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Highest paying jobs that don’t require degrees

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Highest paying jobs that don’t require degrees

The number of students in college has grown from a little under six million in 1965 to just under 20 million now, but that hasn’t prevented a huge skills gap. In the United States, for instance, 75% of employers feel college graduates don’t have the necessary skills to get the job done.

As a result, many companies are looking outside the college ranks for their top talent, looking for people who can do the work even if they don’t have a degree.

Employers are realizing the best way to close the skills gap is through, well, skills. And they’re willing to invest in the right people. Keep reading to learn the highest paying jobs that don’t require degrees, their salaries, what the roles involve, and which courses you can take to land a great position — with or without a degree.

Full Stack Web Developer: $109,668

A Full-Stack Web Developer handles the design and deployment of web applications that companies use to serve their customers and improve their processes. As a Full-Stack Developer, you’d provide solutions involving both front-end and back-end development — designing everything a company needs to release its web app.

Full-Stack Developers have to know how to build the parts of the web and mobile applications that users interact with, as well as the components they don’t see. This requires working with both the design elements that create an effective, comfortable user experience and the technologies that support the app’s function. Some of these include:

  • Web servers and gateways
  • Virtual environments
  • Databases
  • Business logic that governs how the application produces outputs
  • Application programming interfaces (APIs)

All of these elements and more work together, and a Full-Stack Web Developer interweaves them to create a productive app. If you’re ready to start exploring the world of full-stack development, check out our Full-Stack Engineer Career Path.

Network Architect: $107,870

Just like a Commercial Architect designs usable solutions for people working and residing in buildings, a Network Architect designs solutions for the networks people use day-to-day.

A Network Architect is in charge of ensuring that a network is available to users, ready to support an organization’s processes, and secure. As a result, they often have to leverage:

  • Wide area networks (WANs)
  • Software-defined wide-area networking (SD-WAN)
  • Public and private cloud network architectures
  • Hybrid networks
  • On-premises data centers
  • Hybrid data centers involving both on-premise and cloud processing
  • Unified communications systems involving texting, videoconferencing, email, and phone services
  • Network security vendors
  • Network security hardware appliances, such as firewalls

Essential to the performance of a Network Architect’s job is an understanding of the role coding plays in the various systems that make up a network. To get started with computer networking, you can use our Code Foundation’s Career Path.

Cybersecurity Analyst: $95,510

As a Cybersecurity Analyst, you’d use hardware and software to protect an organization’s network and the devices people use to connect to it. A Cybersecurity Analyst also has to ensure the people and devices that connect to the network are what they claim to be and have the right to access any given area of the network.

This requires the use of a wide range of tools, such as:

  • Firewalls
  • Web application firewalls (WAF)
  • Network monitoring solutions
  • Antivirus software
  • Penetration testing systems
  • Encryption tools
  • Virtual private networks (VPNs)

A great place to begin your career as a Cybersecurity Analyst is with our Introduction to Cybersecurity course.

Computer Systems Programmer: $86,550

A Computer Systems Programmer’s day-to-day work involves making sure operating systems are performing well for an organization’s users. Some of the common systems programmers work with include Windows, macOS, and Linux.

The applications and systems that computers run can only work if their operating systems are optimized for their performance. A Computer Systems Programmer adjusts settings and writes code that makes systems run better while reducing vulnerabilities that could threaten the cyber safety of the organization. This programmer may work with programming languages such as:

A knowledge of these languages helps you understand how computers and their software works, as well as discover ways of making them work better. Our full line of courses can prepare you for a lucrative career as a Systems Programmer. You can start with the following courses:

Hardware Engineer: $119,650

A Computer Hardware Engineer works with computer systems, designing, testing, and deploying them to the point where they’re powerful tools for an organization. As opposed to developers, who work more with software, a Hardware Engineer’s job involves the physical tools that make computers run better, faster, and more efficiently.

For example, a Hardware Engineer may be charged with deciding which processors and memory devices do the best job of helping employees perform a specific task. Computer Hardware Engineers also have to help optimize networks by choosing the best components and ensuring they’re configured correctly. As a Hardware Engineer, you may find yourself working with:

  • Circuit boards
  • Processors
  • Memory
  • Servers
  • Routers
  • Access points

Knowing how coding improves the function of hardware devices and the processes they serve is essential to being a successful Hardware Engineer. To start learning about the coding that supports computer systems, you can take our Code Foundations Career Path.

As many companies expand and change by digitizing their processes, results tend to carry more weight than diplomas, and you can definitely earn a high salary without a college degree.  With our courses, you can gain not only the knowledge needed to succeed in these high-paying jobs but also a strong portfolio of work you can bring to the interview to help you stand out — even without a college degree. Get started for free today.

