As a programmer who has been working for 9 years, I have recently felt an unprecedented sense of crisis from time to time. The sharp deterioration of the employment environment and the rising unemployment rate have made me deeply realize that relying solely on programming skills and languages is no longer enough to cope with the challenges of reality. In the past, we might just focus on writing code and drilling a certain technology stack, but now, I'm more and more convinced that theProgramming languages are no longer central to our existenceWhat is really worth investing in is the soft power that brings us long-term competitiveness.
A Warning From My Former Company's Layoffs
I recently heard from an ex-colleague that the entire line of business I worked for was laid off, leaving only a few people to maintain the existing system. This line of business was growing very rapidly before and during the beginning of the epidemic, with annual profits reaching hundreds of millions of dollars. However, it still could not escape the result of collapse and closure. The colleague I talked to went from a management position to a training organization as a lecturer, and his salary shrunk. In my opinion, he is still lucky to find a company to stabilize first, I do not know how many other people do long-term unemployment. If one person is unemployed, the whole family may face great financial pressure.
I've been reflecting a lot over the past few days on what a programmer should do in this situation.
Crisis in the general environment
The reason for this is that unemployment does not blame us for not working hard enough or for our poor technical skills. Under the current employment environment and economic pressure, no matter how strong your skills, whether it is front-end development, back-end architecture, or full-stack engineers, no matter whether you are a technical bull or not, it is still difficult to avoid the company layoffs affected, and even fall into the dilemma of long-term unemployment.
As companies downsize and reduce their technical staff, they tend to prioritize retaining those who have more weapons in their "arsenal". That's why I'm starting to re-examine my career path.
What I'm learning these days: English
The current economic climate is such that it is no longer safe to rely solely on technology.soft power (i.e. media influence, propaganda and cultural ties in lieu of military power)It's become the area that I think is the most worthwhile investment. For me, one soft power that I feel is particularly important is theEnglish (language)It is not only a bridge to the global technology and ideas. It is not only a bridge to global technology and ideas, but also a communication tool that cannot be ignored in the future work.
Learning English gives us more choices and makes us more likely to be chosen. Learning English is not just about "reading documentation" or "writing good code". More than that, it has helped me to work with more international teams and participate in more complex and challenging projects. And in today's competitive environment.This ability to communicate and collaborate often becomes the deciding factor in our professional development。
From technology to language: the inevitable choice for transformation
Technical skills are important, but mastering those soft skills that will keep us competitive in the long run is the key. This soft power is not just about learning new frameworks and tools, but about how to communicate effectively in complex team environments, how to expand one's professional boundaries, and how to remain standing in a volatile industry.
Learning English is not about showing off or getting away from the nature of programming, but about gaining more initiative in your career. It has opened my eyes to a wider world, a future that is no longer limited to current positions and projects.
summarize
In these fast-changing times, relying on programming languages alone is no longer enough. A more forward-looking option is to develop soft power, especially to improve your English skills. It is not only a weapon against the current unemployment crisis, but also a cornerstone for future career development. Instead of obsessing over the merits of programming languages, why don't you look farther ahead and put more effort into language and soft power to open up more possibilities for the future?