How learning to code can boost your career

Coding is a word that seems to have exploded on the scene recently. Not surprising, really, as a lot of businesses seem to be catching on to social media, websites and so the call for coders has never been more urgent!

What is it?

While the word may have been brandished around, you are probably thinking: what exactly is coding? Coding is often described as a language for computers. With this, you can build web designs and pages from scratch. Sounds simple enough, but if you view the HTML of a web-page (click on view, then source), you will realise how complex it can be!

What’s the point in it?

So, why is it so important? With businesses increasingly reliant on technology to boost their company, brilliant coders are in high demand. If you are looking for a bigger salary, coders are often paid very well, especially since very few have this skill on their CV.

Even if you don’t want to be a coder, 60% of employers look favourably on the skill. Lots of companies value the ability to understand their company as a whole and it is always an advantage to know the basics of how it was built. It also creates a point of interest when you have a unique skill on your CV and could get you an interview based on this alone! Even if you don’t actively use it in your job, it shows you are committed to learning new things and have problem solving skills as a result.

However, coding is no easy task so you have to be passionate and completely committed to it! A project set up by the Year of Code is an initiative to get more people involved in coding, so if you are willing to take the plunge, their website is a great place to start!

Do you think learning to code can boost your career? Let us know in the comments below.

Photo: hackNY.org / Flickr

Charlotte Hobbs

Currently writing for multiple publications and also dabbles in social media marketing. Interested in a mix of lifestyle, relationships, careers and current affairs topics.