Tell HN: I just wanted to say: thank you, Hacker News • Hacker News Board

Re: Tell HN: I just wanted to say: thank you, Hacker News

#111

Post by KB » Thu, Mar 22, 2018, 2:47 AM UTC

50something wrote: post #13

I am finishing my bachelors in CompSci at Harvard Extension and just got hired by Google. And I've got about 20 years on you. So yeah, absolutely, this can work! It was fun and challenging competing with top computer science students. In the long run, my organizational skills, focus, determination and world experience outweighed their raw brainpower and better memory. It's an ultramarathon, not a sprint.

Really great achievement and welcome to Google. If you're based in Cambridge, we should try to grab lunch sometime. My ldap is kbolton.

Re: Tell HN: I just wanted to say: thank you, Hacker News

#112

Post by technofiend » Thu, Mar 22, 2018, 4:18 AM UTC

DGAP wrote: post #91

50something wrote: post #13

I am finishing my bachelors in CompSci at Harvard Extension and just got hired by Google. And I've got about 20 years on you. So yeah, absolutely, this can work! It was fun and challenging competing with top computer science students. In the long run, my organizational skills, focus, determination and world experience outweighed their raw brainpower and better memory. It's an ultramarathon, not a sprint.

I didn't realize that this was even an option - are there any other well regarded online Masters programs in CS, infosec, or software development I should be aware of?

Yes! The Georgia Tech online master's is priced at their cost to deliver the courses: ~$7k.

https://newatlas.com/georgia-tech--graduate-computer-science...

Re: Tell HN: I just wanted to say: thank you, Hacker News

#113

Post by codezero » Thu, Mar 22, 2018, 5:17 AM UTC

50something wrote: post #102

codezero wrote: post #96

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Awesome, did you have health insurance/coverage? When I think of going back to school as a slightly older person, this is one of the only things that scares me.

If you are in MA, students enrolled in 12 credits or more (3 classes) per semester are required to have health insurance. https://www.extension.harvard.edu/resources-policies/complet...

feel free to ignore me: does this mean a plan was available to you, or you couldn’t enroll without your own plan? Going to assume the former, in which case, awesome!

Re: Tell HN: I just wanted to say: thank you, Hacker News

#114

Post by uh_what » Thu, Mar 22, 2018, 6:03 AM UTC

fancyfacebook wrote: post #110

eganist wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> just got hired by Google. And I've got about 20 years on you. As impressive as your achievement is, I'm equally impressed that Google finally started addressing their perceived ageism problem.

Yeah one anecdote, ageism must be solved! Good job Google, we did it! You see why people criticize the orange site for worshiping corporate a bit too much?

>> As impressive as your achievement is, I'm equally impressed that Google finally started addressing their perceived ageism problem.

>>> Yeah one anecdote, ageism must be solved! Good job Google, we did it!

It's posters like you that turn people off HN.

Re: Tell HN: I just wanted to say: thank you, Hacker News

#115

Post by saganus » Thu, Mar 22, 2018, 6:38 AM UTC

ccajas wrote: post #73

50something wrote: post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A lot of it was stuff that is basic to someone with years of work experience: * Start assignments as soon as they are given out. Stupid, right? * Don't be shy about asking lots of questions. Don't be egotistical or afraid about asking for clarification. * Build personal relationships with the professors and TAs. They are there to help. This is not an adversarial relationship. Show genuine passion for the material. *…

How did you deal with the financial issues about returning to college? Non-STEM graduate here, looking to work in places that have more deeply engineering related backgrounds. I'd prefer getting a CS or ECE degree. My situation is especially complicated. I have been unemployed (save a few short freelance gigs) since early 2015. I cannot interview effectively anymore. This, I think, is my biggest problem I live with m…

Not long ago I was "self-employed" (just work, no money), and had to go back to interviewing for a job after I ran out of money.

My biggest issue was gathering as much will as I could to start doing it. After the first 2 or 3 interviews, which were utterly terrible, I realized that the hardest thing was bearing those first rejections and shameful (to me) interviews. After that things got a bit easier each time until I landed a job.

So I would truly advice you to start with the process as soon as you can. Tomorrow if possible.

Keep in mind that you will almost for sure, blow the first few ones. Don't sweat it and keep going.

Of course, I would also advice you to do interview-type exercises at the same time. Again, the first few programs will feel terrible. You will definitely feel the pain. But just try doing 10 minutes at least. Then rest, even for a full day. Then try again.

Sooner than you think you will be back on track.

Re: Tell HN: I just wanted to say: thank you, Hacker News

#116

Post by MrDam » Thu, Mar 22, 2018, 7:31 AM UTC

I made the same moves last year and have no regrets. I was 28 when I quit my career in finance in May 2017. It's definitely been the hardest thing I've ever done (System's Architecture and Computer Networks) but it's been the most rewarding. I'll be finishing Year 1 of 3 this June.

Re: Tell HN: I just wanted to say: thank you, Hacker News

#117

Post by MrDam » Thu, Mar 22, 2018, 7:39 AM UTC

AIX2ESXI wrote: post #46

Hi, I'm longtime lurker and was compelled to create a HN account for this topic. I'm in a similar position in my mid thirties; currently struggling with a heavy course load while working full time. Most weeks I seem to get most of my work done on the weekends and a occasional week night, struggling with the math classes though. I think I'm about thirty units away from transferring to the University I work for tuition…

I used Khan Academy for 2-3 months while I had a full-time job. I worked my way up from College Algebra to Calculus I before I took community college courses in Calculus I and Calculus II. It definitely prepared me for the college courses.

Re: Tell HN: I just wanted to say: thank you, Hacker News

#118

Post by 50something » Thu, Mar 22, 2018, 8:29 AM UTC

codezero wrote: post #113

50something wrote: post #102

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you are in MA, students enrolled in 12 credits or more (3 classes) per semester are required to have health insurance. https://www.extension.harvard.edu/resources-policies/complet...

feel free to ignore me: does this mean a plan was available to you, or you couldn’t enroll without your own plan? Going to assume the former, in which case, awesome!

if you follow the above link, you'll see that you could join the Harvard health plan, even as a family. If you had your own, your could opt out. You can't be a 3/4 or above time student without health care coverage in MA. It's the law.

Re: Tell HN: I just wanted to say: thank you, Hacker News

#119

Post by artolus » Thu, Mar 22, 2018, 8:53 AM UTC

hunter23 wrote: post #30

You did something way bolder but I wanted to share another successful career restart story. I worked in tech startups in business roles (ops & product management) but was always excited about the engineering side. I decided to do a career restart at 32 and taught myself the basics of web development using Udacity and other web tutorials. I then went through a coding bootcamp and joined a mid size company. It's been a…

I am someone who has been 'programming since they were 12' and I worry about perhaps not being as well-rounded as you describe yourself. What kind of experiences that taught you the soft skills you mentioned would you recommend to someone like myself to become a more attractive engineer?

Re: Tell HN: I just wanted to say: thank you, Hacker News

#120

Post by johnx123-up » Thu, Mar 22, 2018, 11:19 AM UTC

50something wrote: post #22

eganist wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> just got hired by Google. And I've got about 20 years on you. As impressive as your achievement is, I'm equally impressed that Google finally started addressing their perceived ageism problem.

Google must be doing something right in their candidate triage algorithms. I applied for one job and they suggested another that was a better fit, which I hadn't even considered. I applied to a bunch of places and only Google seemed to perceive the whole package instead of myopically focusing on my recent education or last job. The whole process was much smarter than any other company in the interview cycle.

Could you please share more about your application process? I applied for couple of jobs and in their career portal... never received even an acknowledgement.