What does the role of a business software engineer entail? As you can imagine, it involves more than just writing code, but the work itself is anything but one-dimensional. The following is an overview of what my day is like—it’ll help you understand what you’d be getting into if you were working in this field.
What is a Software Engineer?
Are you strategically-minded? Do you enjoy problem-solving? You may want to consider a career as a software engineer!
A software engineer applies mathematical analysis and the principles of computer science in order to design and develop computer software. Software engineers are highly sought after, and developers that live in high-demand areas often receive many inquiries a month from recruiters and head hunters.
Are you a computer engineer looking to earn extra income by starting your own business? If yes, we’ve got some of the best and most profitable small business ideas for computer engineers.
No other degree qualifications offer students the opportunity to work in as many fields as computer engineering. With just one degree, you could work in aerospace engineering, finance and banking, communications, IT, energy, biomedicine and many more. A computer engineer can easily have their career take them through many industries including medicine, teaching, law, research, and of course, entrepreneurship.
Any device with an IT or energy component is derived from a knowledge of computer engineering. From providing correct medical diagnoses to exploring outer space, the field of computer engineering plays a crucial role in today’s modern world. And, computer engineers are often the people who possess the knowledge and skills needed to make the world a better place.
If you have experience with computers and related technology, you’re well on your way to becoming the founder of a successful start-up. If you’ve got the qualifications, training, and relevant experience, here are some profitable small business ideas to consider.
What does a Software Engineer do?
Software engineering is a branch of computer science that includes the development and building of computer systems software and applications software. Computer systems software is composed of programs that include computing utilities and operations systems. Applications software consists of user-focused programs that include web browsers, database programs, etc.
Software engineers have extensive knowledge of programming languages, software development, and computer operating systems, and they apply engineering principles to software creation.
By applying these engineering principles to every stage of the development process, from requirements analysis to the software process, they can create customized systems for individual clients. Just as a civil engineer will make sure that a bridge has a solid foundation, a software engineer will also begin with a thorough study of requirements and work through the development process in a systematic way.
There are many types of software that a software engineer can develop, such as operating systems, computer games, middleware, business applications, and network control systems. Changes in technology and new areas of specialization keep this profession evolving at a rapid pace.
When working with a client, a software engineer will typically analyze the client’s needs, then design, test, and develop the computer software in order to meet those needs. They are experts in computing systems, software structure, and recognizing the limitations of the existing hardware. The process is complicated and intricate, therefore the use of diagrams, flowcharts, and the creation of algorithms to tell the computer what to do are created. Converting these instructions into a computer language (coding/programming) is usually the responsibility of a computer programmer.
Software engineers must also possess interpersonal skills, and be able to effectively communicate with users in order to train, test, and debug software all the way to the end product. They are often involved from the early stages of software planning right through to the testing, development, training, and support stages.
Software engineers can be divided into two categories:
Applications Engineers
Applications engineers create or adapt applications for businesses and organizations by analyzing the end user’s needs. They will design, build, install, and maintain these applications or programs.
Systems Engineers
Systems engineers coordinate the creation, maintenance and growth of a business or organization’s computer systems. They coordinate each department’s needs, suggest technical direction, and set up any networks that link up computers with the company.
Being a software engineer is a great career choice for someone who is exceptionally good at both left and right-brained thinking (analytical skills as well as problem-solving skills). Software engineers are instinctive problem-solvers, good at working with others and focused on seeing issues through to their successful completion.
Computer Cleaning Services
It’s not really a service that you think about very often – do people actually pay to have their computer cleaned? The answer is yes, and you can make a lot of money from it. It’s a job that people are often reluctant to do themselves as they’re worried about damaging the computer, and many commercial cleaners won’t even so much as dust a desk if a computer is sitting on it because they don’t want to risk having to accept the liability should anything happen to it.
3D Printing for Computer Engineer
3D printing is a rapidly growing sector within the computer industry that uses computer files to generate and manufacture products from scratch. If you’re experienced with 3D printing software and devices, you might want to consider launching a business selling 3D printing files or even the finished 3D printed products.
Battery Reconditioning
This business is all about restoring batteries to their full original power capacity; as an electrical engineer, you’ll probably know how this is done by adding chemicals. As more people are using cars and becoming more conscious of cost at the same time, there’s a growing need for this service. You could also provide the service for:
- Mobile phone batteries
- Laptop batteries
- Other rechargeable devices
Computer Repair
Computer repair is the obvious choice when it comes to small business ideas for computer engineers. Offering computer repair services aimed at companies is a particularly lucrative move as a computer malfunction or complete network crash could cost some companies thousands of dollars. You could also offer phone repair services for business. This fact alone means that as a self-employed computer repair technician, your services will definitely be in demand.
- Clients will rely on you to get their computers and networks back up and running again as quickly as possible
- You can make money from offering an emergency service – for example, arriving on the same day to deal with an urgent situation
- If you have computer repair skills and experience, reliable transportation and tools to operate your business, you can easily get started
Computer Training
Computers and computer programs are amongst some of the best tools available today, as long as you know what you’re doing with them. While most people today are familiar with the basic principles of using a computer, there are plenty of people who don’t know much more than that and would love to learn. Starting a business offering technical computer training is lucrative because:
- The worldwide market for technical computer training is close to $28bn
- Companies spend an average of just over $8k annually on staff computer and IT training
- There are many options to make money including providing one-to-one training, classes or online courses
You could even go one step further and expand your own skills with a degree in electrical and computer engineering from Kettering University Online – allowing you to offer more highly specialized and more technical training options.
eCommerce Store
If you are looking to move away from the technical side of things but still want to do something related to your career as a computer engineer, opening an eCommerce store selling computers and computer parts is a good idea. You could focus on a niche, or refurbish second-hand tech to sell to your market at a reduced price compared to buying brand new.
Computer Upgrading Service
It’s no secret that computers aren’t cheap to come by, and that’s why more people are choosing to upgrade the machines that they already have, rather than going out and buying a new one. However, most people don’t know how to do things like upgrading their computer’s RAM or fitting a new screen. That’s where your expertise comes in. You could charge clients for tasks such as:
- Installing more memory into their computer’s hard drive
- Adding a new disk drive to the system
- Replacing a hard drive
- Replacing external components such as screens, laptop keyboards, and trackpads
This business can be an easy one to get started and you can offer a mobile service, which is the best way to reduce overheads and increase your service area.
Web Development
If you have a good grasp of coding and developing websites, you might want to think about starting a business offering this as a service. More and more people are deciding to start their own online businesses, and while there are several DIY website building tools available, not everybody wants to use them. They are often quite restrictive and can be time-consuming to learn to use, so people will always need good web developers to make them a unique and professional site that stands out.
Conclusion
Business Software Engineering is a field that takes elements of software engineering to develop business software. Organizations use business software to organize the information about the business processes. An EIS (Enterprise Information System) is used to control different activities of an organization.