I am desperate for help but not sure whom to ask. I do not have any senior software developer friend who I can ask for advice. So, I hope somebody out here can help me.
I am 30yr old software developer with 2 yrs experience as a ASP.net C# developer. I have been jobless for 6 months. During my tenure as a developer, I did not do anything great. Just converted some existing HTML(static) sites to dynamic(developed a simple & crude cms like interface to edit the content on the website). I also made some simple web services. But I felt it was more like doing something and praying real hard that it should work. I cannot say honestly that I know webservice. Once I lost my job, I was having trouble finding .net openings as everyone wanted experienced people and no one wanted a junior. I decided to leave .net and look else where, I was also fed up with windows and visual studio. I tried Java but it was tough learning it based on the online resources. I struggled for a long time with Maven and still i am not sure if I know it properly. I did play around with Python, I really liked the syntax formating(well indented structure as it made it more readable). I am a windows 7 user, but now I am getting used to Linux mint since 3 months.
Now my problem is, I do not have experience due to which I cannot find a job and I cannot get a Job as I lack experience. Its like a dead-lock situation. Plus I have not achieved at 30 what I aimed to do when was 25. I am not sure which language to choose as I am trying to move away from .NET.
I am currently trying to develop an app for android in hopes to be self-employed or atleast gain a skill as a mobile app developer. But I am not very sure how successful I will be as I still struggling to find was way around Java.
May be I am just looking at all this in a wrong way. I am not sure, but I think its time for a complete shake up.
Ask HN: Confused software developer
1–10 of 60 posts
Re: Ask HN: Confused software developer
#2Where are you located?
Re: Ask HN: Confused software developer
#3Sorry dude.. you are looking at this the wrong way. This is an industry where you do not need a job to get experience, you just need to RTFM (of whatever tool you've adopted), learn it up and down, and find a way to apply it. That's what you get from experience. After that, people will hire you
Re: Ask HN: Confused software developer
#4Not wanting to be brutal but if you have 2 years experience of anything then you are no longer a junior. Maybe not actually a senior but certainly not a junior. Junior is like saying trainee. Stop thinking that you are junior.
You seem to play down your accomplishments "Just converted some existing HTML(static) sites to dynamic(developed a simple & crude cms like interface to edit the content on the website). I also made some simple web services"
Lets rewrite that for you:
1) Rebuilt existing site into a modern Web2.0 dynamic website complete with it's own CMS to make the sites easier to maintain for the users. 2) Developed webservices to allow the content of XXX easily accessible by other services.
If your CV is like this post then it needs a makeover.
You are not a junior anything, you are an experienced ASP.net C# developer!
Building on your ASP.net and C# skills will provide greater benefit in the short term than becoming a noob in a whole bunch of other technologies.
Re: Ask HN: Confused software developer
#5You already have experience in .NET so I'm not sure why you are trying to move away from it to a language in which you have no experience at all. You mention the work you did on the simple CMS and praying that it worked. Build on those skills. If you could do it again what would you differently. What methods could you employ so that you didn't have to pray it worked. Read up on webservices so that you fully understand them. Getting good takes a lot of time. Even though I know a few languages and frameworks very well, moving to something new can feel like starting all over again.
The great thing about software is that there are plenty of ways to get experience outside of having a job. Write your own software or develop your own sites that show off your capabilities. Make the source available on Github if you want. Write some blog posts. Help out on Stackoverflow.
Re: Ask HN: Confused software developer
#6Don't over think it or start self doubting.
Are you getting interviews?
As previously asked - where are you located?
1. You must network. Make the effort to go to local meetups, etc. One problem you have is that you don't have other developers around. Knowing how to market yourself comes with awareness and experience you get by having relationships with other developers. Get out to a local meetup or something.
Without knowing more, in general: 1. If you're able to reduce your salary requirements then look for something that offers you a chance to build skills (sacrifice compensation for now). 2. You may need to relocate for greener fields.
As for tech choices, I think it's more about being with a team (or project) that is actively practicing high-quality code craftsmanship. Languages come and go, but delivering high quality code is a skill that sticks.
Re: Ask HN: Confused software developer
#7With your level of experience, you should not make the mistake of jumping on, or off, a particular technology stack's bandwagon. Look, lots of worthwhile work happens in .net, and in Java, and in Python, and even in older languages. When the technology in a stack has inconvenient or irritating aspects, that's a big opportunity: if you're good at dealing with that stuff, you're valuable.
What counts? Getting stuff done, not indentation styles.
If you don't know SQL, now, while you're looking for work, is the time to learn it. Give yourself the assignment of building a program and maybe a web site to browse some kind of open data. (Historical weather measurements? Nursing home quality scores? Political donations? There's tons of open data available on the net). Get your system working.
For $10 a month, you can subscribe to an online books service like Safari Books. That should allow you to overcome the somewhat chaotic state of online teaching materials for popular software stacks.
Re: Ask HN: Confused software developer
#8Consider moving to an area with more jobs available.
As for your skills, continue to create on your own. You should know SQL and how to work with memcache or redis. Making an android app is good but if your career path is more towards web development keep toying around with that technology as well. Ideally you could build something and include it on your resume.
As nolite said, pick a language and stick with it. You need to learn one language inside and out and then you'll be able to pick up other languages that much easier.
And lastly, don't sell yourself short! You have experience, you are excited about this work and willing to learn, then you will do a great job. Let that show through when you interview. Tailor your resume to fit the job description you are applying for. Your resume gets you an interview, the interview gets you the job.
Re: Ask HN: Confused software developer
#9If your sloppy grammar and spelling are anything to go by, perhaps your issue lies with inattention to details.
Re: Ask HN: Confused software developer
#10Not wanting to be brutal but if you have 2 years experience of anything then you are no longer a junior. Maybe not actually a senior but certainly not a junior. Junior is like saying trainee. Stop thinking that you are junior. You seem to play down your accomplishments "Just converted some existing HTML(static) sites to dynamic(developed a simple & crude cms like interface to edit the content on the website). I also…
This bullshit spin won't withstand even the most basic technical interview. It will also ensure that he'd come across as a pompous noob who's out of touch with reality.
I've been programming for money close to 25 years and I can assure you that the "junior" period covers at least 5 years. Yes, 3 years in you would think that you know a lot, have a boatload of experience and just a wee bit under "senior", but then at a 10 year mark you realize how obnxoisously cocky that self-assesment was. You just didn't know what you didn't know, but it didn't prevent you from feeling super-smart.
So, yeah, the OP is most definitely junior. That part is not a problem and it's actually really good that he doesn't think more of himself than he really is. His problem is a lack of experience and the only solution to this is just to sit your ass down, read what others have written and write your own code. Iterate.