Is German an advantage in programming?

BlakeSharp

Hi, I'm thinking about a career change and I'm currently researching software development as an option. I am a German to English translator at the moment, working in a German software company, so my German is pretty fluent. Is having German an advantage if I want to work in programming? If so, what areas am I better off specialising in if I want to make the most of that advantage? I'd really appreciate some advice, thanks!

CreepingDeath

If you want to do pure software development, then no, German is of no use.

More than likely an Irish recruitment agency will steer you towards localisation, customer support, technical writing or the like.

It would be a benefit if you're working for a German company, or a company who deal with a lot of German clients and you're working with them in an analysis phase.

The Corinthian

German is an advantage is software development if you intend to work in Germany or any other German-speaking country.

Beyond that, as CreepingDeath pointed out, languages in general are really only useful is specific areas of IT, such as localization, user support and so on.

mad turnip

programming is pretty much entirely in English, even in foreign countries I've heard that the code is still documented in English despite alot of the code being written in Germany for example.

The Corinthian

mad turnip wrote: »

programming is pretty much entirely in English, even in foreign countries I've heard that the code is still documented in English despite alot of the code being written in Germany for example.

No, that's very often not the case; I've seen more than my fair share of German, Italian and so on, documentation and code commenting.

Unless a company has made the decision to make English the corporate business language, or they do a lot of outsourcing, it really makes little sense to document in what is ultimately a foreign language for them.

syklops

The Corinthian wrote: »

No, that's very often not the case; I've seen more than my fair share of German, Italian and so on, documentation and code commenting.

Unless a company has made the decision to make English the corporate business language, or they do a lot of outsourcing, it really makes little sense to document in what is ultimately a foreign language for them.

I think you and the previous poster are at cross purposes. If its a multi-national then you can be sure the corporate language is English. If its an Italian home-grown company then the corporate language will be Italian and you can be sure code commenting will be in Italian.

You are both right.

The Corinthian

syklops wrote: »

I think you and the previous poster are at cross purposes.

If what they wrote is not what they meant, then perhaps.

If its a multi-national then you can be sure the corporate language is English.

Employee composition is another factor, even in non-multinationals. When you have lots of foreigners from different nations working under the same roof, English gets adopted as the business language quickly.

syklops

The Corinthian wrote: »

If what they wrote is not what they meant, then perhaps.

Employee composition is another factor, even in non-multinationals. When you have lots of foreigners from different nations working under the same roof, English gets adopted as the business language quickly.

I apologise. You are right.

croo

And it's not just the comments - you can expect the variables to be in the local language too!
Not to mention the UI.

starlit

I was of the understanding say specific I.T roles like technical support that a foreign language be useful are there other foreign languages more useful over others?

I was looking into part time or night time foreign language courses to brush up on my french and italian from school maybe learn a new language in spanish as didnt learn a foreign language in college other than programming languages but wide open about getting into various I.T jobs.

Though most techie jobs look for a foreign language of some sort. Would it be pointless learning/re-learning a foreign language to increase job opportunities in IT? Better off doing cloud or digital marketing/social media course to widen jobs net?

The Corinthian

doovdela wrote: »

I was of the understanding say specific I.T roles like technical support that a foreign language be useful are there other foreign languages more useful over others?

Yes, but the OP was asking whether it's an advantage in programming.

Though most techie jobs look for a foreign language of some sort. Would it be pointless learning/re-learning a foreign language to increase job opportunities in IT?

Depends on what area of IT you want to specialize in; naturally for something like localization it is and increasingly because some knowledge in localization is important in many areas (such as mobile apps) understanding the different nuances between languages is an advantage.

The single biggest advantage of a foreign language, though, is if you want to work in a country where that language is spoken, as even if English is the business language, being able to speak the local language will put you ahead of the curve. However, while fluency is not necessary, a good working knowledge is - could you sit into, and follow, a meeting in the language in question? Easier said than done.

Better off doing cloud or digital marketing/social media course to widen jobs net?

That's a question answered via cost-benefit analysis; how much benefit or utility will you gain from speaking another language and what effort to reach that level in it, versus the benefit or utility will you gain from something like a digital marketing/social media course and what effort is required there?

Could very well be worthwhile if you wanted to move to Germany, Italy, France or wherever the language is spoken. Or if you want to specialize in something like localization. Or you might be better off just sticking to a digital marketing/social media course.

syklops

doovdela wrote: »

Though most techie jobs look for a foreign language of some sort. Would it be pointless learning/re-learning a foreign language to increase job opportunities in IT?

Again it depends on the job you want. In engineering/development, it is very rare that they also ask for a spoken language, unless its one of those catch all roles which are best avoided.

doovdela wrote: »

Better off doing cloud or digital marketing/social media course to widen jobs net?

Definitely not social media as it has become the basic go-to IT related course. There are kids coming out of school now who do social media courses because they think it will be sitting on Facebook all day. A few years from now everyone and literally their mother will have a social media qualification. Digital marketing also, but to a lesser extent. The best digital marketeers I have met have been self taught. Some of the qualified Digital marketeers were crap because they weren't really interested they just thought it would be an 'easy' IT course to do.

Instead of casting the net further, I would suggest you decide what you want to do and aim for that and only that. If you want to code then make it all about the code. Find an area you love and aim for that. I have to tell you though, IT is a very thankless job, and the money is not as good as it used to be unless you wow some people with your skills. Its also very much a young persons game. So find something you love doing, or consider something else.

starlit

I think I can throw my hat at finding a lucrative job in I.T I'm just finding it hard to get beyond interviews. Maybe try something else. Bis or business related I come from a business and IT background with Technical support work experience and computing background but at lower level. My coding be fairly basic I liked Linux and web programming but java and anything too technical I'd avoid. Am I chasing a dream trying to find an area of IT I really love and get into as a career? I wouldn't be extremely fluent in foreign languages only very basic.

I'd agree that get into programming with German op have an opportunity to go to Germany and work there but most codes be in English.

The Corinthian

It would not be a bad direction for you to take as I reckon you already have the advantage of fluency in at least one other language, as English does not appear to be your mother-tongue.

Fussgangerzone

You might have an advantage over non-German-speakers when it comes to reaaaallly long variable names.

murphaph

I work for a German company in German (office language with colleagues) and everything is documented in English as you never know when a non-German developer will have to understand it. My last German company did all documentation in English too.