General discussion

  • Creator
    Topic
  • #2073959

    communication skills

    Locked

    by lucik ·

    There are often an “excellent communication skills” demand
    in job demands for programmers.

    From my restricted experience I know
    that programmers are rather bad communicator,
    except with other programmers and about their programs.

    So what does the demand mean?

    Is programmer supposed
    to work at help desk, to be native or something else?

    Should the skill be the same as journalist, priesthood,
    and politicians have?

    And how can a firm benefit from the skill?

    Sergey.

All Comments

  • Author
    Replies
    • #3779097

      communication skills

      by elaine d. ·

      In reply to communication skills

      I think the key to the answer is what you mentioned, that programmers are typically poor communicators with others who don’t speak their language. Companies posting this seem to be looking for folks who can break this stereotype?

      I’d guess that the people posting jobs requesting that programmers have excellent communications skills are looking for folks who can be more than just a stare-at-the-screen-all-day programmer and be a part of the business and office.

      In most situations, programmers need to be able to communicate with those people who need the programs. Programmers need to figure out what they need and communicate back that their needs will be met with the program. Why would a company care if you can create a wonderful, wonderful system, but it doesn’t meet their business needs?

      More and more, companies are doing things with teams, so a programmer needs to be able to work well in a team environment, and communication skills are part of this. Why would a company want team players inste

    • #3779096

      communication skills

      by elaine d. ·

      In reply to communication skills

      [… 1000 words comes quickly… ]

      More and more, companies are doing things with teams, so a programmer needs to be able to work well in a team environment, and communication skills are part of this. Why would a company want team players instead of lone wolfs? Well, for one, today’s world moves so fast, if new programs aren’t out there *now* they’re quickly obsolete. Why would a company care if you can create the best system in the world all on your own, but it takes three years to create it? They might be out of business before they can reap the rewards.

      I could go on forever… Hope it helps some.

Viewing 1 reply thread