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Discussion on: Are you sure you are a professional developer?

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garretharp profile image
Garret • Edited

Seeing as the word professional means "engaged in a specified activity as one's main paid occupation rather than as a pastime." I am a professional. Development is what I get paid to do, and the main thing I do to get paid.

The word you are probably more-so trying to use here is about how skillful you are, or if you are an expert in the field.

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patferraggi profile image
Patricio Ferraggi • Edited

A profession is not only defined by the fact that you are being paid but also by involving prolonged training and qualification. This article tries to make the point that being paid alone doesn't make you a professional developer, in my opinion, it needs to be accompanied by a minimum set of standards and ways to perform that occupation. For me, this is a basic requirement, after that is met, then, of course, you can be more skillful or not. But intentionally delivering faulty code, not testing, not being honest does not constitute a skill you gain, more of a basic requirement.