Recent University of Michigan School of Public Health graduate Delaney discusses flexibility, career support, and community in online learning

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Recent University of Michigan School of Public Health graduate Delaney discusses flexibility, career support, and community in online learning

Two years ago, Delaney Preston was just starting her online public health degree, logging on as part of Michigan Public Health’s first cohort of online master’s students in the Population and Health Sciences program. 

Ahead of her graduation, Delaney caught up with the School of Public Health to share what factors made her time studying online such a success: the flexibility of her online degree, the continual support from the School of Public Health team, and the rich community in her online cohort.

The recent grad attributes much of her success to the flexibility of the online degree program. “With this program being online, it was a lot easier to commit to a few live lectures and do the rest when I was ready. It’s easier to stay motivated when I can do the work when I have the time and mental energy to focus on it.”

During her program, Delaney was able to take advantage of professional opportunities that may not have been possible with another master’s program. The online nature of the MPH program allowed her to “[continue taking] these amazing and valuable travel assignments that make my job amazing…I was able to go on trips, gain professional experience, and still keep moving forward with my school work because I could access it from anywhere.”

Since beginning the program, Delaney’s life has changed a lot. She accepted her dream job and moved across the country, from Michigan to Alaska. At the start of her second year in the program, Delaney packed up to join Bristol Bay Area Health Corporation as a Health Educator in the midst of the pandemic, all while continuing her studies online. She explains that, during her job search, she was able to hold out for the role she was most excited about and notes that she was “amazed at the options” she had after a year of study. 

When reflecting on how her education and experiences with Michigan Public Health prepared her for life after graduation she cites the support she received during her time in the program. “When I have had concerns come up in my job that need help with, I brought those into class, to my classmates. And the projects I worked on have been extremely connected to the work that I’m doing at my job.” In addition to getting this support from her program, she was also able to take advantage of guidance from the University of Michigan School of Public Health Career Development Office which is focused on bridging the gap between school training and professional goals.

As Delaney looks back on her time in the Population and Health Sciences program, the thing that surprised her most about the experience is how connected she was able to become to her classmates and professors.

“As an online cohort, we were absolutely still able to connect…All the professors have been so supportive. I felt more support and connection in this master’s program—even being online and four time zones away—than I did in my in-person undergrad experience. I think that has a lot to do with the size of our cohort and often feeling like we’re just having a conversation. In those smaller settings where we’ve got five to 10 classmates, you get to know each other and share opinions and ideas. I’ve been so pleasantly surprised at that connection.”

The Michigan School of Public Health’s Master of Public Health and Master of Science in Population and Health Sciences provide students with flexibility, career support and services, and a passionate, connected community. These factors prepare students like Delaney for a successful future as leaders in the field of public health.

 

5 Ways to Boost Your Productivity and Your Earning Power!

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5 Ways to Boost Your Productivity and Your Earning Power!

Productivity is a very difficult skill to measure. It’s not something you can get a degree in or pass a test to prove you have it. But employers know it when they see it and they value it above almost every other skill an employee can possess. Time is money in every industry and so productivity translates into profit.

Upskilling to become more productive across a wide range of tasks adds up to make you a much more efficient employee in general. When you maximise your time to get the most out of it, your employer will notice that you manage your workload more successfully than others. This makes productivity one of the key attributes for earning promotions because employers want the efficient people running the show and teaching others how to be equally as productive. By taking these five courses, you’ll be taking the first steps towards a well-earned promotion!

Why Do Later What You Can Do Now?

Having the skills required to successfully complete a task is only half the battle to getting things done. Equally as important is the motivation and willpower necessary to get things done promptly and efficiently. Learning to Beat Procrastination will have an immeasurably positive knock-on effect on your career because you’ll find that you not only have more time to get things done, but you’ll have more brain space and energy to devote to your other tasks.

The Need for Speed

The overwhelming majority of jobs require you to type at some stage during the work day. Writing emails, notes, copy – whatever it is that fills your time – you’ll be able to do it a lot more efficiently if you complete our Touch Typing Training course. Countless hours are wasted over the course of a week simply because most employees have never actually taken a course in this fundamental skill that they use everyday!

Saving Time by Writing Minutes!

Taking Meeting Minutes is vital for the successful running of a business because it provides everyone with an accurate record of decisions taken and plans agreed. It facilitates moving forward as much as it documents what has already taken place. Minute taking can be a tricky business in a high octane meeting and so being able to quickly and correctly take down what is being discussed and decided is a skill that will mark you out as an exceptionally efficient employee.

 

Know Your Tools

No matter how well you think you know the software you use on a daily basis, you should always seek out new ways to use it more effectively and productively. This not only increases your personal capacity to work more efficiently, it makes you the workplace expert in a vital area. If you’re the one your colleagues go to with questions about how they can improve their performance, then you’ll stand out for your employers. Google Docs – Increased Productivity is a course that will mark you out as an employee who is truly ahead of the curve.

