Viewing profile — OldCoder

Vuong, you're welcome :P I helped with structure. But the piece, like the decision, is yours. The fact you're thinking about decisions, and were moved to compose the piece, bodes w…

Manager positions wouldn't have worked at the initial firm or the dot-com because both firms kicked the bucket. What I should have done is understand that things change and prepare…

Not a bad idea. May implement down the road. Thanks.

It could be worse. I could be an Old Coder in his 70s :P But, in all seriousness, though age discrimination is very real, I don't feel that it's as significant a factor for me pres…

The ":P" was intended to convey tongue in cheek. But the suggestions are useful and appreciated. And I like the idea that one might feel "froggy". I'm not sure what this means but …

If I'm going to become a specialist, this is entirely correct. But is this the right path? Or is there a way to salvage a generalist career?

Thanks both for the suggestion and the best of luck. I'll do as you suggest at some point.

Recently, I'm failing at finding listings that seem to be a match. Friends have urged me to simply apply for random jobs even if I'm missing experience in particular frameworks. I'…

A targeted resume, intended to present me as a specialist in Linux, would zoom in and do precisely this. However, if I tried to add this level of detail to everything on the resume…

So it's mostly about social networks, which I talked about myself and which I neglected to maintain. A number of other people here are focused on the resume. You yourself suggest a…

These points are sensible. But aren't you simply confirming what I said to begin with? You're essentially saying that companies use checkbox filters to sift through applicants look…

Excellent point. And, conversely, how do I demonstrate, on my resume, that I'm proficient as a generalist without listing the things that specialist-oriented readers here suggest t…

Yes, regarding reasons for leaving. I'm going to drop those. DOS and AIX are included to illustrate breadth as opposed to depth. Not because I expect anybody to be impressed by 20-…

The problem isn't presently the age or the resume. With you, the resume would be a problem. But this might be a good thing. As I've said elsewhere, I'd be pleased to obtain a junio…

I started a few days ago. It hasn't been a good week for medical issues but things are looking up. I've been to the Emergency Room twice since Sunday. And I had a fever of 102 degr…

The distro is named LACLIN. LACLIN will be 10 years old, in its current incarnation, on Christmas Eve 2014. I use it for all of my work. But I haven't created a public release yet.…

Yes; you're correct about the "highly skilled" part. I should edit the point. I'm a highly experienced generalist as opposed to a highly skilled one. You're also correct about the …

T-shaped is a good term. Thanks, I'll remember it. I'm only now learning the ropes as far as some things go. I haven't sought out firms of that type yet and advice would be appreci…

It's a fact of life that resumes are crucial and that structure makes a difference. But I've noticed that people often disagree about approaches. This particular resume is based on…

Agree with rewording the narrative part but not sure yet of the best way to handle some parts.

The interest is appreciated. However, we have different perspectives. My 'C' experience dates back to 1976 and is probably still relevant. FWIW I never did much COBOL though my fir…

In everyday situations, outside of job interviews, if I feel confident about a situation, and I'm not under time pressure, I often come across as polished. I've been mistaken for a…

Some of my friends have told me I'm too literal about job listings. They echo a key point that you've made here, "JAP positions normally require just the basic coding skills". But …

Doesn't experience count with Sales regardless of age? But you're correct in general. Age discrimination is probably more significant in some non-tech sectors than in tech. And I a…

Heh. I had to do all that at the dot-com because they fired everybody else after the money ran out. I was the only rank and file employee left except for one left-over junior marke…