In the technological age, software engineers are more in demand than ever before. As technology continues to take an ever-tightening grip on our lives, becoming a software expert has never been so appealing. Software engineering is a fast paced, ever changing career that entails a whole host of technological skills and responsibilities. For someone just starting out, it can be challenging to know what steps are needed, what qualifications must be achieved and what experience must be gained in order to secure a software engineer role. It should be noted that software engineering roles can fall under a range of titles – systems engineer, software engineer, web programmer or web developer, to name a handful.

At BMR Solutions, we specialise in helping candidates find their perfect job. With years of experience recruiting for top engineering businesses – we have extensive specialist knowledge to help guide you through your job seeking journey. Our experts are on hand to offer tailored advice that can help you climb the engineering ladder from novice, to student, to expert.

In this blog we offer some insights into how to secure a role in the software engineering sphere.

Software Engineering Skills & Responsibilities

At the base of any software engineer’s professional growth is their formal qualifications. The majority of software engineering roles ask for a bachelor’s degree as a minimum. Relevant qualifications can be obtained upon the completion of courses relating to software engineering, computer science or mathematics.

A software engineer contributes to whole host of tasks – auditing, designing and writing code, to provide just a few examples. Software experts also play a substantial role in the testing of any new software, diagnosing any system faults and ensuring that a system is working as effectively as possible.

Software engineers must have a keen eye for technical analysis, with this skill spanning a range of responsibilities taken on by a software engineer. Recruiters and interviewers may even be keen to see applicants demonstrate these skills during the recruitment process.

In addition to the technical skills required to be a software engineer, the role is not without social demands. Software engineers are required to work closely with other team members of all ranks. These might include other engineers, project managers, graphic designers, analysts and even marketing professionals. For this reason, it is important that a software engineer is also able to demonstrate and effectively utilise social skills whilst on the job. When working alongside others, it is also likely that a software engineer will be required to work to tight deadlines – making organisational skills another essential.

To keep up with this rapidly evolving industry, software engineers must continually update their technical knowledge. Engineers in this field are required to remain up to date with new technologies and technical skills in order to offer maximal value to their business. Keeping up to date might involve regularly reading industry journals, attending seminars/conferences and even finding a superior mentor to look to for guidance.

It is also likely that software engineers will work on a number of highly classified projects, this will make maintaining confidentiality a central responsibility of a software engineer.

 

Software Engineering Experience

As with many roles, qualifications alone are often not enough for a candidate to secure a job – especially within a field as practical as engineering. Gaining relevant experience can really help applicants gain an edge over their competition – especially applicants that are soon to be or recent graduates. An applicant that has had hands on experience dealing with relevant tasks and software is an appealing prospect to any employer. Many companies that hire software engineers will also have internship opportunities, these can be highly competitive but are a fantastic way of gaining experience and getting your professional foot in the door.

Some software engineers note the value of aspiring software experts developing their own projects to use as evidence of relevant skills. Such projects offer individuals the experience of working on relevant projects and give interviewers a way of assessing an applicant’s skill.

For guidance on work experience/volunteering opportunities available to students and recent graduates, take a look at our blog post – Volunteering Opportunities for Engineering Students and Graduates.

Speak to Engineering Experts

One of the best ways of simplifying a job search is seeking the help of industry experts. Here at BMR Solutions, those seeking software engineering roles can sign up to receive job alerts that are relevant to their specification. This way, an applicant can be certain that they aren’t missing opportunities that could be right up their street.

Regardless of your career stage, the process of finding a new job can be overwhelming, especially for a candidate searching within the engineering field. Without expert guidance, wrapping your head around the breadth of information available online can be tricky. For information and advice on securing a role that’s right for you, contact our team. With years of industry experience and a well-established client base, BMR Solutions are experts in finding perfect candidates for exciting job roles within the engineering and manufacturing field.

Contact BMR Solutions today >

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