Time is on Your Side

This course on How to Manage Your Time is not just a great way to improve your work capacity, it’s also a great way to improve your work-life balance. So much time is wasted every day through poor time management which can be easily remedied. Successfully utilising every minute of your work day is the best way to improve your performance and cause your stock to rise with your employer. Good time management won’t just make you a better worker, it will also free up more time for you to enjoy life outside of work

Doubts, Anger and Anxiety: What It’s Like to Go to School Amid Covid-19

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Doubts, Anger and Anxiety: What It’s Like to Go to School Amid Covid-19

Without adequate protections in place, he said, he would have taken a leave of absence.

“We have some real reservations” amid the Delta surge, he said — both for himself, as a teacher, and for their child. “So much is in flux everyday.”

For children and their parents, vaccine mandates for students are very different from mask mandates.

A majority of parents of school-age children do not want schools to require students to get a Covid-19 vaccine in order to attend in-person classes, according to the Kaiser poll. And Florida and five other states have banned vaccination requirements for both students and public employees, like school personnel.

In Hollywood, Fla., which is part of the Broward County school district, Rod Velez, 51, said he supported the county’s mask mandate. But his ninth-grade son, who will attend South Broward High School, does not want to be vaccinated, and Mr. Velez is not forcing him to do so. “He’s going to be learning how to drive soon,” said Mr. Velez, who is a school board candidate. “So I’m trying to push him to start making his own decisions.”

Some families can be persuaded.

Jovan Reed, 35, and her two teenage sons, Raphael and Skylar, were vaccinated Thursday at Frederick Douglass Senior High School in New Orleans. Either the shot or regular virus testing is required for high school extracurricular activities, and both boys play football.

“I’m still skeptical,” Ms. Reed said of the vaccine. “But I’m doing it to be a supportive parent.”

Writing a compelling cybersecurity resume

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Writing a compelling cybersecurity resume
Writing a compelling cybersecurity resume

There are more than 400,000 open positions in cybersecurity right now, according to Cyberseek. Even though employers are actively seeking people with cybersecurity skills, you’ll still need a resume that stands out to land a job — and we’ll show you how to create one.

Types of resumes

Most resumes are chronological, meaning you’d list your work history in reverse chronological order, starting with your most recent position and working your way backward. It’s a good option if you have a strong work history that relates to the cybersecurity position you’re applying for.

But what if you’re new to the field or a career changer? You could try a functional resume, which highlights your skills rather than your work history. In a functional resume, you’d list your skills and abilities, followed by specific examples.

For example, you might have the heading of “Leadership,” and then follow it with examples of how you’ve shown leadership in your academic and work history, even if it’s not directly related to cybersecurity. Here’s an example:

Leadership

Led the team at XYZ retail to the highest sales in the district for three consecutive quarters

Increased donations by 11% while serving on the board of directors for the ABC organization

Founded an organization to serve the homeless in Los Angeles

Another option is a combination resume. With this option, you’d include a section highlighting your skills, followed by a condensed version of your work history. Many recruiters prefer to see your work history, so a combination resume might be the best option for career changers and those new to cybersecurity.

What to include on your resume

All resume types start with your contact information, including your name, address, phone number, and email address. Here’s what you’ll include on the rest of your resume.

Summary or objective

This is a short statement that sums up who you are and what you’re looking for. You’ll want to tailor your summary statement (and the rest of your resume) to target the specific position you’re applying for. For example:

Motivated Cybersecurity Analyst with a track record of leadership seeks to improve the security stance of Acme Systems.

If you have experience in the field, note that in your summary.

Education and certifications

Include your education, including courses you’ve taken independently (like ours). Include any formal education you have beyond high school. If you have cybersecurity certifications, be sure to include those as well.

Experience and skills section

With all types of resumes, you should include a section that highlights your technical skills. If you’re using a chronological resume, you can just list them. With a functional or combination resume, you’ll want to include examples of what you accomplished with those skills.

Technical skills

Also known as hard skills, technical skills are quantifiable, specific, and teachable. Technical skills to include on a cybersecurity resume vary depending on your specific skill set and the position you’re applying for but generally include:

  • Endpoint security
  • Data security
  • Network security
  • Identity management
  • Application security
  • Cloud security
  • Penetration testing
  • Data analysis
  • Threat knowledge
  • Incident handling and response
  • Compliance and auditing
  • Cryptography
  • Automation

You should also include the programming languages you know, such as:

These are also skills to consider learning or brushing up on if you don’t already have a background in them.

Soft skills

Soft skills are harder to teach, but they’re just as important as technical skills. They’re harder to quantify, and if you’re new to cybersecurity, they’re skills you want to emphasize because they’re transferable.

