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!