91–100 of 132 posts
Software development is not a career. The older you get the less desirable you are to software companies. Advise against a change to software development.
So, you need some sort of credential. A bootcamp would do well, some sort of certificate of a course of study from Coursera or edX, a non-degree certificate from a university. Pick a tech stack that's both modern and enterprisey -- Java, .NET, Ruby, Node.js are all fine, but if you go with them, get current. On the front end, you want to find something trendy. Try looking for some jobs you think you'd want to apply f…
I totally disagree. I don't think a credential will help at all. I think you need projects that you can point to and explain. I also feel like it will be easier for you to get a role at a company that also would utilize your past experience. This way it is easier for them to justify someone more technically junior at on the software engineering side.
Build some stuff yourself, whatever it might be. Website, automation of daily tasks, it doesn’t matter. Make something that works. Most people can’t complete a project, so if you can, you’re valuable.
Take some free online computer science courses. I really like the MIT intro to computer science for non-programmers. You’d be shocked how many people who work as developers can’t do basic stuff you would learn in even an intro course. If you have some theoretical formal knowledge and combine that with the ability to execute in the real world, you are rare and valuable.
So, you need some sort of credential. A bootcamp would do well, some sort of certificate of a course of study from Coursera or edX, a non-degree certificate from a university. Pick a tech stack that's both modern and enterprisey -- Java, .NET, Ruby, Node.js are all fine, but if you go with them, get current. On the front end, you want to find something trendy. Try looking for some jobs you think you'd want to apply f…
Is my shop the only one that is skeptical of bootcamp graduates? The thinking is that they have a deep skillset but in an extremely narrow track. It's like they know how to use a hammer and a screwdriver, but they don't know why you would use a nail instead of a screw (or which thread pitch why) instead of a bolt instead of a jointery technique. Maybe it is just that our company has a bunch of old timer generalists t…
In a company of generalists, this is very likely how you operate, and you'll see little value in bootcamp folks.
As a generalist, I tend to be in that camp - seeing little value in bootcamp folks. Or, I should be more precise - the way I operate I don't see that I could get much value from bootcamp folks (I'm either independent, or work with other generalists). I'm not set up to be able to get much value from narrow-skill bootcamp folks early on.
Their value will be for shops that have teams of people where dropping in one more pair of hands has some incremental value. From there they will get more experience and can learn to be of more value in more situations.
That's just been my own observations talking with some folks about their 'going through a bootcamp' experience over the last couple of years.
Rebrand as a data scientist. Data science is eating the world. Everyone wants data scientists. You’re a microbiologist. It’s hugely credible that you’ve done some crazy data crunching for your science work. Spin that into an increasing interest in the pure data science. Voila, you’re writing python for a living at the top of the market with a hugely valued differentiated skill set.
Are you saying this because you work as a data scientist and this is personal experience (that the field is booming), or are you saying this because this is what you've heard? I tend to hear from actual data scientists that the field is a lot harder to get into than what the press is reporting.
I've talked to a lot of data scientists, and I can't recall any without a PhD said they were initially hired for that role. I have met quite a few that were initially hired as a support programmers then moved into data science once they had their foot in the door though.
There are plenty of people who've worked 10 years in software (who are in their mid-30s) who've stagnated for the last 8 years. It's perfectly possible to compete even with people your own age within a year or so if you just tackle things to learn in a smart way. So don't let anyone tell you it's too late.
Fully agree that you could compete with them on an even (to superior) footing well inside of a year of reasonably dedicated off-hours effort.