Consider including skills like:

  • Problem-solving
  • Persistence
  • Attention to detail
  • Adaptability
  • Desire to learn
  • Agility
  • Written communication skills
  • Collaboration
  • Determination

If you’re using a chronological resume, you’ll want to emphasize these skills when you explain your work experience. For example, if you worked in retail management, you could discuss a problem that you solved and how you used attention to detail to solve it.

If you’re using a functional or combination resume, you’ll want to provide examples of how you used these skills in your “Skills” section.

Keywords

It’s essential to match your technical and soft skills to those listed in the job posting. In most cases, resumes are screened by automated systems before they reach hiring managers. These programs are looking for specific keywords. You’ll need to update and adjust your resume for each position, so it includes them.

Projects and awards

In the last section, discuss any relevant projects you’ve completed or awards you’ve won. This will help illustrate both your proficiency with your skills and knowledge of the field.

Getting your cybersecurity resume ready

Cybersecurity is a complex industry with many career paths you can take. We can help you start on the path, learn or brush up on specific skills, and prepare you to succeed in your interviews.

If you’re just starting out, consider our beginner-friendly Introduction to Cybersecurity course. It covers:

  • The history of cybersecurity
  • Cyberthreats
  • Cryptography, authentication, and authorization
  • Network security
  • Device security

If you’re looking for something more advanced, consider intermediate courses like User Authentication & Authorization in Express. In this course, you’ll learn the differences between authentication, authorization, and encryption and when to use each option. You’ll also have the chance to complete a password authentication project (which you can include on your resume). The prerequisites for this course are Learn Node.js and Learn Express.

One of the more daunting aspects of finding a cybersecurity position is the technical interview. We can help you get ready with Skill Paths like Pass the Technical Interview with Python and Data Analyst Interview Preparation.

Cybersecurity is a rewarding career that’s constantly evolving, and we’re ready to help you find the perfect job.

Times Newsletters Director Announces Changes

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Times Newsletters Director Announces Changes

Times Insider explains who we are and what we do, and delivers behind-the-scenes insights into how our journalism comes together.

Newsletters have a history even longer than newspapers, and email is several decades older than the web. Despite this lengthy pedigree, email newsletters are having a very buzzy moment — and here at The New York Times, we’re striving to bring even more depth, ambition and scale to our lineup.

This summer marks 20 years since The Times published its first newsletters. We started off in 2001 covering technology, books and finance, among other topics. Some of those newsletters are still thriving, in various incarnations, as part of a portfolio that reaches some 15 million people every week — a number that has surged over the last two years. Flagships such as The Morning and DealBook serve as a destination for readers and a crucial gateway and guide to our journalism, while offering original reporting and analysis.

As the editorial director of Times newsletters, I’ve been thinking with my colleagues about what comes next. How can we break new ground in the inbox and deliver sophisticated coverage of the topics that our readers care about most?

Newsletters are already a core part of our subscriber experience: Nearly half of our subscribers engage with a newsletter every week. This week, we’re pulling back the curtain on a new kind of Times journalism: more than 15 newsletters that will be available only to our subscribers. The goal is to continue developing the inbox as a destination for our journalism, and to add value to a Times subscription.

The first batch focuses on topics that our readers are passionate about, is staffed by journalists with deep expertise and features exciting, diverse new voices. It includes newsroom favorites Well, On Tech, At Home and Away, On Soccer and Watching, and columnists like Paul Krugman and Jamelle Bouie.

It also features a new set of newsletters in Opinion (which remains a completely separate, independent entity, apart from our news operation):

  • John McWhorter, a Columbia University linguist, will explore how race and language shape our politics and culture.

  • Kara Swisher, host of the “Sway” podcast, will open her notebook to track the changing power dynamics in tech and media.

  • Tressie McMillan Cottom, a professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, will offer a sociologist’s perspective on culture, politics and the economics of our everyday lives.

  • Tish Harrison Warren, an Anglican priest, will reflect on matters of faith in private life and public discourse.

  • Peter Coy, a veteran business and economics journalist, will use his decades of expertise to unpack the biggest headlines.

  • Jay Caspian Kang, a wide-ranging cultural critic and New York Times Magazine contributor, will tackle thorny questions about politics, culture and the economy.

  • Jane Coaston, host of “The Argument” podcast, will offer context to and analysis on the biggest debates in sports, politics and history.

All of these subscriber-only newsletters represent a unique collection of talent and expertise in Opinion and the newsroom, assisted by editors, designers, developers, product managers and other specialists.

We’ve spent most of the last year working toward this launch, and more new and revamped newsletters — including a new version of On Politics and a revamped Smarter Living focused on back-to-work issues — will join this initial batch in the coming months.

You can subscribe to Times newsletters here.

15 Software Developer interview questions and answers

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15 Software Developer interview questions and answers

Software development jobs are some of the most in-demand jobs in any industry. Companies need developers, but that doesn’t mean they won’t set the bar high in the interviewing process. A Software Developer interview can be tough and one of the most high-pressure situations of your career, but it doesn’t have to be that way.

