From Amateur to Expert: 9 Ways No-Code Can Help You Advance Your Career
- Authors
- Jeremy Moser
- Last updated
The creation of no-code software solutions has changed the face of the IT business world.
From website design to app development, the ability to take sophisticated coding languages and translate them into simple drag-and-drop functions has made IT far more accessible to amateur developers and opened up new opportunities for experienced programmers.
Yes, that’s right, even experienced developers fluent in Javascript, CSS3, and HTML5 can elevate their careers by embracing the no-code revolution. There are opportunities everywhere for anyone willing to plunge into this exciting, emerging digital landscape.
How?
Those with no coding experience can become “citizen developers” who can all-of-a-sudden design their own web apps, landing pages, and mobile apps. Tried-and-true IT coders can tap into a whole new market, simplifying their professional lives while reserving their more technical skills for advanced tasks.
Of course, many still scoff at that idea.
Non-developers think that creating online solutions like websites, and apps are beyond their station, while seasoned IT code writers feel threatened by this sudden accessibility.
But that doesn’t need to be the case.
In this article, we’ll break down nine ways learning no-code can advance the careers of amateur and expert developers alike, making a solid case for why you shouldn’t sleep on these new and exciting developments.
Learn something new
As the business landscape continues to evolve, we, as working professionals, need to adapt and develop new skills.
If we remain stagnant and steadfast in our belief that the way we’ve always done things will be the only way forever, we create the potential for missed opportunities.
The World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs report states that due to advancing technologies, 50% of all working professionals will need some kind of reskilling by 2025. That’s half the world’s workforce needing to adapt their skillsets and gain more knowledge to remain competitive in this ever-changing technological landscape.
For all of you non-developers, learning no-code can be a great way to expand your skill sets and become infinitely more valuable to the companies you work for.
Let’s take marketers as an example of this.
Once upon a time, a marketer simply had to come up with the idea for a website and the optimized copy to make it successful. The company would then need a website developer to write unique code and create the site from scratch.
Now, with no-code skills under your belt, you, as a marketing professional, can bring your vision to life, designing your landing pages and inserting your copy without ever having to learn a single line of code.
Take this page promoting events in Tulum, for example. Because of its simple layout, you could have come up with a concept like this very quickly, saving lots of time.
And for those experienced developers out there, learning these no-code platforms can be an upskilling opportunity that enriches your workday. Once you needed to design every element of a website from scratch, typing out line after line of custom code.
But now you can use your knowledge of no-code solutions to get the basic structure of your site down fast and then use your coding skills to reshape that skeleton into something new and unique. Even security measures are easier to implement, like a web application and API Protection, in the first stage of development.
As these platforms become more common, employers are going to start wanting their projects done with quicker turnaround times. Learning no-code and pairing it with your technical skills will allow you to meet and exceed those expectations.
Moral of the story? It’s never a bad thing to develop a new skill.
Take responsibility for your personal projects and ideas
No-code platforms solve the “too many cooks in the kitchen” problem that’s plagued businesses for decades. When you have many different creative minds at work, you’re likely going to butt heads at some point, which could increase the turnaround time of your project.
A marketing professional or business owner has an idea for a website, which has to pass through several others throughout the development process before finally making its way into cyberspace. You have the initial idea, the SEO research, the content creation, the design, the quality assessment, and then, finally, the launch, all undertaken by different people.
But what if all of those tasks could be accomplished by one person?
What if you could develop an idea from concept to creation all on your own?
No-code apps create the potential for that world. By mastering no-code, you can become a one-person creative project machine, turning ideas into reality.
For experienced coding pros, you’ll be able to present concepts and pitches to clients faster and more efficiently. When someone comes to you with a project, you can use the ease of no-code apps/tools and their drag-and-drop functions to create a working prototype with embedded analytics to tell your story and bring your creative ideas to life, netting more clients.
Pro-Tip: Whether you’re an experienced developer or brand new to the craft, remember to always be prepared for the worst.
Even the best programmers have their off days, and the best systems can run into errors and malfunctions. To save yourself from the unfortunate demise of a system, it’s best to have all your data replicated on another server, ready to go in case the worst happens.
Learn how to make no-code apps/tools
If you’re an experienced website developer with years of coding experience, no-code could be your ticket into app development’s exciting and lucrative world. If you’re a novice, the same could be true. Mastering no-code solutions could open your world up exponentially.
You can use no-code apps/tools to develop web apps, mobile apps, and even voice apps without ever using complicated coding to build one from the ground up.
On top of that, app development is a lucrative field, with the average app developer in the US netting a salary of $80,578.
Could you learn the coding for these apps and build one yourself?
Of course, you can.
But shaving down your turnaround time can be a massive bonus for clients who want to go to market faster.
The IT industry is growing — and quickly
IT could be a logical jump if you’re working in a dying industry or see your job quickly becoming obsolete. The industry is rapidly expanding as the need for apps, and optimized websites/landing pages become more commonplace.
