We're a LAMP shop that is doing more and more angular. I contract with many HNers. Please email johnny d0t goodman @ cpap d07 com if interested in discussing further and setting up a fizzbuzz.
What does "setting up a fizzbuzz" mean?
Ask HN: I got let go this morning. What should I do next?
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Re: Ask HN: I got let go this morning. What should I do next?
#12"So I really have two questions. What would you do in my situation (would you stay in a smaller city?), and if you could start over in web development, what would you focus on?" 2 years ago I got laid off from a job I was at for almost 8 years. File for unemployment and make sure that's set. Clean up your resume and LinkedIn then enjoy some time off. For me, it was early July so it was nice to sit outside on the pati…
File for unemployment, yes. Clean up your resume and LinkedIn, fine. Enjoy some time off? Not so much. If I understand correctly, he (she?) said that he only had a 3 month runway of money. In that situation, finding a job had better be your full-time job. I mean, look, take a day off. Take two days. Take even a week. Breathe. Look around. Do a couple things you've wanted to do and haven't had time for. But don't take…
I was in a very similar situation about 6 months ago, but with even less of a runway (sidenote, lesson learned there). While taking a whole month as R&R time is not really adviseable (plus 12 new next big JS frameworks will come out in that time, right??), I will say that taking a week or even a few days as a brief pause is not a bad idea. I needed a few days to get my head on straight and to push through the less productive emotions that are inevitable in that situation. Though it sounds like the OP is already a lot less angry than I was.
Re: Ask HN: I got let go this morning. What should I do next?
#13> your situation
Staying in Cleveland depends on if you like Cleveland or not. Unsure about the opportunities there, but I have an inkling that there are more varied and interesting opportunities elsewhere.
Consider taking the opportunity to move somewhere that is going to be a great area for you to raise a child (if that is something in your future).
Not many people have the luxury (as we do in our industry) of being able to (mostly) freely choose where they work.
> starting over
I wouldn't do much differently. Any dev worth their chops can learn whatever the hot technology is these days. I'd focus on learning how to learn, how to communicate effectively based on your audience, and how to find interesting people that you can learn things from.
Re: Ask HN: I got let go this morning. What should I do next?
#14So my guess is this is the first time you've been let go, or this is the first time as an adult (post-college) during your profession that you've been let go.
Relax, it happens. This doesn't mean you aren't a terrific developer and person to work with. Take a little time to think about what you've worked on, what you've accomplished in the past 6-12 months I think you'll see what a great position you really are in. As others have said it's a golden time for both developers and particularly Javascript coders.
Once you've had a little time to reflect on all this then dust off your resume, update your linked in, and basically get ready for a lot of recruiters calling you.
If you have the means financially don't rush, take your time and really interview your next potential employer as if you were hiring them.
You'll be amazed what kind of work is out there if you take your time versus jumping into the next gig you are offered.
Lastly, at 28 I would seriously consider a startup. You are in a great position to take that risk right now. Since you aren't in a tech hub like San Francisco it might take a little more time to find something there, unless you want to relocate. Perhaps look under Gigs in craigslist, I've found local (Denver) startups looking for coders that way in the past.
Re: Ask HN: I got let go this morning. What should I do next?
#15Re: Ask HN: I got let go this morning. What should I do next?
#16> I have looked into doing freelance work, but as I am self taught my CS skills are not as solid as other developers, and my design skills are just about average. I am more product focused, I try to work as closely to the end user as possible and clearly define what they need. A couple of points if you choose to go the freelance path: 1. Very few clients will care about your CS skills. If you can develop commercially…
Very much agree with the second point. And not just how it relates to the actual project work, as a freelancer, you also need to be prepared to do a lot of things that aren't development. Tools and consultants are available to help, but invoicing, insurance (if applicable, depends on your client types), taxes, proposals, etc etc all have to be overseen by you if not actually done by you. Personally I have been fine with those tradeoffs, retaining a high degree of autonomy in exchange for some less than interesting tasks. But it's a tradeoff you have to be willing to make if freelancing is going to be the source of your livelihood.
Edit to add: especially if the target client js less than savvy, they're going to really appreciate working with a consultant who has the skillset the OP does. Frequently (and sometimes frustratingly) less savvy clients can take a very wide view of what a web consultant should be providing for them. Marketing as a product development and management guru can absolutely become a viable business as a freelancer. There are tons of other freelancers with other specialities whom you can sub to (if the budget and agreement allows) to fill out any gaps you may have in specific areas. Particularly things like design and UI that lend themselves to well-defined scopes and deliverables.
Re: Ask HN: I got let go this morning. What should I do next?
#17We're a LAMP shop that is doing more and more angular. I contract with many HNers. Please email johnny d0t goodman @ cpap d07 com if interested in discussing further and setting up a fizzbuzz.
What does "setting up a fizzbuzz" mean?
A Captain Kirk card game? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v77SF4TFUoM
Re: Ask HN: I got let go this morning. What should I do next?
#18So my guess is this is the first time you've been let go, or this is the first time as an adult (post-college) during your profession that you've been let go. Relax, it happens. This doesn't mean you aren't a terrific developer and person to work with. Take a little time to think about what you've worked on, what you've accomplished in the past 6-12 months I think you'll see what a great position you really are in. A…
What's the benefit of a startup? Seems like more hours for less pay while always needing to get things done. I fail to see the appeal. They just have lunches and dinners which appeal to people.
Re: Ask HN: I got let go this morning. What should I do next?
#19Try to retain your former boss as a customer, likely they'll need you two weeks time.
This can work very well (experience + know many who have done this). Make sure to http://doubleyourfreelancingrate.com !
Re: Ask HN: I got let go this morning. What should I do next?
#201. Realize that as a developer you will be in high demand in the workforce, surely you will find something better in no time. 2. Work on your startup idea / prototype during this downtime. It doesn't have to be perfect, just hacked together well enough to provide value to someone. 3. Brush up your skills on sites like Codeacademy, W3C, Tutsplus, etc. Take a few free online university / MOOC courses. 4. Sift through p…
> Sift through projects on Odesk / Elance. You may find some part time work that may provide some supplemental income while at the same time improving your dev skills.
You're probably better off taking unemployment and working on some quick projects to spiff up your github account. I experimented with Odesk/Elance for side income and the best job I managed to find was $20/hr.