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5 Programming Skills Recruiters Are Looking For

November 29, 2022 Career

Innovation is now the prime focus for most companies wanting to be successful in the long run. In the past few decades, the world has made immeasurable advancements in various 

Industries. The internet is one of the biggest breakthroughs we’ve come to enjoy everywhere, and it, too, runs on innovation and new ideas. 

Programming is the root of everything done on the internet since it wouldn’t exist without a program. It also provides new solutions to global and industry-specific issues such as climate change or supply shortages. If you are looking for a position in the industry, Lensa is the best job search engine to find your programming job.

Since programming is a broad term for the different languages and skills found in information technology, there are now specific skills recruiters are mainly looking for. Hard skills are skills relating to specific knowledge on a topic, whereas soft skills are the parasocial and personal skills one has. 

Here are the five most important skills recruiters look for when searching for programmers to hire.

Knowing data structures and algorithms

Knowledge of data structures and algorithms is a hard skill that is now often sought after during interviews. To become a programmer for a well-known company, you usually need a bachelor’s diploma at least. In university, you are more than likely to study this topic and then immediately forget it too. Try not to take data structures and algorithms lightly during your academic years.

Large companies such as Google, Microsoft, and Meta don’t simply need programming to achieve what they do. These companies expect programmers to think of approaches and find better ways to do things they already do. Profitability is the main goal, as well as efficient resource allocation. DSA comes in here to achieve these goals. 

Knowing DSA during an interview proves your knowledge of fundamental topics needed for these jobs, as well as your professionalism and problem-solving. Your organizational skills will be elevated by your knowledge of data structure, essentially making your programming as efficient as can be. 

Teamwork and problem solving

Teamwork and problems solving are both extremely important parasocial skills that are needed when working as a programmer. Programmers, though seemingly lone wolves, actually work in large teams to complete projects.

Teamwork doesn’t mean being a sheep and agreeing to everything others say. It is the constructive discussion of issues and facts to pinpoint a likable solution. In other words, finding the middle ground and contributing enough will make you and your team happier. 

The reason teams are so beneficial is thanks to the different perspectives each member brings to the table, which can further facilitate innovation. 

Problem-solving and teamwork go hand-in-hand. In programming, you will be expected to solve vaguely defined problems with unknown contexts. This means you need to have a sharp mind that can think outside of the box while using your extensive knowledge to complete an important task for your company. 

Mutual aid is the pillar for team success, and breaking larger tasks into smaller ones il definitely increase your productivity on a particularly difficult problem.

Cloud computing

Cloud computing is a hard skill that is a basic necessity across the globe. Most companies are migrating to cloud computing for their data and asset storage to reduce costs, especially after the pandemic. With artificial intelligence and machine learning also becoming priorities, knowledge of cloud computing is even more important. Algorithms consume massive amounts of space and power, making cloud-based functioning all the more popular. 

Many popular languages for programmers are already being used for programming, such as Python, Java, and Go. Platforms you should know include Amazon Web Services and Google Cloud Platform, two of the most popular cloud-based service providers.

Accountability

Accountability is a soft skill many individuals lack nowadays. Barely anyone takes responsibility for their actions in the common media, but accountability in the workplace goes much further than that. It is the building of trust and understanding within a team. Discussions take direction and find resolution with accountability. 

This skill shows commitment, honesty, and resilience to your team and superiors. It also allows your team to remain calm if something doesn’t go right since the trust is already there.

Object-oriented programming 

Object-oriented programming, or OOP, is a hard-skill programming language relying on objects and classes to function. The reason recruiters look for this skill in programmers is that it easily transfers and reuses complex code throughout different programs. This skill increases efficiency and showcases your knowledge in your field. 

OOP works in a way where if I write “my car” without specifying its color or attributes, information about “my car” will be sent through different programs. Languages such as C++, Python, and Java count as OOP languages, though you should know at least one already.