Top 5 Jobs and Career Path for Experienced Java Programmers in 2020

If you are an experienced Java programmer who has done a good amount of coding and development, like someone with more than 5 to 8 years of experience, working as a senior Java developer or a technical lead and wondering how to grow to the next level, then you have come to the right place. In this article, I'll share five career options and Jobsexperienced developers like you can choose to take your career to the next level. Apart from becoming a project manager, which is what many programmers wanted, there are other more technical and better career opportunities are available now. It's especially great for Programmers with less or no people management skills or who love coding and development and always want to remain hands-on.

It's essential for you to choose the right career option depending upon your personal sill set because becoming a project manager or going into people management without having those skill could be frustrating at times, mainly, because you don't want to get frustrated getting a job done by developers which you can do it quickly.

People management is also a very different skill where you need to work closely with both higher and lower levels like you need to talk regularly with business, executives and other more senior management to chalk out deliveries but you also need to work with developers, QA, and other resources to get that job done. It's not easy, especially if you have to manage a big team.

On the other hand, a more technical career path like becoming a DevOps specialist, a Scrum Master, or a Software Architect is better for programmers who always want to remain hands-on and close to technology. There is a lot of demand for an experienced and skilled programmer, and you should never think that you will be obsolete and out-of-market if you keep doing coding for years.

Many Organizations like big Investment banks are also promoting the technical career path and positions, where you can go up to quite a high level like Director, Vice President, and Executive Director by remaining professional and good at your job.

Top 5 Carrer Options for Experienced Java Developers

Anyway, without wasting any more of your time, here is my list of some of the best career options an experienced Java developer, or in general, an experienced software developer can choose to go from coding and development to the next level in his career.

1. Solution Architect

A solution architect is responsible for the design of one or more applications or services within an organization and is typically part of a solution development team.

He or she must have a balanced mix of technical and business skills, and will often work with an enterprise architect for strategic direction.

The job of a solution architect is to translate requirements created by functional analysts into the architecture for that solution and describing it through architecture and design artifacts.

To be a competent Solution Architect, you should have a good understanding of fundamentals like Data Structure and Algorithms as well as System Design and Design patterns. You should also be aware of different programming languages and technology stack like Java, .NET, and other Web stacks to choose the right one for the job.

If you are serious about becoming a solution architect in 2020 and need a resource, I strongly suggest you join the How To Become An Outstanding Solution Architect course by Mark Farragher on Udemy.  It will teach you all the soft and hard skills you need to take your architect design skills to the next level. I just bought it yesterday at Udemy's NEW YEAR Sale.

If you like books, then you can also read my list of5 must-read books for Solution architects or software architects.

2. DevOps Engineer

This is another new opportunity for experienced developers. There's no formal career track for becoming a DevOps engineer.

They are either developers who get interested in deployment and network operations, or sysadmins who have a passion for scripting and coding, and move into the development side where they can improve the planning of test and deployment.

This means if you are an experienced Java programmer with a passion for managing the environment, automation, and improving overall structure, you can become a DevOps Engineer.

If you are looking for some excellent resources, thenLearn DevOps: CI/CD with Jenkins using Pipelines and Docker is a great course to start with, particularly for Java developers.

3. Scrum Master

If you have worked in an Agile environment, then you definitely have heard about Scrum meetings and Scrum master. The job of Scrum Master is to run Scrum meeting daily and solve any blocker which is coming on your way. It requires a little bit ofproject management and subject matter skills, as well as some coordination skills along with.

This is a relatively new career option as compared to Business Analyst and Project Manager but becoming increasingly popular among companies that followAgile methodologies for development.

If you have a pleasant experience with your project and your business area, then you can become a Scrum Master.

You can learn some essential Scrum skills or even go forScrum certification to further improve your chances.

4. Business Analyst

The analyst is involved in the design or modification of business systems or IT systems. The analyst interacts with the business stakeholders and subject matter experts to understand their problems and needs.

The Business Analyst gathers documents and analyzes business needs and requirements. If you are new to Business Analysis and wondering about your role, I suggest you take a look at Business Analysis Fundamentals , one of the excellent courses on the topic.

I highly recommend this course to both aspiring Business Analysts and developers who have to do Business Analysis as part of their job.

5. Project Manager

The project manager is responsible for the day-to-day management of the project and must be competent in managing the six aspects of a project, like a scope, schedule, finance, risk, quality, and resources.

As a project manager, your job is to plan, budget, oversee, and document all aspects of the specific project you are working on. Project managers may work closely with upper management.

If you are new to project management and struggling to get control over your project, I suggest you start with Beginning Project Management: Project Management Level One , one of the better courses to understand project management basics.

I highly recommend this course to all developers who aspire to become a project manager.

That's all about some of the career options for experienced Java programmers, likesomeone with 8 to 15 years of experience. I know many of you don't want to go to people management path and want to remain hands-on with coding and whatever you are doing at the moment. If so, then you should choose between a Solution Architect and DevOps Engineer. Both are a very hands-on role, and you will remain with technology.

On the other hand, if you are now thinking of moving away from coding and explore more options on leadership or people management and product management, then Scrum Master, Business Analyst, and Project managers roles are great for you.

Other Tech Articles you may like to explore:

10 Things Java Developer should learn in 2020?

The 2020 Web Developer RoadMap

10 Frameworks Java and Web Developer Should learn

10 Essential Testing Tools for Java developers

The 2020 React.js Developer RoadMap

10 Tips to become a better Java Programmer in 2020

7 Reasons to use Spring for REST API development in Java

10 Tools Every Software developer should know

10 books Every Programmer Should Read

10 High paying jobs for Programmers and techies

Why Every Programmer should create an online course in 2020

Thanks for reading this article so far. If you like this article, then please share it with your friends and colleagues. If you have any questions or feedback, then please drop a note.