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What is a Software Engineer?

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Talent.com talent.com
Answered April 08 2021
Career Expert at Talent.com
Simply put, Software Engineers apply engineering principles to the design, implementation, and development of software. Software Engineers are highly proficient software developers that can manage complex systems.

 Software Engineers may be asked to lead, consult, or contribute to a project, depending on that project's needs. They need to provide their client or their team with strategic and analytical advice to help the company reach its business objectives. They must research the software, consult with customers regarding specifications, and coordinate the software deployment across users.  Software Engineers often collaborate with IT, operations, and development team members throughout the project's lifecycle. 

 A Software Engineer role will typically involve some supervision of developers and programmers. Therefore, a strong knowledge of coding languages like Java or Python is necessary.  More senior Software Engineers also review their junior colleague's code and often act as mentors for newcomers to the field. If you're starting, finding a more experienced Software Engineer to mentor you can be a great way to gain professional experience. 

Personality of a Software Engineer
Software Engineers work in highly collaborative, fast-paced environments. They need to bring creative solutions to problems and apply their knowledge of code to deliver results to many different stakeholders.  

  • Creative Thinking
Software Engineers design solutions that must meet many requirements from lots of different stakeholders. They need to be able to brainstorm and come up with innovative and elegant solutions for complex problems. Creativity can be exercised and developed by working on open-ended projects, attending hackathons, or working on side projects with friends. Developing your creative side will help you succeed in this field. 

  • Good Time Management
Software Engineers rarely only work on one project at a time. They must be able to prioritize projects and ensure all their tasks get done on time.  

  • Detail-Oriented
Doing things carefully in software is important because errors can be costly to the company and customers to fix. Software Engineers need to ask the right questions to ensure that the final product will work as expected.  
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