Pros
I think that software development is a very creative job. But the advantage of software development is that the artistic part, the elegance, is hidden away deeply, it’s not usually a very outwardly creative profession. There are plenty of parts that are outwardly creative, like the UI/UX and perhaps documentation you provide as part of the application. But you need a fellow code connoisseur to appreciate why you chose one design pattern over the other or how you laid out certain pieces of code. Those parts are intensely creative and hard to recognize them. There’s something about taking a complex problem and finding the most simple and elegant solution for it. That problem solving skill in itself is intensely creative and hard to recognize. The further you abstract away from code, which in itself is not very tangible, makes that you have a very select audience that have the opportunity to enjoy your creation. It’s very select art . Software Developers also benefit from the flexible nature of their work. In most cases, Software Developers only need a reliable internet connection and computer to complete their day-to-day tasks. This often translates into work from home or work from anywhere options. Many Software Developers also gain flexibility in the specific times they work with some regularly working early bird or night owl hours. This flexibility totally depends on your organization and their policies, however, the opportunities for such schedules are much more prevalent among Software Developers than other occupations. The top perk of building a career in Software Development is the high pay and number of job openings. Software Developers also benefit from the flexible nature of their work. In most cases, Software Developers only need a reliable internet connection and computer to complete their day-to-day tasks. This often translates into work from home or work from anywhere options. Many Software Developers also gain flexibility in the specific times they work with some regularly working early bird or night owl hours. This flexibility totally depends on your organization and their policies, however, the opportunities for such schedules are much more prevalent among Software Developers than other occupations.
Cons
No matter what job you have, there will be downsides and the same is true for a career in Software Development. The most cited downside of the field is the overwhelming amount of work you will be faced with completing. Remember, high job demand can only be supported when there is a high demand of work and that is truly the case with Software Developers. As a Software Developer, you should expect to work erratic hours and consistent overtime to meet schedule demands. You may also be expected to juggle several time-intensive projects at once and be on-call in the event something breaks in your code. You will also never stop learning. While we would argue that no one should ever stop learning in their fields, this is especially true for Software Developers. New languages and tools are constantly coming out and being at the top of your game is imperative to earning the high dollar and stable jobs you seek. Similarly, you need to advocate for yourself and your own professional advancement. Often times you will be a team of one or a few and you may not have a supervisor that is a Software Developer, this means you won’t necessarily gain direction for how to grow. You will either need to find a mentor or a community of Software Developers that will help you navigate a continual path forward. Software Developers often need to explain what they do to non-tech people. This can be especially frustrating when you are trying to explain why a task may take longer than a customer would anticipate or you need additional budget to finish a project to scope and on-time. You can’t rely on your technical lexicon to win the case and you can’t revert to repeating the same generic issues, so you need to get creative with your language and defense tactics. The communication and interpersonal skills required for this are often a struggle for many talented Software Developers to hone.