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My Story as a Homeless Developer

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Re: My Story as a Homeless Developer

#101

Post by ddingus »

gm-conspiracy wrote: post #78

There was a PDF I saw many years ago, posted to craigslist, that was written by a homeless man, but consciously choosing to be homeless. It had an interesting description of various strategies used. I think he lived in Hawaii and would eat "free" Burger King by rummaging through the trash during a sweepstakes and finding the coupons for free food. He also rented a small storage unit to keep his possessions (including…

Yes.

One root motivation is just wanting to be lean. Needing to generate X per month can be something people do not want to do. Or cannot do.

If high expectations are not set, what remains can be met.

Meeting low expectations is definitely a choice.

Re: My Story as a Homeless Developer

#102

Post by jriot »

gigel82 wrote: post #76
jriot wrote: post #44

Sounds like you never learned how to do anything outside of coding. There is more to succeeding in life than being able to code.

Have you looked at the GitHub profile? Don't want to be harsh, but it looks like he never really learned how to code either, which is kind-of sad. I'm not a stickler for education, but there's something to be said for at least finishing highschool; you learn how to learn if nothing else.

I did not, only read through the Medium article/blog. As you alluded to, high school provides more than just standard book education. Those 4 years you learn how to deal with people, relationships, politics of an organization, how problems affecting more than a few people are solved/planned, how to deal with rejection etc... These are skills he now needs to learn in the real world that carry greater risks outside of learning them in high school.

Re: My Story as a Homeless Developer

#103

Post by newnewpdro »

Look at the bright side: at least he can pass background checks, there's no mention of a criminal record.

There's a guy in his 40s on freenode/#SDL who is constantly ranting about being unable to find work because he was involved in some gang stuff in his youth giving him a criminal record.

Re: My Story as a Homeless Developer

#104

Post by ryandrake »

komali2 wrote: post #83
eric_b wrote: post #49

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You sound pretty out of touch. In Iowa there is an enormous agriculture industry - an industry not known for asking a lot of personal questions about origin or current status. If you can show up and do the work (and maybe pass a drug test), you're hired. And often paid cash. Outside of agriculture, there are the usual suspects. Bars, restaurants, cleaning jobs, roofing, painting, other forms of low skill construction…

The implication is that the majority of homeless are just lazy, yea? Just pick apples! I've been exactly there. You're not making minimum wage when you show up to the farm to pick apricots all day. Bars - need a bartender license. Yes, you do, nobody is risking it in 2018. Restaurants, sure, but again, you're not making minimum wage, and if you whiff of hobo you're not working front of house and getting tips. Cleanin…

Your post points to stronger minimum-wage enforcement being appropriate. It's ridiculous that there are so many legally grey (and legally OK) loopholes that employers use to get around minimum wage law, and that being economically disadvantaged means one is more likely to be exploited by these. What part of "minimum" is so difficult to understand and enforce?

Re: My Story as a Homeless Developer

#105

Post by lozaning »

komali2 wrote: post #83
eric_b wrote: post #49

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You sound pretty out of touch. In Iowa there is an enormous agriculture industry - an industry not known for asking a lot of personal questions about origin or current status. If you can show up and do the work (and maybe pass a drug test), you're hired. And often paid cash. Outside of agriculture, there are the usual suspects. Bars, restaurants, cleaning jobs, roofing, painting, other forms of low skill construction…

The implication is that the majority of homeless are just lazy, yea? Just pick apples! I've been exactly there. You're not making minimum wage when you show up to the farm to pick apricots all day. Bars - need a bartender license. Yes, you do, nobody is risking it in 2018. Restaurants, sure, but again, you're not making minimum wage, and if you whiff of hobo you're not working front of house and getting tips. Cleanin…

At least in CA there is literally no such thing as a 'bartending license'. The requirements for getting a job as a bartender in california start and stop at convincing a bar owner to let you tend their bar.

Re: My Story as a Homeless Developer

#106

Post by duiker101 »

gigel82 wrote: post #76
jriot wrote: post #44

Sounds like you never learned how to do anything outside of coding. There is more to succeeding in life than being able to code.

