It can be hard to find time for professional development when you're a full-time employee, and it's also difficult to work up the motivation to practice your technical skills without a boss who may not want to provide the opportunity. You can also check for the software productivity archives through The Mad Dev.
However, according to the author of this article, practicing your software engineering skills is essential for career growth.
Basic Technical Skills Everyone Should Know
As a software engineer, you’ll need to be familiar with a variety of programming languages and tools. Here are some essential technical skills that you should know:
– Programming Languages: You’ll need to know at least one mainstream programming language, like Java or Python. If you want to specialize in a certain area of software development, you may also want to learn one or more specialized languages.
– Development Tools: In addition to programming languages, you’ll need tools like source control systems (such as Git or Mercurial) and databases (like MySQL or MongoDB). These tools help you keep track of your code, manage changes, and store data.
– Networking Skills: As a software engineer, you’ll likely need to connect your computer to the internet. To do this, you’ll need to know how to use common networking protocols (such as TCP/IP).
– Security Skills: As a software engineer, you’ll be responsible for protecting your work against unauthorized access. To do this, you’ll need to understand basic security concepts (like cryptography) and learn how to protect your computer against attack).