Five hard truths about software engineering

Software engineering is a job that’s become increasingly in demand. And it is an occupation that can be very well paid.

However, finding success in this career is not always easy - whether you work freelance or for a company. Here are just a few hard truths every software engineer needs to accept before getting stuck in.

You can’t build fast with a tiny team

The best way to build software fast is to increase manpower. This is something that many small software startups are reluctant to accept - instead resorting to working around the clock or cutting back on testing in order to achieve deadlines.

If you’re a software engineer that is thinking of starting their own business, don’t expect to get things done fast without hiring some help. Fortunately, there are many tools that you can use to outsource a dedicated development team. This is much cheaper than hiring employees and you can be more flexible with the talent you hire depending on the project.

Cutting corners will cost you in the long run

In order to make good progress, it can be very tempting to cut corners - but this almost always has negative repercussions in the future. Many developers put off dealing with certain bugs and faults until a later date, only to be burdened with finding solutions at the last minute.

In other cases, poorly designed and poorly tested software can end up being released to the public, resulting in criticism and major updates being needed. This is sometimes referred to as technical debt. All in all, it’s better to do things thoroughly from the start, no matter how frustrating it may seem.

Users will always find a way to break your software

No matter how bulletproof you think your software is, the user will find a way to break it. You therefore be prepared to come back and fix things that you never thought would ever need to be fixed.

To ensure your software remains robust and resilient, it's essential to have a skilled team readily available for maintenance and updates. Embracing software staff augmentation services can provide the expertise and flexibility needed to address unforeseen issues and continuously improve your software. You can swiftly address user reported problems and implement necessary fixes, ensuring your software delivers a seamless experience to your users despite any challenges that arise.

Of course, being thorough while building software can reduce the chance of users finding faults. However, you should accept that software is always a work in progress and that no code is perfect.

Even veteran software engineers experience imposter syndrome

As a new software engineer, you won’t know everything - and there may be moments where you feel completely out of your depth and confused. As you gain experience, you will learn to doubt yourself less.

However, there will still be moments of imposter syndrome where you feel you are not equipped to deal with a problem. Being prepared to continuously learn and seek help from others is important. Software is a rapidly changing field and you will need to try new things in order to keep with new trends.

Finding a healthy work/life balance isn’t easy

All software engineers work overtime at some point, and many even pull all-nighters to meet deadlines. There will be times when you find it hard to socialise or spend time with family because the demands of work are so high.

Although this is the nature of the job, it doesn’t mean that you cannot have a life outside of work. In fact, it’s essential that you find time for yourself - even if it does mean constantly playing catch-up at work.

If you do find yourself on the edge of burnout, don’t be afraid to take a break. No software is worth sacrificing your health for.