In this post, we feature an Advice For Developers Looking To Keep Up With Technology Evolution.The shifting role of technology within all sorts of different industries is written about frequently as employees in roles that previously didn’t have to grapple as intensely with the ever changing world of technology now have a lot of pressure on themselves and need to look for resources explaining how to keep up. But one area that is discussed less, ironically, is in the technology sector itself where developers are battling a Sisyphean task of trying to keep up with technology that seems to be changing on a near weekly basis. It’s vital for your career as a developer to really keep up to date with what is going on. So how can that be achieved? Let’s take a look!
1. Keep Educating Yourself
In times gone by, it used to be true to say that education went to the end of your University degree and, aside from if you were intending to become an academic yourself, that was where it ended. This idea needs to completely go out the window. “Learning, as someone in the technology industry, is a lifelong commitment as we’re forced into working with technology that simply keeps progressing. Developers in particular have to be ready to cope for entirely new platforms and upgrades that people wouldn’t have predicted five years ago”, says John Coleman, IT expert at Writinity and LastMinuteWriting. Finding time for learning can be difficult, but the advantages of the internet is that you can attend seminars and lectures from the comfort of your bed.
2. Keep In Contact With A Community
As a developer, a lot of your work can be completed in isolation, just you and your computer. But there’s a lot of value to being a member of a community of developers, of being active on forums and maintaining contact with your peers. One of those advantages is that you can take a bit of a safety in numbers approach to dealing with the constantly changing world of technology. If you’re in a community or forum that regularly update one another about things relating to being a developer then there’s a much greater chance that you will find a way to hear about all of the updates which could prove pertinent to your career. You can also fulfill a similar role for the others in your community, something which might encourage you to take active steps to seek out the information you need.
3. Signing Up For Industry Events
New programming languages, products, services and future tech insights are often announced at conferences and other industry expos which can be an invaluable resource as a developer. “Attending events in the flesh has many possible benefits, from networking to a simple change of scene. One of the most important aspects for developers is getting a chance to see what is on the horizon from a tech perspective”, writes Jeffrey Chung, a development lead at DraftBeyond and ResearchPapersUK. Actually communicating with the companies promoting their technology can be a really great way of ensuring that you stay right on top of things looking forward.
4. Podcasts
This is a slightly unexpected way of keeping up to date as a developer, but it’s actually an immensely powerful one. A podcast is just about the most convenient way to consume information. You can listen to podcasts digitally at almost any moment of the day, from when you’re showering to driving home, there’s always room to listen along. Podcasts are packaged in an incredibly user friendly way and yet the content of podcasts is, more often than not, very high level, particularly the more niche it is. Within technology there are many different podcasts all of which have interesting guests and engaging hosts eager to share the latest in the industry with their listenership, which is perfect for you as a developer. A lot will merely be interesting, but some of the content will be precisely what you need to hear to keep ahead of the curve.
5. Advice For Developers
It can be a difficult and very consuming task to keep on top of all of the changes that you need to keep an eye on as a developer but if you are able to do it then you will be incredibly well placed.
Really useful advice, thns for this!