Even if you’re the best programmer on the planet, technical skill alone isn’t enough to launch a successful career writes Pam Baker for Software Quality Connection. She says developers should possess five attributes to stand out against the competition.

1. Strong business acumen. If you understand marketing and can feed the company’s business-making process, you’ll be a valuable asset.

2. Big-picture thinking. Instead of coming up with a quick fix for a small problem, try to think about and communicate what will happen when the business grows or the scale gets larger.

3. Fearless leadership. Take highly-calculated risks.

4. Superb communication skills. While written and verbal communications can be challenge for some developers, excellence in these areas can set you apart from others with similar expertise.

5. Attention to detail. Aim for perfection, even in the little details. Just because an app doesn’t crash when someone uses it isn’t enough. Can you catch bugs that are not easily identified?

Read more at Software Quality Connection ^[1].