Have you looked at the GitHub profile? Don't want to be harsh, but it looks like he never really learned how to code either, which is kind-of sad. I'm not a stickler for education, but there's something to be said for at least finishing highschool; you learn how to learn if nothing else.

I gave a quick look only because I'm on mobile but I'm really curious about what makes you say that. He might not be incredible but your comment makes it seem like he knows absolutely nothing which I wouldn't say it's true

Re: My Story as a Homeless Developer

#107

Post by opportune »

anothergoogler wrote: post #3

> The calls usually go something like this. > Me: “First thing, is I am looking for a remote position just long enough to allow me to save for a vehicle.” > Recruiter: “Sure. spends 20 minutes gathering as much information about me as they can ” > Recruiter: “We’d love to move forward with a position but you do not have a vehicle and the position requires you to have reliable transportation.” Why would do you that? T…

I think because the author is living in Iowa there may not be adequate public transportation? This struck me as odd too. Unless you’re a true rockstar (as in a public / semi-public figure with a great track record) no company is going to let you go remote for the first few weeks when the company doesn’t allow fully remote work. It seems like a really strange criterion to have and it’s probably THE major reason the author hasn’t been able to pass interviews, technical skills aside.

Re: My Story as a Homeless Developer

#108

Post by projektir »

gigel82 wrote: post #76
jriot wrote: post #44

Sounds like you never learned how to do anything outside of coding. There is more to succeeding in life than being able to code.

Have you looked at the GitHub profile? Don't want to be harsh, but it looks like he never really learned how to code either, which is kind-of sad. I'm not a stickler for education, but there's something to be said for at least finishing highschool; you learn how to learn if nothing else.

I'm not sure how to efficiently parse a GitHub profile but in what way does it indicate he never learned how to code?

Re: My Story as a Homeless Developer

#109

Post by t-3 »

toomuchtodo wrote: post #54
DoreenMichele wrote: post #5

Looks like this was written today. He's apparently still homeless and he closes with a request for feedback. So I'm just going to leave these links here (disclosure: they are my sites): https://www.pocketputer.com/ https://streetlifesolutions.blogspot.com/ (Same look, but different site) https://sandiegohomelesssurvivalguide.blogspot.com/ This is listed on the Links page of PocketPuter.com, but I'm going to put it he…

Hey Doreen! Do you mind if I get in touch? I ran into a young homeless man (who has a felony on his record) in a big box parking lot in Central Florida the other day. He has an AC HVAC technician license, and is having a hard time finding someone who will hire him, and I'm looking for suggestions into how best to help him not just get back on his feet, but maximize his available skillset by getting back into an AC HV…

A good place to check is the county offices that serve the local district court. There will often be mental health and counseling services for probationers, and those places generally have a billboard full of current jobs that are felon-friendly. If your state has an unemployment office, they will probably have a website with jobs where you can post a resume. The best help you could give that young man would be an obamaphone, a library card, and some help making a resume.

Re: My Story as a Homeless Developer

#110

Post by teunispeters »

Been there done that. Worked a lot of other jobs too to survive (driving forklift, welder's help, construction) - got too injured to continue that so went back to fighting to work office jobs. Eventually succeeded. I spent 20 years in that half way world of not enough to survive, not enough to stay off the streets but I'm off now and have been for 7+ years now.

The first employer that got me off the streets I didn't tell I was homeless. I worked for them for a month crashing out in friends' couches until I could move into a tiny apartment walking distance from the job.

(there's levels of homeless. I only spent weeks on the streets themselves and about a year living out of an old beater car I could keep functional)

I don't really have anything to add, other than try to work other stuff. Unless you live somewhere ridiculously expensive (like - oh - my last city of Vancouver BC) - you'll probably be able to drag yourself out with even a minimum wage warehouse job or the like, and get yourself set for going back into main career.

My favourite warehouse job I worked for a year. Every day saying how great my vacation was going ;) (half of that was living in a car. But I made it)

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