Preparing ahead of time by reviewing the type of questions an interviewer is likely to ask can put your mind at ease and help you answer the questions with confidence. In this article, we’ll look at some common Software Developer interview questions and their answers.

Entry-level Software Developer behavioral questions

As an entry-level Software Developer, you can expect some behavioral questions that will help the interviewer understand who you are as a person.

What projects are you currently working on?

Since you’re applying for an entry-level job, the projects you list can be side projects. The interviewer wants to know that you’re actively coding, along with what type of technologies you use, and if you’re passionate about the work.

Why should we hire you for this position?

To answer this question, you’ll want to know about the company you’re applying to. You don’t want to be overconfident and respond with a generic answer like, “Because I’m smart, motivated, and want this job.” Instead, use your knowledge of the company to highlight how you can contribute to their goals.

Where do you see yourself in five years?

This question helps the interviewer determine if you’ll stick around for a while and if your goals match what the company can provide. Answer this question as honestly as possible.

First, you need to know what your long-term goals are. Then, find a connection between those goals and the job description. If the company has different levels of Software Developers, you might say that you want to work toward a mid or senior-level position.

Entry-level Software Developer technical questions

These types of questions will test your understanding of basic software development principles.

What is an abstract class, and why would you use it?

An abstract class is a class that contains abstract methods. These methods have declarations but no implementations. Instead, they’re implemented by sub-classes of the abstract class, which makes them more flexible and easier to customize.

Explain inheritance

Inheritance is when an object or class is based on another object or class and uses the same implementation. For example, you could have both a Car and a Motorcycle class that inherits from a Vehicle class.

What’s the difference between method overriding vs. overloading?

These are both examples of polymorphism. Method overloading is when you have the same method but change its signature, parameters, or return type. Method overriding is when you have a method that belongs to an extended class, and you change its behavior.

Senior-level Software Developer behavioral questions

Senior Software Developer candidates will likely face more complex questions during their interviews. These questions help the interviewer see if you’ve learned from your experiences and added value to companies you’ve worked for in the past.

What’s your biggest professional success so far?

Listing your professional accomplishments before your interview will help you prepare for this question. It helps if you choose those that involved working with a team or adding value to an enterprise.

Tell me about a time in your professional career that you failed

This question can be hard to answer if you aren’t prepared for it, so make a list of your failures before the interview and go through them. The interviewer wants to know that you can acknowledge your weaknesses and take responsibility for your failures.

Still, this question also gives you the chance to show that you know how to make the most of a bad situation. After explaining the problem, follow up with a description of how you resolved it to illustrate your problem-solving ability.

Have you ever identified a potential business problem and proactively implemented a solution?

This question is a test of your ability to handle and resolve unexpected work situations. Companies want a Senior Software Developer who can develop solutions without always relying on guidance.

Senior-level Software Developer technical questions

Senior Software Developer technical questions are usually more in-depth than those asked of junior developers and may include more algorithm and systems questions.

What are the differences between functional and object-oriented programming?

Your answer to this question shows your knowledge of the two main software development paradigms. Here are the differences between the two:

  • Functional programming relies on immutable objects and avoids mutating states. Object-oriented programming depends on state mutation and the in-place modification of objects.
  • The main concept in functional programming is the function. In object-oriented programming, it’s the class.

What sort would you use if you required tight max time bounds and wanted highly regular performance?

I would use a Balanced Tree Sort because it’s guaranteed to have an O(n log n) runtime.

How would you scale access to a system like Twitter?

There’s no exact answer to a question like this. The interviewer just wants to determine if you have systems design knowledge. Most of the time, questions like this are vague, and the interviewer expects you to ask for requirements to narrow down your answer.

Depending on those requirements, your answer could be something like this:

“I would maintain a cache for each users’ feed. Then use an asynchronous queue service to handle message consumption to update the feed cache and call push services. Because each push job is stateless, it’s linearly scalable by adding more workers to consume the queue.”

Questions to ask during a Software Developer interview

You should also ask your own questions during the interview to show the interviewer that you’re truly interested in the company. Here are some questions to consider asking during your Software Developer interview:

Why do you enjoy working here?

This question helps you determine if you’ll be a good fit for the company. It’ll also give you a sense of the organization’s structure and the personality of your future manager. If their answer doesn’t align with the type of work you enjoy, then maybe the job isn’t right for you.

What are the biggest challenges facing the team right now?

Asking this question demonstrates that you care about the direction the company is taking and your motivation to contribute to organizational goals.

Is there room for growth?

If you ask this question, it shows the interviewer that you’ll be a motivated employee who wants to move up the ladder and develop new skills. It also shows you plan to stay with the company long-term.

