A Profile of the Programmer Synopsis: 549 members of the ACM participated in a study concerned primarily with the attitudes of programmers toward their careers and jobs. A very high percentage of programmers have apparently entered their careers by accident; it has proven a happy choice for most and they expect to remain in the field during the next five years. Their principal job satisfactions relate to the nature of their work, and mostfind their jobs offer high level of professional interest and good working conditions. Salary and advancement prospects, however,are not as satisfactory. More than half report a positive attitude toward programmers and programming on the part of their organizations. Turnover among themselves is attributed primarily to poor management-salary is seen as the principal motivating factor in turnover among other programmers. Nature of the work offered and salary are principal determinants in accepting a new job. Programmers are less mobile than expected. Programmers tend to see their colleagues in a favorable light, on the whole. Personalities seem to vary with function, systems programmers differing from applications programmers. Four principal problems for programming in the immediate future are listed by participants: languages, personnel, various specific applications and techniques, and building programming as a profession. CACM October, 1963 CA631001 JB March 13, 1978 6:48 PM 724 5 724 724 5 724 724 5 724