Conclusions and recommendations

This book will teach you how to learn, which I consider the most significant thing. My goal is to consult, guide, and prepare the ground for qualitative studies. Some recommendations and methodologies presented in this book will be of great use to you.

Defining goals, such as career, qualitative studies, professional advancement, and going toward these goals with confidence is a noble thing. However, you need to plan your studies from the beginning, so you need to have the necessary information. And I will bring some pro arguments and some statistical data about the software developer profession.

To start, you should familiarize yourself with existing technologies and study methods.

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In general terms, the technologies you must study to become a specialist can be grouped into certain packages, also called stacks. From my point of view, I can recommend the following packages depending on specialization direction:

For Web:

• HTML, CSS, Bootstrap, JavaScript, C#, ASP.NET MVC, MSSQL
• HTML, CSS, Bootstrap, JavaScript, PHP, Laravel/CodeIgnitor, MySQL
• HTML, CSS, Bootstrap, JavaScript, Java, Spring.MVC, Oracle/MySQL
• HTML, CSS, Bootstrap, JavaScript, Wordpress, MySQL
• HTML, CSS, Boostrap, JavaScript, ReactJS/Angular, Python, MySQL

For Desktop:

• C#, WidowsForms/WPF
• Java, Swing, PostgreSQL/Oracle

For Mobile:

• C#, Xamarin, SQLite
• Flutter, Dart, SQLite

For Games:

• C#, Unity, MySQL, SQLite

From the above, it follows that HTML, CSS, and JavaScript are mandatory for study because they can be used for web, mobile, desktop, and even game development. They are sufficient for creating the structure and some functionality of web pages, but some people specialize in only these technologies. They are identified as Front-end Developers, or Web Designers (just mentioning that Web Designers create only the website layout in HTML and CSS). Nevertheless, they have guaranteed themselves a piece of bread earned honestly through knowledge and creativity.

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The technical knowledge and skills you want to acquire through a study are not always enough for a programmer. No less significant are the personal qualities and capabilities that a future IT specialist must possess. As a rule, in most job offers posted by employers, those qualities and capabilities are listed below other requirements. No matter whether you want a career in IT or see programming as a hobby, you should also consider these skills and qualities listed below:

• well-developed logic and analytical thinking
• communication skills
• good capacities for assimilation and adaptability
• team player
• creativity and imagination
• well-developed responsibility spirit
• friendly person
• ability to solve conflicts diplomatically
• desire for self-improvement and fast-learning

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It is useful for you to know that a software developer's growth is a continuous process, and it includes several stages. From the junior level, where you will learn the basics, to the intermediate level, where you will gain independence and specialization. Finally, to the senior level, where you can become a leader and mentor to others. Career growth opportunities are many and varied, allowing programmers to choose their own paths to feel their own impact on the IT industry.

You are the one who impacts the process of advancement in grade, and how quickly it will proceed for you. Your skills and aspirations will guide you on this path.

From my side, the most reasonable advice would be to never be afraid of change, as only change is constant. You will change jobs, technologies, and opinions, but changes must always be rational and well thought out.

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As a method of conducting the study, you can use the following:

• the book-based method,
• the method based on online courses,
• the method based on documentation, tutorials, and forums.

And as for learning techniques you can experiment with the Pomodoro technique, active learning or the Feynman method.

In this book, I encourage more self-taughtness, which is also promoted by many universities as part of undergraduate and master's programs. A training center or even a college can offer more or less recognized certificates or diplomas and provide great support for those who are unable to learn by themselves. In my opinion, however, there is almost no subject that cannot be studied independently, the question is only how long it will take you to study it on your own. A mentor, instructor, or lecturer's role is to ensure that you learn what you need in a shorter amount of time, but it depends on his competence.

I encourage you to combine several study methods like online courses, books, and tutorials. I also encourage you to clarify any questions on forums like StackOverflow or CodeProject and start developing your own small app.

