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Ask HN: I actually need a job now

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Re: Ask HN: I actually need a job now

#51

Post by SkyMarshal »

PHP is easy to pick up from JS/Rails/Python [1] (or any other more sophisticated language). The latest version 5.5 is actually a real OO programming language with first class functions and the like [2], and you can get good performance with Apache 2.4's Event MPM + php-fpm [3] and/or the in-memory Phalcon web framework [4]. I've recently been helping a friend with his side business based on PHP and had to pickit up again after not looking at it since 2003, and it's not bad. They're doing good things with it.

Also check out the remote development work jobsites [5] [6] for stuff you know.

[1]: http://www.sitepoint.com/becoming-php-professional-missing-l...

[2]: http://www.php.net/manual/en/langref.php

[3]: https://wiki.apache.org/httpd/PHP-FPM

[4]: http://phalconphp.com/

[5]: http://weworkremotely.com/

[6]: http://jobmote.com/

Re: Ask HN: I actually need a job now

#52

Post by [deleted] »

wpietri wrote: post #44
swalkergibson wrote: post #9

Who cares about what languages HN likes or doesn't like? If you have bills to pay, get a job and let go of the need to "please" some random people on the Internet, whatever that means. Imperative, object-oriented languages are all very similar, so just go get a job doing that. All you have to do is make clear to the interviewer that you may not have the precise pedigree in $FOO_LANGUAGE, but are willing to learn.

I think "what HN likes" here is throwing you off. I don't think this is about fashion. Good programmers care a lot about good tools. Different tools also have different communities, which means different views, different standards, different approaches. I've done projects with great tools and projects with shitty tools. For me, it makes a giant difference. I can spend my energy on solving real user problems, or I can…

[deleted]

Re: Ask HN: I actually need a job now

#53

Post by [deleted] »

owenmarshall wrote: post #34
JonFish85 wrote: post #22

Question, and I realize that you said you want a "job for a developer"... Have you considered interviewing for a job a level above that? I imagine with a few years' of experience at startups, you've learned a lot at a "design" level rather than simply an implementation level (not that there's anything wrong with that). Consider interviewing for a developer management position. Instead of focusing on specific language…

> If not management, I'd still say try to get a little more "meta" than just "I know Rails, Node..." Market yourself at a business-level, if that makes sense. In my opinion, the tools you use to solve a problem aren't as interesting as how you approach a problem and solve it. This is fantastic advice for every programmer, and once I actually started believing it was when I started getting interesting jobs that pay we…

[deleted]

Re: Ask HN: I actually need a job now

#54

Post by SkyMarshal »

tyi4 wrote: post #49
owenmarshall wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> If not management, I'd still say try to get a little more "meta" than just "I know Rails, Node..." Market yourself at a business-level, if that makes sense. In my opinion, the tools you use to solve a problem aren't as interesting as how you approach a problem and solve it. This is fantastic advice for every programmer, and once I actually started believing it was when I started getting interesting jobs that pay we…

I can't help but visualise an empty suit when people start talking about "delivering value" in the abstract, with a smug sense of superiority. People like you are mostly just lip service. http://www.yosefk.com/blog/do-call-yourself-a-programmer-and...

There's a happy middle ground here, no need to split hairs or be black and white. One formula that works is, be a legit programmer/developer/hacker, but be able to communicate with business people on the business level about business problems. Preferably using your own original language, rather than pre-packaged MBA-speak (though sometimes even that stuff is useful if a particular client needs to hear it).

Re: Ask HN: I actually need a job now

#55

Post by tyi4 »

segmondy wrote: post #4

You can brush up PHP in a week or less. Don't go the waiter/shop assistant route. Just start interviewing for every and any position you see until you get one. Unless you are absolutely broke with zero money. Then take the first job you can, but make sure you take something that allows you time to be able to go for interviews.

Haha, being a shop assistant is probably considerably more intellectually fulfilling then being a PHP developer.

Re: Ask HN: I actually need a job now

#57

Post by owenmarshall »

SkyMarshal wrote: post #54
tyi4 wrote: post #49

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I can't help but visualise an empty suit when people start talking about "delivering value" in the abstract, with a smug sense of superiority. People like you are mostly just lip service. http://www.yosefk.com/blog/do-call-yourself-a-programmer-and...

There's a happy middle ground here, no need to split hairs or be black and white. One formula that works is, be a legit programmer/developer/hacker, but be able to communicate with business people on the business level about business problems. Preferably using your own original language, rather than pre-packaged MBA-speak (though sometimes even that stuff is useful if a particular client needs to hear it).

>One formula that works is, be a legit programmer/developer/hacker, but be able to communicate with business people on the business level about business problems.

That's what I'm really getting at.

At the end of the day the person who decides to give you money in exchange for your code is a business person who wants to pay you to solve their business problems. Showing them that you understand and have experience solving those problems is as important as proving your mettle to other programmers.

And personally I've always had a much harder time with the business people interviews than the technical interviews. It's something that I have had to really work at, but it's helped me much more than I could've imagined.

Re: Ask HN: I actually need a job now

#58

Post by JonFish85 »

tyi4 wrote: post #49
owenmarshall wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> If not management, I'd still say try to get a little more "meta" than just "I know Rails, Node..." Market yourself at a business-level, if that makes sense. In my opinion, the tools you use to solve a problem aren't as interesting as how you approach a problem and solve it. This is fantastic advice for every programmer, and once I actually started believing it was when I started getting interesting jobs that pay we…

I can't help but visualise an empty suit when people start talking about "delivering value" in the abstract, with a smug sense of superiority. People like you are mostly just lip service. http://www.yosefk.com/blog/do-call-yourself-a-programmer-and...

"People like you are mostly just lip service." Err, ok? I'd argue that the interviewer's job is to determine that. If the interviewer just wants to banter back and forth on specifics of languages and whatnot, that's fine, but in the big picture I don't find it helpful.

So to use an example, if you want to hire someone to build a deck onto your house, do you quiz the person on Craftsmen hammers, Stanley measuring tapes and Black & Decker saws? I wouldn't. I'd ask what similar projects they've done, what problems they've run into, etc.

Call it lip service, but I think the big picture is more valuable. Specifics of language syntax & conventions is OK, but knowing how to wield the tools is far, far more valuable in my opinion.

Re: Ask HN: I actually need a job now

#59

Post by nobodysfool »

I'd say you are in a good position. People hiring for 'PHP' or '.NET' or 'JAVA' are all most likely also looking for someone who knows javascript. Even if you only know the basics of those languages, the fact that you know javascript and angular are good. Many companies here in my local area are all advertising for .NET but when you get to the specifics they are making web apps... and javascript is what they should hire, but they don't...

Re: Ask HN: I actually need a job now

#60

Post by s0l1dsnak3123 »

paolomaffei wrote: post #39

If you are half-decent at JS (specially if you actually can use Angular) I can get you a job in London (or even near Basingstoke if you now happen to live there) no problem, I'm literally swamped with work requests and got so many colleagues looking to hire decent frontend developers (probably Rails too but I don't do that so don't know that well) IMHO if you are in UK there's no financial sense in staying outside Lo…

Totally disagree with staying outside of London. I'm in Glasgow, and there is an emerging growth of trendy Scottish startups (I'd like to think my company fits within that bracket too, haha) who are using some great technology.

If you're interested in some android or rails development work hit me up at hello@farmer.io

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