Career: Computer Software Engineers

You’re on vacation with your family, and just as you lay down on the beach it hits you -- you forgot to mail those bills your mom asked you to drop in the mailbox as you ran for the bus the other day. Not to worry, thanks to a software engineer (and a nearby Internet cafe), your mom can pay those same bills online and avoid any late fees.

Software engineers instruct computers how to perform functions like online bill-paying through step-by-step processes of programming and problem solving.

Computer software engineers combine their expertise in computer science, engineering, and math to design, develop, and test software for home, school, and business use.

Did You Know?

• Software engineers usually begin their careers testing ongoing designs, but with greater experience they eventually design and develop software.

Are You Ready To...?

• Try several approaches to the same programming problems
• Spend many hours debugging programs
• Keep up with a constantly changing and growing technology by reading and taking classes
• Be patient and tactful, but also relentless in getting the job done
• Work as part of a team

It Helps to Be...

Someone who pays attention to details and can handle more than one task at a time. You’ll need to work independently, but also with a team of other engineers. And you’ll need to be a good listener if you’re going to understand what clients and users need your software to do.

Make High School Count

• Take as much advanced math and science as your high school offers.
• Sign up for computer science classes. If your high school doesn’t offer any, look into summer classes for precollege students at local two- or four-year colleges.
• Consider summer computer science camp programs like MIT’s Women’s Technology Program.
• Pay attention to your foreign language studies. You’ll need to catch on quickly to new computer languages, and you may end up working for an international company where speaking more than one human language may come in handy.

Did You Know?

• After several years of experience, you may have the skills to start your own computer consulting business.

Outlook

According to government economists, software engineers are in the top ten when it comes to predicted job growth through 2014. For the most success in the job hunt, combine at least a bachelor’s degree in computer engineering or computer science with practical experience in a job or internship.

Compensation

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, software engineers who specialized in applications earned an average salary of $82,000 in 2006. Those who specialized in systems software averaged $87,250.