It would be appropriate to start with a small investment by buying a course on Udemy. Try to complete it on your own (Be patient and don't give up! Because I know that more than 70 percent of enrolled students quit a course after only reaching halfway through). As you progress, you may encounter some questions, which you can clarify by analyzing some tutorials (see the recommended list above), or you can also consult books in the field.

Imagine you started studying C#, then chose an appropriate Udemy course that is not less than 10 but not more than 40 hours, considered a bestseller, or has a high rating. Enroll in the given course and clarify questions on StackOverflow, there is a huge community of programmers that can assist you. You also have at hand tutorials such as W3schools, and TutorialPoint where basic concepts are briefly and clearly explained. In addition, you have such books as: "C# 10 and .NET 6" by Mark J. Price or "Head First C#" by Andrew Ste Stellman.

However, if you consider that you need support and help, I recommend you apply for a course on your budget at a private training center (don't spend too much, there's no guarantee of quality, even though a certificate will be provided). During class hours, the lecturer can guide you and explain several things. It is important to catch the basic concepts and get the feel of writing code correctly, everything else will be learned on the way, everyone goes through 3 stages: beginner, intermediate, and advanced. You will also have a certificate at the end, proof that you passed an IT course.

So far these were my recommendations regarding the useful techniques you can apply, the study methods you can combine, and some long-term investments that you can make, but you should calculate things before doing them, I refer here to study programs from colleges, universities, or private training centers.

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Information technology certifications are valuable tools for career advancement. They validate your skills and knowledge, can increase your salary, and open doors to better work opportunities.

If you are interested in obtaining a certificate, I recommend starting by identifying the certificate most suitable for you. Then, devote time for exam preparation. Remember, the goal is to improve your skills and keep abreast of the latest trends and technologies in your field. This is not just to get a stamped paper. Career success is not only measured by the number of certificates you have, it is also about your passion for studying and self-improvement.

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Having a portfolio of your work is also important. If you want to create your own portfolio, consider the following aspects:

• choose only the most appropriate projects, which you could present exhaustively,
• highlight your technical skills,
• reveal analytical thinking but also creativity.
• prove that you can also work in a team,
• emphasize code quality, that must be readable and well-organized,
• choose a way to present your portfolio either through a personalized website, or a GitHub page with descriptions, or references to your CV and LinkedIn profile.

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Developing your own apps is really a nice and interesting thing. Something I enjoyed since I was a student because that's how I learned the most, more than in faculty or vocational courses. When you apply the technologies you have studied in practice, it gives you pleasure and you feel the contribution you can bring to society. You increase your creative, analytical, and cognitive skills.

If you follow the saying "Practice beats grammar", then you will be able to understand what many theoretical concepts in programming are for, and how you can apply them correctly.

Any programmer should develop something personal for himself, not only for others, as this will help them learn with pleasure. Only by going through all the stages described above head-to-tail, you will feel how the concept laid out on the sheet takes shape, and in the end, it can be something very useful and interesting.

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Getting a job as a software developer can be challenging. You must rely on your well-organized CV, portfolio, certificates, recommendations, and above all your knowledge and experience. Don't forget that perfection has no limit, and you can always make improvements.

Many people obtained jobs after recommendations, some through LinkedIn conversations, while others applied for positions posted on job-offer websites. Ultimately, they succeeded, so you have to be persistent and always look for opportunities.

My recommendation for you is to be self-critical, evaluate yourself objectively, and don't forget that getting a job is a competition with several participants, and the selection process can sometimes resemble a lottery, but other times it can be objective. For you, it's important to be in the right role in the right place and find that particular job that suits you best and motivates you most, a position where you can work effectively for many years.

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In conclusion, a successful study requires planning, sticking to a schedule, discipline, and self-assessment. By following these basic steps and applying the provided advice, you'll have all the tools you need to achieve relevant results and improve your study skills. Don't forget to be flexible and open to change, and with perseverance and determination, you will achieve your goals.

Good luck!