Communication, time management and collaboration are some of the interpersonal skills required.
Being a software engineer isn't just about writing code. What soft skills your developers need to be the best.
You've probably hired the best developers your company can afford. You can even have teams dedicated to specific projects or certain languages. Maybe you've hired developers for Java , JavaScript , .NET , C++ , and Python . These developers have already started building exactly what your company needs to accelerate digital transformation and implement scalable applications and services.
But something is not right. Sure, these engineers know their chosen language like they've been writing it since birth, but you may have discovered that they lack the skills needed to be the most effective developers they can be.
What can you do? You hire engineers who are more than just a one-trick pony. Being an effective developer requires the sum total of several important skills.
Let's take a look at some of the skills you should look for or encourage in these new engineers.
Communication
This is a big problem and it manifests itself in many ways. First and foremost, your developers need to be able to communicate effectively with customers. If you have developers who can't convey to customers what they are doing and how they perceive the vision of the project, those developers will have a very difficult time.
But it's not just about the customers. Your developers also need to communicate with other departments within the company. They need to be able to exchange ideas with operations, administrators, security engineers, management, CEOs and HR professionals. If they are unable to communicate at these levels, they will work in silos, which will not do your company any good. This is especially true if your company plans to adopt DevOps in the near future.
Time management
This can become problematic. Developers are known to have a laser-like focus, which helps them write amazing codes. The problem is that this focus can become quite singular. It's not uncommon for a developer to spend hours on a single line of code or trying to resolve a single bug.
When you need developers to be able to work efficiently, you need to ensure they have effective time management skills. This may mean they need to work with a calendar or time tracking software to keep them on track with their projects.
Without the ability to properly manage their time, developers can get sucked into a vortex of single-mindedness that isn't very conducive to getting work done. If you find that you have developers on hire who are not good with time, you may need to have them work with another developer (or manager) to help them improve their ability to track time.
Independent learning
We'd like to think that most developers are curious by nature. After all, a certain level of curiosity must have brought them to the world of computers and technology in the first place, right? This may be the case for many developers, but it is certainly not guaranteed.
If you find that your developers aren't making the effort to learn new things (without your encouragement), step in and make sure they understand the importance of taking the initiative to learn new things. After all, every new skill your developers learn will have a direct (or indirect) and positive impact on your company.
Collaboration
It goes without saying that your developers must be able to collaborate. Unless you have hired a team of just one, your software engineers must work together to complete a project. And it goes beyond working with other engineers. Your developers should be able to work with people in operations, UX, security, networks, administration, public relations, marketing, and even end users.
If your developers can't collaborate effectively, you can be sure that the projects they work on will encounter several obstacles along the way.
Inclusion
This one is tricky, but it should match company policy in the modern world. In the past, developers were known for not being willing to include others. Women and minorities were often seen as less qualified and therefore left out. This type of behavior doesn't work today.
Your developers must not only be willing to work with others, but also accept them as peers and equals. If you hire developers who are not inclusive, you will have difficulty retaining talent. It really comes down to this. Your work environment needs to be welcoming and comfortable for everyone.
This should be considered an absolute necessity.
Patience
Not everyone works at the same pace. You can have developers who can produce perfect code with unprecedented speed. You will also have those that are slower. Those who work at a breakneck pace must know how to be patient with those who don't. Impatient developers can become a problem in the workplace. They will take control of situations they shouldn't and make demands they are not in a position to make.
You want to make sure that all of your developers are able to be patient at all times.
Creativity
It's not just about ones and zeros, and anyone who says creativity doesn't play a role in software development has no idea what they're talking about. You need developers who can be creative and find innovative solutions to overcome the numerous problems they face.
A healthy level of creativity will inspire your developers to create at a level you never thought possible.
Humility
Ego can be an ugly thing. And in the world of developers, ego tends to run rampant. If you find one (or more) of your developers exhibiting any signs of overblown ego, it's time to get them under control. Such behavior can breed resentment and disdain within the team, which is counterproductive (to say the least).
You want to hire developers with a sense of humility, who understand that it takes an entire team to build an app or service worth deploying.
User Experience Design
Not every developer works directly with UX (User Experience), but every developer must understand the concept and what is necessary to create a quality experience for the end user. Developers who don't understand this can end up working against those who are actually employed to design UX and UI elements for software.
Developers don't need to be designers, but they do need to be able to communicate effectively with UX designers and implement what designers require for the front end of an application.
Presentation
There will be times when your developers will have to present project details and updates to others (superiors, clients, and customers). If they are unable to convey these ideas and details effectively to the public, the project may encounter obstacles.
This can become crucial if your developers need to convince interested parties to buy into a project. You don't want developers to be unable to give professional presentations showcasing a team's work to those who can control the money or to potential clients who will use the fruits of the team's labor.
Conclusion
Being a good developer is the sum of several skills and not just knowledge of programming languages. Having experienced software engineers will not only make your teams more effective, but also your business more profitable. If you find some members of your team exhibiting brilliant but limited tangible programming skills, it's time to get them on the right education path or hire new developers.
Source: BairesDev
