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What does a Software Engineer do?

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Talent.com talent.com
Answered April 08 2021
Career Expert at Talent.com
A  Software Engineer is a computer science professional who uses their knowledge of programming languages and engineering principles in their work. Engineering principles rest upon communication, ease of use, critical thinking, and organization. 

They may apply this knowledge to various types of areas of programming. The two main divisions being application software and systems software. 

  • Application software is software that is designed for an end-user to interact with. The  Software Engineer will work with clients, project managers, designers, marketers, and any other stakeholders to ensure that the product meets everyone's needs. 
  • System software is the infrastructure software that delivers the performance and security needed for businesses to perform. 

 Regardless of the type of software that the Software Engineer works in, they need to have a varied skill set that includes a firm grasp of coding and creativity, communication skills, leadership, and good time management. 

Average Day of a Software Engineer
Software Engineers usually work a Monday-Friday 9-5 schedule. They can either work in an office or work remotely; it depends on their employer. The COVID-19 pandemic has forced most  Software Engineers to work remotely.  

Many software companies work in Agile methodology, which means that their work centers around a project, and cross-functional teams work together on the project. Many  Software Engineers will start their days with a daily check-in with their team to see what tasks they performed on the previous day and assess other priorities.  

Most of a  Software Engineer's day is spent writing code, attending meetings with project stakeholders, and working with their teammates to find bug solutions. They also do a lot of code review, which means reading another engineer's code to see if there are any bugs or glaring mistakes that the other person may have missed. This is similar to a writer having an editor review their work and offer suggestions.
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