Do you want to learn about software developer career change options? Are you considering a change?
As the leading IT recruiter in Dallas, Texas, and Phoenix, Arizona, we often see IT types transition between a wide variety of positions. It is not uncommon to see a Network Security Engineer who was a Software Engineer after starting in Product Development.
If you’re currently a software developer, but you’re wondering career options to switch to something new, then this post might be helpful. In it, we explore career change options for software developers to consider. We hope you enjoy it.
Are You Ready for Something Different?
In our last post, we explored the variations in software developer career paths. In this post, we look at jobs related to software development that you can consider for a career change.
Being a software developer is an exciting and rewarding career, and plenty of people make a permanent job doing it. But, after a few years slinging software code, it’s common for programmers to feel like the challenge is gone, or that there’s too much repetition, or that they need a change of pace or scenery.
When that happens, it’s natural to explore software developer career change options. Many programmers are surprised that there are many careers they may be qualified to transition to.
This is especially true if you’re looking for a job that will allow you to work more with people because that leaves you open to positions where you’re managing people or working face-to-face with the public.
Today we’ll discuss IT-related occupations that are in the same vein as software development that you might want to look into, and give you some advice to avoid common mistakes people sometimes make during career changes like this.
Alternative Software Developer Career Options
Software development and software engineering are demanding jobs that require several different skills. While many of your skills are specific to programming, you have no doubt gained a variety of other skills. Your industry-specific and non-programmer skills may make you a candidate for several different software developer career positions. For instance, critical thinking and analysis skills are valuable in many IT career paths.
With that in mind, here’s a list of software developer job alternatives you can consider:
- Computer systems operations manager
- Technical writing
- Project or program management
- Software architect
- Consultant
- Software testing or quality assurance
- Customer relations for a technology company
- Sales or marketing
- Graphic or web design
- Systems administration
- Program analysis
Avoiding Common Mistakes When Exploring Software Developer Career Options
Changing out of a software development career can be difficult and a little scary. But if you know what common problems programmers tend to run into, then you can take pre-emptive steps to avoid damaging your IT career.
For instance, if you’re considering a career change because you don’t feel challenged, you could ask yourself what types of challenges you might want to take on. For example, are you interested in working with user testing? Or quality assurance? Or operating systems? Or databases? Or websites? This will help guide you on the path to find the new IT career you’re after.
Similarly, if you want to try a new role in IT because you want to work with people more, then you must seek options that will afford you opportunities to do that. Maybe a career in software sales or tech support would fill that need.
Another consideration you must ponder is the type of environment you want to work in because this could impact your final decision. Depending on your needs, wants, and personality, the right fit could be a start-up or a small business. On the other hand, your dream IT career might dictate looking at a large firm.
Another option is freelancing, which is a whole different ball game. We offer a vast array of opportunities as IT contract consultants.
Related: The pros and cons of being an IT freelancer.
“Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” – Confucius
Finally, no matter what you’re looking to find in your new career, it’s crucial that you prioritize finding something you’re passionate about over anything else, especially money. Although it’s essential to find a job that pays well, a job you love will make you infinitely happier, and your passion will open up more doors than a more substantial paycheck ever could.
“I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: ‘If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?’ And whenever the answer has been ‘No’ for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something.” — Steve Jobs
Before making any decisions about your new IT career, take some time to examine your long-term goals and ask yourself what you want to accomplish in the next five to ten years.
Once you know where you want to go, it’ll be much easier to find the path forward, and that includes finding the right IT career.
The Takeaway – Software Developer Career Change
In this article, we explored some career options similar to a software developer career. If you are considering a jump to a new IT career, the good news is that there are plenty of practical IT career options for you to explore.
Get Free Help Exploring New IT Career Options
If you’re a software developer looking for a career path change, call GTN to discover many similar careers to consider.
No matter what IT career specialization pips your interest, the best Dallas Technical careers are within reach when you work with an IT recruiter and staffing specialist at GTN Technical Staffing.
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