more work less
The more tech experience you have the more you can charge. This goes along with my previous point about choosing which projects you take on and which ones you say ¨No, thank you¨to. Although this obviously takes time, experience, and credibility choosing to become a developer allows you the opportunity you become your own boss. Your skills are extremely valuable and needed by a multitude of people and companies.
7. Side Hustles and Projects
Even if you aren´t working full time as a developer knowing how to code allows you to become the ultimate hustler. How many people do you know who can say ¨I program on the side which is how I can afford my awesome apartment in San Francisco¨? Being able to program is an extremely lucrative hobby. Why not get payed for that new hobby of yours? Need to pay off the debt? Be a program hustler! Being a developer also allows you to work on the projects and ideas that you have always had. Have an idea for a prototype for an app? Well now you can create it!
8. Extra time to pursue your own interests
Being able to work fewer hours a week allows the opportunity to spend more time on other things you enjoy: like hobbies, passions or family time.
9. Freedome To Make Your Own Schedule
This basically ties into my 6th point. 10. Become Self-sufficient
10. Work Remotely
When it comes to technology as long as you have a computer and wifi it doesn’t matter where you are on vacation, at home or a cafe as long as you are getting your work done.
11. Clients Come To You
Did you know that there are actually a lot of developers out there who have to tell people that they are not available at this time because of the amount of projects they have? In what industry do you find people literally having to DENY new clients because they have so many requests for work? Talk about being a boss!
12. Self Reliance
Having the ability to build a website or application no matter how simple, is always a feeling of accomplishment and empowerement. Many developers can back me up that their confidence and feeling of self worth has improved tremendously after learning how to code. Many individuals have gone from being unemployed,working a dead-end job, or a student swimming in loans to becoming a junior developer and developing apps that are bringing in monthly income.
13. Become part of the KeepCoding Family
Does any of this interest you? We sure hope so. KeepCoding is a learning hub for Full Stack Developers, Mobile & Web Bootcamps, Online Courses and Corporate Training. Starting this summer we will be offering online courses from Silicon Valley for practically free in order to help entrepreneurs and students develop their dreams apps and websites.
Interested in becoming part of the KeepCoding family with over 12,000 alumni worldwide? Come check us out on facebook! https://www.facebook.com/KeepCodingSiliconValley/
And for our Spanish speakers feel free to check us out at: https://www.facebook.com/keepcoding.training/
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Author: Nathan Thornton
