3 Things You Don’t Know About Software Developers

What’s to know about software developers? They develop software, right? Sure, but let’s delve a little deeper: How do they do it? Why do they do it? And what motivates them to keep doing it?

We talked to a couple of software developers to gain a deeper understanding of who they are are. Check out what they had to say:

They are not Robots

Software developers spend their days interfacing with high-tech computer systems and stringing together line after line of code not intended for human consumption. But they aren't machines themselves! They are most definitely human, and highly creative ones at that. Code is their medium – it takes plenty of imagination, style and problem solving (and maybe a few rounds of ping pong) to get to the user-friendly finished product.

“Programming is a creative pursuit, like writing or art,” says Marianne Belloti, CTO at Exversion. “People tend to assume that we're purely analytical and can just be told what to build. In reality, we like to put our own personal stamp on what we're building.”

[Read: 7 Things You Need to Attract Awesome Software Developers]

 They Do It for the User

Just like the chef who doesn’t want to cook a gourmet meal that no one will ever eat, developers don’t want to create software that no one will ever use. They want their efforts to have a meaningful result for as many people as possible.

“I’d love to tinker with the latest and greatest technology,” says Jesse Pelayo, a product manager and software engineer at CyberCoders. “But if it’s not going to be used by anyone, it gets old real quick. I find fulfillment in creating and designing software that is being used and values by many people.”

They Need Recognition

Just like anyone else, software developers need to know that their hard work does not go unnoticed and unappreciated. A nice paycheck and good perks go a long way, but there is nothing like a pat on the back to boost motivation.

“Most developers usually shy away from the limelight, but they don’t necessarily want to be stuck in the basement either,” Pelayo says. “I value knowing that what I create benefits the company and that every level above me has an appreciation and respect for the services I provide."