What can you do with coding skills? As it turns out, there’s a lot you can do. Read on to learn why women should learn to code.
So you hit a rut with your current career? Even the most well-adjusted women in the job market can hit an uncomfortable lull and get a bit bored with their jobs, never mind women who actively despise their jobs and want to run away as if their resumes are on fire. So whether you belong to group A or B, adding coding to your skillset can truly add depth and dimension to your current field. And, if you’re looking to change your career but you’re worried about market saturation, the high demand for software engineers isn’t decreasing any time soon. So keep on reading to know what can you do with coding, and how it can make your life so much better.
What can you do with coding? Ever heard of freedom?
Kids are all about coding these days and for a good reason. When you work for yourself, lo and behold, you can create your own schedule. Of course, getting used to setting your own deadlines and being diligent about time management can take a bit of practice. However, once you have your personally tailored system in place, you’ll get into the grind of producing your best work efficiently. Another perk would be having the ability to work wherever you want, so if you’ve been daydreaming about working on a Thai beach sipping on coconut juice with a pink umbrella and a polka-dotted straw, you can actually make that a reality.
Earn more. Work less.
Once you’ve gotten a bit more established with solid experience on your portfolio, you’ll be able to charge higher hourly rates. Keep in mind that to reach that point, you’ll have to work on numerous projects to showcase your skills before cranking up your fees. But the more you work and gain additional skills and experience, the higher you can charge and earn per hour. So the more you work, the less you can actually work and still earn way more than the equivalent of what a 9-to-5 job can give you.
Employers will flock to you
As a regular employee in the traditional full-time job market, you probably went through the horrific experience that is job searching and filling online applications. Traditionally, it’s the applicant’s job to reach out to the companies they want to work for and send loads of documents as evidence to their skills and abilities. In the case of computer science and the coding job market, it’s the other way around.
For example, if you have a project where it shows how great you are with python for loop, recruiters and companies with a need for a coder with python skills will reach out to you. The fun fact is, you won’t be the exception. This happens all the time to developers and software engineers.
Have more time
To do what? Well, anything that suits your fancy. This is the beauty of coding: it frees up some of your time so you can spend it on things that matter to you. Whether it’ll be hobbies, downtime or passion projects that truly interest you. In some cases, these passion projects — if you decide to add them to your portfolio — can even bring more work your way with better rates.
Working remotely
Having the ability to work wherever you want gives you such freedom in mobility that is rather unique. Want to spend two months getting your yoga teaching certification or want to spend four months in Asia just traveling? You can. As long as you have a solid internet connection, the world is your oyster.
Turning dream projects into real-life projects
If you have been fantasizing about creating a sentient coffee machine that can tell whether it’s a black coffee day or a mocha latte with extra hazelnut syrup for you, so have we. But in your case, you can actually start making blueprints and writing the foundation code. Because once you have enough experience in coding, you won’t even need to hire a developer to work on your idea. Even if you don’t have experience with the perfect programming language suitable for your project, it’ll take you very little time to learn it, as you’re already familiar with the computer science foundations and data structures.
Being a part of a great community
The tech community comes with its own delightful little idiosyncrasies, especially the women in the tech community. Sharing a common understanding of the euphorias and frustrations that are a daily part of being a coder — and a creator of something new — binds the community together. It can be a great support network for brainstorming ideas as well as networking with many meetups and workshops that open new job opportunities or give you an amazing idea for your next project.
Empowerment on steroids
Having the key to the enormous ocean that is the internet can give you a greater sense of self-reliance. Moreover, having the power to create — whether a website or an application — always provides you with a feeling of true accomplishment. The creative process comes with a lot of challenges because it’s inevitable that you’ll encounter roadblocks along the way, with a lot of self-doubt about your coding abilities. However, once you push through these pivotal points in your project (with the help of other women in the tech community), you’ll cross the finish line with the absolute certainty that there is very little out there that you can’t do.
We can assure you that you won’t be the only one. Now that you know about all the infinite possibilities and benefits that come with coding, answering the question “what can you do with coding?” is child’s play. The road — at first — can be a little tough, so make sure to check out as many resources as you can to help you on your journey. You can start by checking out our Women in Business and Career Woman for the latest tips and advice on taking full control of your career path.
