Introduction

How to develop this competence that goes beyond the code and allows you to grow up in others aspects in areas of your routine? That’s what I’ll show you now.

In the beginning of a developer carrier we found many difficulties that goes from to adapt to your current working environment and deliver what the others are waiting for you, to growing up and to develop as a software engineer with skills, frameworks, etc.

This can all be strange until the moment you start to really adapt to the things that are happening around you, but it’s no use being a code expert if your soft skills don’t keep up with your hard skills development. Therefore, we will understand what their relationship is.

Why do I need to learn to communicate? I don’t already do that?

It can be cliché (or not), but the fact of to deal with software systems don’t push us away of the people becoming us more incommunicable. Quite the opposite, it’s precisely because we are developing solutions for someone’s that we need to be careful with the necessary soft skills to know what we should do.

Many times we are only focused on the hard skills described in a job opportunity, thinking that’s the only interesting part. Sorry to inform you, that’s just a part of what’s needed. Although nowadays still exists the stereotype of the programmer forever alone with his codes, the communication is one of the most important competences a developer needs to have.

“Hey, but I don’t have contact with the customer’s though, do I need yet?”

Of course, you do! The greater the complexity of the project, business rule, in short, we need to be more apt and sharper in our communication to take literally everything that will come next, this ranges from dailies, sprint ceremonies and calls to clear up doubts with the team.

How do I know this will be a differentiator for me?

The importance of clear and assertive communication is present when reporting troubles to our superiors and colleagues at daily work, and trust me, this is one of the most things that happens the most.

I’ll finish this article with a stretch of “Assertive Communication — Learn the art to speak and to influence” of Débora Brum. Including, I recommend reading, because I’ve learned a lot with this book about the importance to know how to express myself correctly.

A global LinkedIn survey, published in April 2020, showed that the soft skill most cited and valued by employers during the 2020 pandemic was communication. The list also includes leadership, online learning and problem-solving skills, among others. The study analyzed the requirements of about 12 million available jobs.

The most valued skills¹

1. Communication*;
2. Business management;
3. Problem-solving*;
4. Data science*;
5. Management of data storage technologies*;
6. Technical support*;
7. Leadership;
8. Project management;
9. Online learning*;
10. Employee learning and development; *Needed skills for a developer.

¹Source: LinkedIn

Look that how many things related to technology! Now, imagine being a developer fully aware and prepared about your communication!

I hope I have helped you to understand the importance of exercising this soft skill to be a professional, increasingly prepared for the changes and challenges that our area offers us. 😄