Valuable non-tech skills to make you absolutely stand out in tech
TD;LR This article is based on feedback gotten from developers and designers on the valuable non-tech skills for success in tech.
I am a software developer at Andela Nigeria. In my quest to discover what separated an average developer or designer from the exceptional, I figured out that the best way to get such information would be to get responses from the personal experiences of people already in the tech scene. The preferred medium to get this information was Twitter.
On 21st January 2018, I tweeted the question shown in the picture below, tagging a couple of people and asking for their opinions.
The aim of the above tweet was to get opinions on skills that upcoming and aspiring software developers could learn as they start their journey in the amazing world of tech and software development. The people tagged in the tweet were:
- Software Developers
- Designers
- Developer Advocates
Some of the awesome answers to the question are shown below:
The above response is a masterpiece thread that offers a lot of insight based on personal experience working with amazing tech companies like Andela Nigeria.
More absolutely amazing revelations continue below:
Based on the answers above, one thing is very important to understand; to stand out in the tech scene and to be absolutely exceptional requires more than technical skills.
Some of these skills include:
Human Skills
In our everyday interactions we need to understand how to relate with colleagues, clients or strangers. This could pose a serious challenge if neglected especially when working with a team comprising of individuals from diverse backgrounds and beliefs.
Discipline
Discipline is also a major factor to help you stand out in the tech scene. This keeps the fire burning in you and drives you to always push yourself to learn more. As a result, you constantly improve on the knowledge you have acquired.
Excellent Communication Skills
Communication is the key to personal and career success
- Paul J. Meyer
The importance of communication skills cannot be overemphasised. Excellent communication skills eliminate barriers, help resolve problems and build stronger relationships in a team. Poor communication on the other-hand, could lead to low productivity and failure that could have been avoided if proper communication exists within your team.
Sharing is Loving
Be willing to share the knowledge you have acquired with the rest of the community. This encourages innovation and is the fuel that powers the beautiful open source community. By sharing your knowledge and contributing to the growth of the community, you have a chance to change the world!
