Who runs the world?

If you ask Beyoncé, the answer is girls.

But there’s another good answer to that question: Programmers.

Programmers write code, develop apps, engineer automated processes. Just look around you. In how many ways does technology touch your lives?

Paying for coffee with a phone tap, tracking a package that you just ordered as it moves through the shipping process, regulating your home’s thermostat by learning when you are and aren’t home. These processes, and so many others, are driven by programming and coding.

Do you want to run the world? Here are 10 signs that you might make a great programmer.

1. You like to solve puzzles. That’s what programming comes down to. There’s a problem before you and you must figure out the steps to solve it.
2. You’re creative. Answers aren’t always obvious. You think outside the box to come up with innovative and interesting ways to solve problems.
3. You love to learn. There are, and will always be, basic programming skills and tools. Yet technology is ever-changing. To keep pace, you must enjoy the process of learning.
4. Curiosity motivates you. The desire to know how things work — and how to make them work better — drives most programmers.
5. Details matter to you. As a programmer, you have to care about even the smallest details. Attention to detail will determine how you spend most of your time as a programmer — either creating amazing programs or stuck in the weeds trying to find the bugs that keep your tool from working like it should.
6. You’re humble. You’re smart and you’re curious, but you know that you don’t know everything. You appreciate the trainers and mentors around you, and know that they all have something to teach you.
7. Time and task management come easily (or you’re willing to work on it). Programming is deadline-driven. When your bosses and customers demand a bug fix or an improved feature, missing a deadline is not an option. You know how to manage your time and you don’t wait until the last minute to do your work.
8. You’re adaptable. You appreciate that the only true constant is change. You like having plans and mapping out details, but you know that projects and goals change. When that happens, you’re able to roll with it.
9. You search for shortcuts. The question programmers constantly ask is, “How could this be done easier, better, or faster?” Programming is about improving processes. If you often find yourself thinking about how things could be better, then you possess one of the most important traits of a great programmer.
10. Communication is second nature. Some people mistakenly believe that programming is solitary work. While you might work by yourself sometimes, most programmers are part of larger teams. Your team’s success will depend on how well you communicate and work with others.

Do you possess these traits? Then maybe it’s time to launch your career as a Java programmer. Our next Java Bootcamp starts soon. We’re accepting applications now. Learn more about our bootcamp here.