Career Close Up: Applications Developer

Job description

An applications developer writes/modifies programs for a variety of technical, commercial and business users. These applications can then be bought off the shelf, or tailored to support specific client activity.

The role involves taking instructions, usually in written or diagrammatic form, and translating them into a language ('code') upon which computers can act. Working in teams with other programmers and IT professionals, they usually specialise in a few code languages, which specifically relate to the business area in which they work.

Applications developers (also known as applications programmers) may also offer end users technical support.

Typical work activities

The principal function is to apply knowledge of programming techniques and computer systems to write a computer program to perform various tasks in accordance with agreed specifications. Activities typically include:

  • establishing a detailed program specification through discussion with clients;
  • clarifying precisely what actions the program is intended to perform;
  • breaking down program specification into its simplest elements and translating this logic into a programming language;
  • devising possible solutions to problems and evaluating options;
  • working frequently within a team (that may be established purely for a particular project) to write a specific section of the program;
  • combining all elements of the program design and testing it;
  • creating examples of the data that the program is designed to process and working out what the program should do to the data;
  • testing sample data sets to check that output from the program works as intended;
  • seeking out problems and correcting the program as necessary;
  • installing the program and conducting final testing;
  • studying computer printouts during test runs;
  • evaluating the program's effectiveness;
  • increasing program operating efficiency and adapting to new requirements, as necessary;
  • conducting user acceptance testing to ensure that the program can be easily, quickly and accurately used by the operators (eg, in a call centre context);
  • recreating steps taken by user to locate sources of problems;
  • starting from fundamental knowledge of hardware design and operating systems to design a game from basics (in games design);
  • writing detailed documentation for the operation of the program by users and computer operators;
  • consulting manuals, periodicals and technical reports to learn new ways to develop programs.

Salary and Conditions

  • Range of typical starting salaries: £15,000 - £28,000, with the higher range relating to work in management consultancy (salary data collected May 04).
  • Range of typical salaries at senior level/with experience (eg, after 10-15 years in the role): £24,000 - £60,000. Again the higher range relates to London-based management consultancy (salary data collected May 04).
  • Royalties are also paid to games programmers, although these are not likely to be substantial amounts of money.
  • The size of installation, location and the nature of the employer's business can affect salary. Computer manufacturers, software houses, as well as the finance centre of London, usually pay higher salaries.
  • Working hours are typically nine to five, but frequently involve extra hours. Substantial overtime, sometimes paid, is generally required in the weeks immediately prior to a major project going live.
  • The role may also require you to be on-call to correct any technical problems that may affect customer service.
  • The work is largely office-based, although travel to visit clients may be required, particularly within consultancy work.
  • Career breaks, part-time work and self-employment through contracting are possible once experience is gained.
  • The occupation is equally open to men and women, although at present men considerably outnumber women.
  • Jobs are available in most areas, but the majority are in major population centres.
  • A high level of commitment is expected because of the high costs of projects and tight deadlines, but within that the work environment and dress code tend to be informal, depending on the amount of client contact.
  • Stress increases with the approach of a deadline and the expectation will be for staff to put in the hours of work necessary to complete the work to time constraints.
  • Travel within a working day, absence from home at night and overseas travel may be occasionally required. There is more travel involved in installation and implementation work.

Entry Requirements

Although this area of work is open to all graduates, the following degree subjects may increase your chances:

All subjects with a high computing content may be useful. Some larger employers will offer training to non-IT graduates, but small firms will expect graduates to be already fully competent in this area. For games programming, maths and computing science will be the most useful, but in other contexts business and management is equally as well regarded.

Although some employers, particularly software houses, will only recruit graduates with relevant degrees, there are many opportunities for those without relevant degrees or diplomas. Most end-users, for example, do not specify particular subjects of study. An IT conversion course (MSc Computer Science) may be helpful for those without a computing degree.

You must be able to think logically, work methodically and pay attention to detail to produce unambiguous code. You also need to be creative in thinking and design in some contexts, business-minded in others and able to see the potential for IT in the organisations to which you apply. An interest in solving problems is required, as is considerable patience in order to see a program through to completion if it fails the first time.

In general, there is a high demand for the most talented and best-qualified candidates, but also competition for highly sought after posts. An aptitude test is frequently part of the selection process and a satisfactory score is normally required. It is a good idea to talk to programmers about the work. Applications can be made by responding to specific advertisements or by applying speculatively to suitable employers.

Career Development

Many graduates going into an IT career find themselves initially undertaking programming work - and it is one of the best starting points for a career in IT. There is frequently a need for staff to be multi-skilled, so you are also likely to gain experience in systems analysis or systems design. After about two or three years, people tend to move into the next area. Career development depends on the context, but could lie in specialisation, management or contracting.

Some develop their expertise within a particular type of application such as databases or by using one software package. This could be a very limited career option in many organisations, although it would suit people who wish to become one of a small number of experts in a specific field.

Some move into project management, replacing their detailed perspective with an overview, and take on responsibility for supervising teams of programmers and for the overall design and specification of a project.

Within the computer games industry, developers may focus on management, or on running all the programming on one particular game or on one particular platform, eg PC or Play Station. There is very little scope for contracting in this area due to issues of commercial sensitivity.

The other option is to become self-employed through contracting. Typically, contractors would act as system developers, discussing needs with users, analysing requirements and writing and implementing the resultant programs.

Both the British Computer Society (BCS) and the Institution of Analysts and Programmers (IAP) will be able to provide up-to-date information on career moves and areas of development.

Source: Adapted from Prospects.ac.uk - the UK's official graduate careers website. Graduate Prospects works in partnership with the Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Services (AGCAS) to maximise the opportunities and support available to all students and graduates throughout their career search. For more details visit www.prospects.ac.uk and www.agcas.org.uk.