Preparing for a Software Developer interview

By reviewing Software Developer interview questions, you’ll be more relaxed in your next interview and confident that you can answer any questions that come up with ease. Using the questions above is a good way to get started.

For technical Software Developer interviews based on a specific programming language, you may want to check out the following courses:

To learn more about the interview process itself, check out our article on the differences between behavioral and technical interviews, as well as our complete guide on how to ace a technical interview. And for the ultimate interview prep, you can take a course from the interview prep section of our course catalog.

What jobs can you get with coding skills?

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What jobs can you get with coding skills?
What jobs can you get with coding skills?

In today’s business environment, coding makes the world go round. Anytime a business needs to use software or databases to address a challenge, they depend on the work of programmers.

The range of jobs you can get with coding skills is vast. A trained programmer often has their pick of companies, industries, and areas of the world to choose from. Below, we’ll explore some of the most popular types of jobs you can get with coding skills, what each one entails, and what you’ll need to know to get started.

Software Application Developer

A Software Application Developer builds solutions that allow businesses to computerize, automate, and improve their processes. Software Developers may work alone or with a team to build, test, and maintain applications.

It’s also common for a Software App Developer to work with upper management to ensure the solutions they create align with high-level objectives. This requires not just coding but also presentation and communication skills as well.

If you’re interested in pursuing a career as a Software Developer, you can use our courses to gain a basic or in-depth knowledge of coding languages. These include:

Web Developer

A Web Developer designs effective, helpful, and revenue-generating websites for organizations. With web development coding skills, you can work for virtually any company in the world, as many different kinds of organizations need websites.

As a Web Developer, you can expect to work with coding languages like JavaScript, Python, HTML, and CSS, among others. You’ll use these languages to build new web applications, improve existing websites, or add features to them to help the business earn more or improve its processes.

Database Administrator

A Database Admin finds ways of storing, organizing, and securing data so companies can use it to guide their progress. This requires basic knowledge of database languages and those used to build apps databases interface with, such as Java, Python, and SQL.

The security aspect of a Database Administrator’s job may require you to have a working knowledge of security protocols and tools, including:

  • Firewalls
  • Web application firewalls
  • Antimalware

Aspiring Database Administrators can benefit from our Learn SQL course and Analyze Data with SQL and Analyze Business Data with SQL Skill Paths.

Software Quality Assurance Engineer

While software is being developed, and after it has been released, a Quality Assurance (QA) Engineer has to make sure it meets the organization’s standards, achieves key objectives, and satisfies its users.

To do this, a QA Engineer will document issues the software has, test how well it works, and develop manuals to help make it more user-friendly.

A QA Engineer may also test a software’s design, looking for issues with functionality or usability, along with factors like:

  • How well the software addresses the primary challenge it was designed for
  • Bugs that may inhibit its performance
  • Vulnerabilities that may open the way for hackers or malware

Network Administrator

A Network Administrator develops and maintains the networks that support an organization’s communication, collaboration, and core business functions. This involves designing networks from scratch, adding components to improve network performance, adjusting the settings of existing components, and more.

A Network Administrator may also work with technologies and environments such as:

  • Local area networks (LANs)
  • Wide area networks (WANs)
  • Software-defined networks (SD-WAN)
  • Routers
  • Servers
  • Switches
  • Network defense tools such as firewalls and antivirus and anti malware software
  • Cloud networks
  • Container-based development ecosystems

To learn the skills you’ll need as a Network Admin, consider taking courses like:

Computer Systems Engineer

A Computer Systems Engineer is called on to create and adjust computer systems to meet the needs of an organization. This involves choosing the right operating systems, servers, workstations, and more.

A Computer Systems Engineer also identifies and addresses issues impacting the daily use of software and hardware-based systems as they arise. Also, if a system needs to be updated — either with software or hardware — it’s the Systems Engineer that would coordinate any necessary rollouts and installations.

Computer Systems Analyst

A Computer Systems Analyst ensures a business’ computer systems are ready and able to achieve organizational goals. In many cases, this involves studying an existing system and figuring out how it can be improved to help the company.

As a Computer Systems Analyst, you need to have a firm grasp on coding languages such as:

With these languages, you can adjust how a systems’ components interact with each other, process data, and more.

Business Intelligence Analyst

As a Business Intelligence Analyst, you’d carefully assess the current position of a business, compare it to where executives need it to go, and then figure out which software can help them get there. Much of the job involves research and a deep understanding of the capabilities of different applications.

A Business Intelligence Analyst needs coding skills to understand how different programs work. Coding skills also help a Business Intelligence Analyst adjust open source solutions to better address the business’ objectives.

To excel as a Business Intelligence Analyst, you should have a solid grasp of:

To get a comfortable grasp of R and how it can help you as a Business Analyst, you can check out our Learn R course.

