Hi Trent,
I've had a love/hate relationship with tech. I started programming at
the UofA in 1983. Because I was an accounting major I was required to
take two programming courses. By that point I was hooked.
Love/hate means I worked really hard and did not go so far. Had a
couple corporate jobs however I hated the cube. I hated office
politics. I had come from a military and law enforcement background
where people tend to work together. I think the hardship creates
bonding.
I look at programming and maybe other IT niches like baseball.
- There is the kid that does really good in high school and does not
make it to college.
- There is the kid that is on a college ball team and goes no further.
- Some make it to the farm team but goes no further.
- Then there is the select few who make it to the big leagues.
I consider myself a farm team level programmer. There are lots of
people who can program me into the ground, however I can hold my own.
I addressed these issues in a simple way that has led to a bit of road
rash.
I've tried freelance programming maybe 4 different times. I failed 3 of
those times. I held some bottom feeder jobs for 10 or 12 years while I
tried to find my place.
Everything lined up for me in 2008 when I was able to build a website
that brought me in leads. I started getting business and was making
money.
This is all anecdotal... and my advice comes from a guy who walked in
your shoes.
1) Educations only matters a little bit.
2) Those who hire you are looking for results which boils down to
skills.
3) Know yourself. Don't interview well then find a way to not
interview. As a freelancer no one has tried to interview me with the
exception of one guy. And that was 1 out of a 1000.
4) What is in your heart? Read about the Hedgehog Concept by Jim
Collins :
https://www.jimcollins.com/concepts/the-hedgehog-concept.html
This will help you find your passion that will also help you earn.
5) Once you find your niche, develop your skills in that area.
6) If you want to work in the cube find a couple hiring managers willing
to give you 5 minutes a week as mentors. Work towards an internship and
then a full-time paid job.
7) If you want to freelance you will need a website, some skills, and
customers. To find customers you can look at the freelance job sites and
look at the job sites like Indeed and find remote jobs that are in your
niche.
8) You can always make a blog, do some Search Engine Optimization, and
add a YouTube channel to find business.
Hope this helps!!
Keith
On 2022-11-29 20:50, trent shipley via PLUG-discuss wrote:
> (Lead buried in last two or three paragraphs.)
>
> Hi,
>
> I've been in software writing positions on-and-off since about 1999.
> I spent a couple years teaching myself Oracle SQL and PERL in 1999 and
> 2000 for a nice application in the phone industry, then I had a long
> bout of unemployment, with some false stats on contract programming
> positions along the way. During that time I complimented my degrees,
> which included a math major, with an MS in Information Management
> (really IT management) and a certificate in programming from Rio
> Salado, a couple years programming software tests in VBS for Micro
> Focus UFT One--which ceased to be very challenging by the end of two
> years. Recently, I did a pre-apprenticeship program with a local
> company with a software developer apprenticeship program (TechOne IT)
> which basically worked out to a slow-paced virtual boot camp in
> anticipation of an initial contingent placement/apprenticeship proper.
>
> Right now my current employer (The Precisionists Inc)--which is
> specialized in semi-supported contingent employment for autistic,
> neurodiverse, and other disabled people (in that order) has me on the
> bench, but I'm close to getting a new position as a Python web
> developer ... for which, I could be more unqualified, but not much.
>
> After lackluster success with the equivalent of more than an AS in CIS
> specializing in programming. I have concluded I face a few obstacles.
>
> 1. I'm autistic, so I can't interview worth a damn.
> 2.a. There is a tremendous shortage of doctors and nurses, but no one
> is going to hire one who hasn't graduated from an accredited program,
> done an internship successfully, and passed their credentialing exam
> ... unless it's as a drug salesperson.
> 2.b. There is a tremendous shortage of software writers, but no one
> is going to be studpid enough to hire one until they have completed an
> accredited degree, done an internship, done a bootcamp, and maybe
> gotten some certs. I've only done the first.
>
> I've been looking at maybe putting together a "software portfolio".
>
> The stuff on the internet is focused on web-developer portfolio and
> seems to be really describing a visually appealing website which is
> partware between a resume and CV, but much closer to a friendlier more
> personable website--which to pay to have made since you aren't a web
> designer.
>
> I was thinking more, "this is my public GitHub account and this is
> software I've written."
>
> Between school and the recent quasi-bootcamp, I should know Java well
> enough to write something useful in it.
>
> I'm partway through a Scala basics book, and I love it sooo much.
>
> I'd like to write more than just toys, maybe starting with little
> utility-like things (but all the good ones seem to have been done) or
> by doing maintenance or little chores on a Java- or Scala-based open
> source project, which raises the question of how to find a not-dead
> project I fit well with and which can use my not-MIT grade talent and
> knowledge.
>
> I'd really like advice on how to put together a public software
> portfolio which is also of practical use (well, of some kind of use to
> others, even if not terribly practical.)
>
> Trent
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