IT is an evergreen industry that will continue to adapt to new and emerging technology trends like no-code apps/tools. As more businesses focus on digital development, new opportunities will rise — opportunities you can capitalize on with a working knowledge of no-code solutions.
In 2023, experts believe the IT industry will reach $1,203.86 billion in revenue.
Considering that as recently as 2016, its revenue was at $867 billion, this huge upward trend isn’t ending anytime soon. As seen in the image above, by 2027, experts believe the industry will have a value of 1,570.18 billion.
No-code developers can bring a lot of value to the organizations they work in, as they can show proactivity and come up with solutions without sourcing issues to someone else. They’re also offered more flexibility at work with many remote jobs geared towards tech professionals.
Say, for example, a business encounters problems with some more complex software that requires expert knowledge. In that case, they’d need the help of a professional.
In some industries like telematics, for example, GPS fleet tracking, inventory management, and monitoring software must be under the care of expert coders. But in small to midsize companies, employees can take the lead and set up internal apps for scheduling, storing databases, and much more with no-code solutions.
With financial experts predicting an economic recession in the near future, developing skills that will allow you to grow and thrive in an industry with such a lucrative and positive outlook makes sense.
Network, network, network
Saying that you can develop mobile and web apps can be an incredible networking icebreaker. With app development on the rise, business owners will be looking to partner with skilled app professionals to bring their concepts into the customers’ hands in a more accessible way.
When you can add app and website development to your business card, you’ll raise some eyebrows at networking events, opening up new doors and creating a wealth of opportunities without having to write a single line of code.
Expert developers are in even better positions when networking.
They can tout their knowledge of no-code platforms while also boasting about their ability to personalize these solutions with advanced coding to create something as complex as a headless Shopify site in far less time.
Start building a portfolio
The speed and ease of no-code platforms will allow you to build a portfolio easily.
This is especially true for new developers who don’t have a lot of credits under their belts. They can use no-code apps/tools to create sample websites and apps in record time, creating a portfolio that shows off their skills.
Of course, the benefits of this point extend to experienced developers as well.
Even if you already have an extensive portfolio of websites developed over a long career, the shifting trends of the online world could quickly make your offerings look archaic and out-of-touch.
When a new trend emerges, no-code solutions can help you develop samples quickly, popping them into your portfolio to show clients that you’re on the cutting edge.
Before the rise of no-code apps/tools, it could take up to six months to build a website from scratch. With that kind of time commitment involved, you wouldn’t be able to turn around portfolio samples fast enough to capitalize on emerging trends.
Contribute to open-source projects
Open-sourced projects require community involvement to grow, update, and thrive. By becoming a no-code expert, you’ll be able to contribute to these projects in a meaningful and less time-consuming way.
This enriches the online community by providing quality services that people can use throughout various industries.
Non-developers who have grand ideas for improving these projects but lack the coding skills once required to participate will be able to bring their creativity to bear for the benefit of the online world.
Similarly, busy expert coding professionals might have always wanted to contribute to open-source projects but always lacked the time. This could be due to a busy client load or personal life commitments that don’t offer the ability to contribute meaningfully.
However, with the ease and availability afforded by open-source apps/tools, the community will benefit from your vast knowledge and experience.
Speak up at work
With a working knowledge of no-code apps/tools, you’ll be able to contribute more in creative meetings when it’s time to discuss plans for new online initiatives. Non-developers will now be able to contribute to issues pertaining to creating web pages and apps.
Meanwhile, experienced developers will be able to utilize their vast knowledge of both the coding and no-code worlds to paint a clear picture of what can be done, how long it will take, and what kind of resources it will take to turn an idea randomly tossed out at a meeting into reality.
Share your knowledge with others
If you’re a freelance developer, whether you have a wealth of coding experience or are simply starting your journey with no-code apps/tools, you’ll be able to properly educate your clients once the job is done.
In the past, any website update would have to be undertaken by developers.
But now, thanks to the ease of no-code apps and their drag-and-drop solutions, you’ll be able to educate your clients, allowing them to make simple updates on their own. This frees up your time to focus on other development projects and take on more clients.
Wrap up
If you’re an experienced code writer and developer, no-code apps/tools won’t replace you. There’ll always be a need for coding specialists to bring extreme levels of personalization to any online project.
But by embracing no-code solutions, you’ll be able to position yourself for a wealth of opportunities as the IT industry continues to skyrocket year over year.
That’s why we can’t say enough about no-code apps like Plasmic.
Our platform brings the power of no code into your codebase, allowing your entire team to contribute to platforms you’re already using. Try it for free, today!
That’s it for now coders.
To your success!
Jeremy is co-founder & CEO at uSERP, a digital PR and SEO agency working with brands like Monday, ActiveCampaign, Hotjar, and more. He also buys and builds SaaS companies like Wordable.io and writes for publications like Entrepreneur and Search Engine Journal.
Follow @plasmicapp on Twitter for the latest updates.