To get the coding skills you need to land one of the jobs listed above, you can rely on us. Our comprehensive selection of programming courses, Skill Paths, and Career Paths will prepare you to succeed in the job you want. We’ll also help you create a portfolio of projects you can use to showcase your abilities during the interview process. To discover what we can do for you, you can get started for free today!

How much do Game Developers make?

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How much do Game Developers make?

If you’re passionate about gaming, being a Game Developer could be an ideal career choice. It’d allow you to spend your workdays developing and testing innovative new games. Plus, the gaming market is expected to exceed $200 billion by 2023, according to Newzoo, so the job security in this field is strong.

But how much can you expect to earn as a Game Developer? Let’s take a look at a typical salary for Game Developers, what influences their salaries, and what skills you need to succeed in the field.

How much does a Game Developer make?

According to ZipRecruiter, the national average salary for a Game Developer is $101,644. The national hourly rate is $49. On average, a Game Developer’s pay typically ranges from $36.06 per hour to $62.02 per hour.

What influences a Game Developer’s salary?

Many factors influence how much you’re paid as a Game Developer, including the type of company you work for, where you’re located, and how much experience you have. Here’s a deeper look at these three key areas.

Type of company

One of the biggest factors that’ll influence your salary as a Game Developer is the type of company you work for.

Some Game Developers freelance, which means they can pick and choose which projects to work on throughout the year. Others create games on their own or work with independent companies on a contract basis.

While developing your own games or working with a small indie studio gives you a certain amount of freedom, it can also be stressful — and funding is often uncertain, so salaries can vary significantly, according to The Verge.

Others work for AAA game companies like Nintendo, Electronic Arts, Rockstar Games, or Ubisoft. While freelancing offers a degree of freedom, working for large companies like these offers both stability and a larger audience for your games. You’ll also have more opportunities to advance in your role.

What’s the downside to working for a larger company? You may feel like you have less creative freedom or that your individual contributions don’t have as much of an impact.

Ultimately, you have a lot of options when it comes to the type of company you can work for as a Game Developer, and those choices will influence your salary. But you certainly don’t have to stick with just one. You may want to start with a larger company to gain experience and sharpen your skills, and then branch out on your own and start developing your own games.

Location

Salaries vary significantly by location in any field, and game development is no exception. According to ZipRecruiter, the top cities for game development salaries are Santa Clara, San Francisco, and Fremont, all in California.

Of course, these are also cities with a high cost of living, so that’s a factor to keep in mind as well. While many gaming companies have shifted to remote work, according to State of the Game Industry 2020: Work from Home Edition, many also feel that has made them less productive. Some companies may shift back to in-person work, while others may remain remote.

In other words, there may be opportunities to live in lower-cost-of-living areas, which can help you make the most of your salary.

Experience

As with any career, you’ll earn more as you gain experience and take on larger roles. According to ZipRecruiter, Senior Game Developers make an average annual salary of $113,296, which is $11,652 more than the average salary for a Game Developer.

Skills needed for game development

To be a Game Developer, you need to master both technical and soft skills. Below, we’ll explore some of the skills you’ll use daily in this field.

Technical skills

Some technical skills to master include:

  • Programming languages: Game Developers often know multiple programming languages. These include C#, Java, and Python.
  • Game frameworks and engines: Game frameworks are a collection of tools and libraries that help you build customized games. Game engines are more developed and have many of the tools in place ready to create games. You’ll need to know a popular engine or framework to get started in game development. Popular game engines include Unity, Unreal Engine, and Amazon Lumberyard. A popular framework for browser games is Phaser.
  • 2D and 3D modeling: You’ll also need to model assets using tools like Blender.
  • Prototyping and testing: If you’ve ever alpha- or beta-tested a game, you know they have bugs. As a Game Developer, you’ll need to develop prototypes and testing plans to ensure that your games work as smoothly as possible.

Soft skills

Soft skills are harder-to-quantify skills that are critical to your success and career advancement. If you have excellent technical skills as a Game Developer, but you don’t work well with others or have trouble communicating your ideas, you’ll have a difficult time advancing and improving your salary.

Here are some of the soft skills you’ll need as a Game Developer:

  • Collaboration: Games are typically developed in teams. You’ll need to know how to work with others, how to give and receive feedback, and be willing to help out teammates who need assistance.
  • Problem-solving: You’ll spend a lot of time solving problems, and many won’t have obvious solutions. You’ll need to be able to evaluate problems and decide what steps to take to get things working again.
  • Leadership: You’ll need to be willing to take responsibility and see projects through to the end. Even if you don’t have a management or senior position, you can show leadership in your daily responsibilities and help keep up morale in tough times.

Making the most of your career as a Game Developer

Working as a Game Developer is a dream career for many, and there are several skills to master. Our team has developed courses and Skill Paths to help you get started or sharpen your skills to advance in your career.

