Firstly, as with any programmer, before you start learning .NET, you need to understand theories of algorithms and information. Then choose a platform and only then learn a programing language. All this can be studied at college, university, through courses, or on your own.

However, an important aspect is putting that knowledge into practice, which can be achieved by getting a job. So as a Junior .NET developer, you will need to know:

• OOP paradigms in .NET and their implementation with C# tools
• How imitation and abstraction works in .NET
• Polymorphism and encapsulation
• Understand the commonly known data structures and those used in the .NET Framework itself like Array, List, or Dictionary
• C# Code Convention
• Version Control – Git, BitBucket, Azure DevOps
• Agile Scrum/Kanban
• Task Tracking Systems: Jira, Trello, Azure DevOps
• A good level of English is mandatory

Besides the knowledge mentioned above, a mid-level .NET programmer must have:

• Confident knowledge of C# language and understanding of .NET platform
• Knowledge of ASP.NET MVC, WCF, NET Core, REST, Entity Framework
• Working with IIS, SOAP/WSDL, REST/WADL, Spring.NET
• Database design skills
• Working with database management systems (PostgreSQL, Oracle)
• Experience of refactoring
• Experience in version control systems and team development tools (Git, TFS)
• Knowledge and understanding of modern development processes and product lifecycle

To be promoted to senior level the .NET programmer must have:

• In-depth experience with .NET (Core and above) and ASP.NET
• Experience with many microservices
• Knowledge of DDD design principles
• Various SQL and NoSQL data stores know-how
• Experience with RabbitMq or Kafka message brokers
• Knowledge of Kubernetes and Docker
• Excellent development experience with REST APIs
• Understanding and experience with release management
• Being aware of the latest industry trends and technology innovations
• A sense of responsibility for the codebase (finding technical debt, refactoring, and knowing when to do it)

.NET Developer soft skills

Any .NET developer will have to deal with scenarios where they must work with project teammates and engage with the client. In addition to excellent coding abilities, it is very important to have good soft skills that will make the work more efficient and simpler.

Some must have soft skills for a .NET programmer include:

• The ability to immerse in the task
• Attention to detail
• Willingness to continually learn and expand one’s horizons
• Time management
• Analytical thinking and problem-solving
• Interpersonal skills (active listening, patience, and communication)
• Understanding of personal strengths and weaknesses

.NET Developer certifications

The MCSD (Microsoft Certified Solution Developer) for Microsoft .NET is one of the most widely recognized technical industry certifications. By earning the highest MCSD for .NET certification, a developer shows they have the necessary skills to successfully lead the design, implementation, and administration of business solutions based on Microsoft products.

MCSD for Microsoft .NET candidates must pass 5 certification tests (4 required and 1 optional). The mandatory exams test technical knowledge and skills in developing and maintaining organization-level applications based on Microsoft development tools, technologies, and platforms.

Also, a good tool to assess the hard and soft skills level of a programmer is the Skill Value Insight (SVI) test, created by Pentalog. As the quiz has a business case behind each topic, the coder can identify his or her strengths and weaknesses based on real-life situations.

You can find more details about SVI here.

The responsibilities and duties of a .NET programmer vary according to the project they are working on. However, few common requirements can be found in many job descriptions, depending on the level of the developer.

Junior .NET Developer responsibilities:

• Code, debug, and maintain portions of the software
• Participate in the development of design and user documentation
• Assist in expert code and design reviews
• Attend in evaluation and planning sessions, conference calls with the customer and their partners
• Provide transparency on progress status according to project requirements.

Middle .NET Developer responsibilities:

• Creating API modules and maintain the existing ones
• Maintenance of existing and creation of new processing modules/services
• Building and maintaining SQL stored procedures for data processing, calculations, and reports
• Checking code and run tests
• Communication with customer and teammates

Senior .NET Developer responsibilities:

• Software application architecture and development
• Provide accurate estimates on work items
• Maintain coding standards and participate in expert code reviews
• Simplify the development process to provide high-quality software solutions
• Evaluate solution architecture for vulnerabilities and possible improvements

The .NET platform combines the simplicity of writing applications and an out-of-the-box toolkit that allows any developer to quickly and reliably write, test and deploy an application. However, there are still challenges that a programmer will have to face.

The richness of C# syntax can make beginners wary. With each update, it becomes more functional and efficient, but it remains a complicated language to learn. Also, improvements and new features can bother even mid and senior-level programmers, as they always must learn to meet job requirements.

But if the company provides the necessary tools for programmers’ growth, as Pentalog does, learning should not be a problem.

A .NET programmer will collaborate with a scrum master, the project owner, other programmers, and testers during the development process. Depending on the nature of the project and the problem it is going to solve, stakeholders of a.NET developer might be from inside and outside the company.

People who are interested in project success include: project team (managers, developers, partners), project sponsors, client organization members, founders and shareholders, account and sales managers, investors, end user, and so on.

Objectives and Key Results (OKRs) are the basis for meaningful goal setting and determining how you can achieve them. In the case of a .NET Engineer, these are used to manage the goals they must reach during a particular project. So, by using ORKs, the developer’s work can be effectively monitored to maintain motivation during the project delivery.

Examples of OKRs that can be applied to a .NET programmer:

1 Objective: Increase data security and recovery rate

• KR 1: Increase data recovery from 80% to 95%.
• KR 2: Decrease data backup from 5 hours to 1,5 hours.

2 Objective: Better User experience

• KR 1: Achievement of Net Promoter Score 50 in the next quarter.
• KR 2: Decrease New user signup time with 2 minutes.

3 Objective: Improve the quality of the sprint release

• KR 1: Increase Code Coverage with 20%.
• KR 2: Reduce Cyclomatic Complexity.

There are several factors that can influence the salary of a .NET programmer: the country in which they works, the company, the type of project, the developer’s experience, skills and education.

For instance, Glassdoor estimates that a .NET Developer in Germany makes €60.691 a year on average. In France, incomes range from €35k to €60k gross annually. An entry-level programmer in Romania will make about €1150 per month, a medium programmer €1930, and a senior programmer can reach a revenue up to €4000. While, in Mexico the salary of a .NET programmer is about €2685/month and in Vietnam €1010/monthly net.

A .NET programmer will earn a much higher salary in the United States, up to €102000 a year.