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An Application Developer, also
known as a Programmer, software developer, junior to
intermediate software engineer, web developer or
intermediate systems analyst, is an IT professional who
creates programs that run either on the web, on a particular
operating system.
Duties of an application
developer typically include specifying a product, designing
a system to meet the specifications, coding the product,
testing the product and maintaining it. The idea of a techie
coding away in the computer room all alone and all day long,
is mostly a thing of the past. With the complexity of modern
systems as well as with the prevalence of disparate
technical teams, top notch interpersonal skills are
required. Although actual programming is still the bread and
butter of this job role, of significant importance is the
ability to deal with phone, electronic and face to face
meetings, as well as the skills to efficiently and
effectively handle ongoing documentations needs.
A person may consider
entering this field after attaining a Computer Science or
Computer Engineering university degree or a one or two year
computer diploma from a local technical institute. However,
some application developers are quite proficient without
this recommended educational background. In any event, some
mathematical savvy, an artistic bent, attention to detail,
understanding of basic business needs, and strong problem
solving skills are all indications of future success in this
job role.
An application developer,
as he or she gains experience, generally achieves more and
more importance and prestige in his or her firm. Getting the
right mix of training and hands on experience will
accelerate the career growth of an application developer. As
time passes, the application developer will either continue
to specialize in one or a few technical tools and procedures
or will move more into a management role, such as a lead
developer, systems engineer or project manager. The best
application developers usually have a strong say when they
reach this fork in their career.
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