Create Video Games with Phaser.js is our beginner-friendly Skill Path. You’ll learn the basics of JavaScript to build out a Phaser game from scratch, as well as how to add animation, visual effects, and more to your game.

We also have courses on individual programming skills for beginners and intermediate coders that you can consider taking, like:

Learning a new programming language can build up your skillset and allow you to take your gaming development to a new level.

Ready to advance or start a career that’s personally and professionally fulfilling? We’re ready to help. Learn how to use Phaser.js to create games with our robust series of lessons, quizzes, and projects.

5 best work from home jobs

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5 best work from home jobs
5 best work from home jobs

Working from home brings the best of both worlds, allowing you to support yourself and your family without leaving home. This means no stressful, time-consuming commute and more time and energy to devote to the place and people that matter most.

Best of all, with the surge in tech jobs, there are many you can do without even walking out the front door. Read on to learn the best jobs you can do from home and how we can help you land the right one for you.

1. Cloud Solutions Architect

A Cloud Solutions Architect earns around $135,147 a year in the U.S. They ensure companies have cloud environments and tools that enable them to accomplish their goals. Because the job of a Cloud Solutions Architect mainly involves remotely accessed tools, it’s a great job to do from home.

The array of cloud solutions available are as varied as the challenges faced by businesses. A Solutions Architect can handle everything from communication to application design to security measures. One of the most common challenges a Cloud Architect has to meet is helping an organization digitize its processes.

While many already use services like email, texting, and video conferencing, some businesses need to digitize more of their processes to thrive. This may include how they develop applications, their communication systems, how they gain and manage leads, and applications that help their specific business run.

A Cloud Solutions Architect is responsible for introducing and deploying cloud services, training staff, and maintaining their cloud solutions.

The programming language Go is a popular cloud solution tool that’s supported by Google. With our Learn Go course, you can get started with Go so you can begin designing cloud solutions from home.

2. Database Administrator

In the U.S., Database Administrators bring home an average of $89,889 a year as they design and maintain the databases companies use to collect and use data. As a Database Administrator, you’d help organizations discover ways to use the data they generate on a daily basis, as well as other data they can glean by carefully studying their processes and target markets.

The key to a Database Administrator’s job is communicating ways to leverage data-based insights. Because you can do this using videoconferencing tools, being a Database Admin is a great work-from-home job.

Plus, the tools you’ll use while designing and working with databases can all be used from the comfort of your home. Even if a company stores or processes data on an on-premise server, you can connect to it with a secure VPN.

As a Database Admin, you’ll need to be adept with coding languages such as SQL, Python, R, and C++. To get started with these languages, check out the courses below:

3. DevOps Engineer

A DevOps Engineer earns around $120,377 every year as they design and manage website applications and platforms. As a DevOps Engineer, you may often work with cloud-based infrastructures, ensuring a solution is optimized for your company.

Within the DevOps framework, you’ll have to work with other developers and stakeholders throughout the production process. With so many conferencing and collaboration tools available, doing this from home can be easy.

As a DevOps Engineer, you’ll want to have several coding languages in your tech stack. CSS, HTML, and Python are particularly common tools employed in the DevOps process. With our tailored programs, you can learn these with courses like Learn CSS, Learn HTML, and Learn Python.

4. Cybersecurity Systems Engineer

Earning about $108,003 a year, a Cybersecurity Systems Engineer is in charge of making sure a company has the tools they need to be safe from cyber threats.

As a Cybersecurity Systems Engineer, you’ll have to study an organization’s network infrastructure — both what they have on-premise and in the cloud — and find ways to protect their digital assets. To do so, you’ll need to use technologies like firewalls and anti-malware.

If Cybersecurity Systems Engineer sounds like the role for you, take your first steps into the field with our Introduction to Cybersecurity course.

5. Systems Administrator

A Systems Administrator makes sure computer systems are functioning as they should and can handle a company’s workloads under a variety of conditions. Systems Admins earn around $75,185 a year, ensuring the digital backbone of an organization is up to par.

Along with managing operating systems, cloud solutions, and networks, System Admins are also often in charge of backup infrastructure. Backup infrastructure makes it easier for a company to recover after a natural disaster or security breach. Because Systems Admins maintain these systems, they often work with Cybersecurity Engineers and Cloud Solution Architects.

To become a Systems Administrator, you’ll need to have a solid foundation in the languages that computer systems use to execute their programming. As more and more companies shift key operations to the cloud, a skill set that includes programming languages used for cloud development is also helpful.

In our Learn Java course, you can learn the basics of one of the most popular languages in the world used by many common computer systems. With a background in Java, you can understand how computer systems interact with a wide range of applications, helping companies while you work from your home office.

You can enjoy our interactive courses from home, just like these great jobs. The skills you’ll obtain are only part of the benefit, as you’ll also get to build a portfolio to support your resume while applying for work from home jobs. You can begin with us today, free of charge.