When some people think of coding, what comes to mind is Moss from the IT Crowd or Gilfoyle from Silicon Valley, people who you would describe as having minimal social skills. However, this couldn’t be further from the truth. There’s an incredibly diverse group of developers within the tech industry who all come from different walks of life and have different personalities, just like in any other industry. 

We’re going to discuss a few more of the misconceptions like the above within this blog.

Myth: Coders are anti-social 

Unfortunately, the myth of programmers being antisocial is still very much part of our culture.

We wouldn’t be able to do what we do at Northcoders and in tech without the community. Having a conversation and speaking to those who have more experience than us, and imparting our own knowledge to those who are just starting their journey within the industry is vital. We all have to collaborate and effective communication skills are critical.

Myth: You need to be a genius 

Another one we get quite often is that all coders must be geniuses. The vast majority of us aren’t, it’s not a necessity!

You may feel we memorise all the languages we write in and that isn’t true. Google is one of our friends within code and can be duly relied upon. We are never expecting anybody to memorise all of the keywords and all the functions that a language is capable of producing.

Myth: Coding is boring

People who work outside of the coding environment often perceive computer programming as a boring job that involves writing endless lines of code. They couldn’t be more wrong!

From programming robots, to creating our own worlds using Minecraft, there are endless opportunities to code in a variety of different industries. The tools of technology are like the paintbrushes of the 21st century, the sky's the limit with the creative careers and opportunities that can come from it. 

There are also various different ways to fix a bug so every coder has the ability to use their own personal flair. A fun and engaging coding website is listed below for you to try: code.org/learn

Myth: You have to be amazing at Maths

Maths has very little to do with coding, especially at the early stages. Code is about abstraction, logic and problem solving and this doesn’t require you to be a genius at Mathematics.

Myth: Coders are all men

Another common misconception you hear quite often is all coders are men. In the present day, this isn’t true, with a vast range of different initiatives available to improve gender diversity within the industry.

It is more important now than ever before for tech to be built by people from all walks of life.

Here are just a few of the brilliant women who have worked within the tech industry: 

1. Ada Lovelace was the first programmer in the world.

2. Grace Murray Hopper developed the first compiler for programming languages.

3. Adele Goldstine helped to create the world’s first electronic digital computer.

4. Margaret Atwood hand wrote code for NASA and coined the term ‘software engineer’.

Myth: You need a degree in computer science 

Over the past 10 years, companies such as Google, Apple, IBM, and our hiring partners have quashed this theory by hiring people who don’t have a degree in computer science. 

So, how can you also get into development without a computer science degree? Northcoders! A place where all sorts of people come to transform their lives. Whether you arrive here from school, university, a previous job, a career break or even as a refugee from another country, you’re going to become a work-ready coder in just 14 intensive, immersive weeks.

While bootcamp is challenging, it’s easy to enjoy: because when you join Northcoders, you become part of our community, whether you learn online or on-campus. Sure, you’ll leave to get a software development job after 14 weeks, but as any of our people will tell you: being a Northcoder is something that stays with you for life.