Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

My Story as a Homeless Developer

medium.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

231–240 of 322 posts

Re: My Story as a Homeless Developer

#231

Post by austenallred »

Ahmed90 wrote: post #228
starwatch wrote: post #222

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I listened to the A16Z podcast recently on the refugee crises in Syria[1] where they talk about a generation of people that will have missed out on secondary education due to the war there. I'd be curious to know what positive actions you've seen taken (or heard of) that can help address the issue? [1]: https://a16z.com/2016/12/15/refugee-crisis-mobility-technolo...

I'm not Syrian, I'm Iraqi, and I can assure you the issue is bigger than that around here (most middle east) The only positive(ish) thing I know of is a Bootcamp they do in northern Iraq for Iraqi(ISIS crisis) and Syrian refugees that teach them how to code, but it's most basic stuff that bearly qualify you for an interview but no more. The problem with these international organization is that they sponsor local educ…

What’s the level of English proficiency?

Re: My Story as a Homeless Developer

#232

Post by austenallred »

rahimnathwani wrote: post #225
austenallred wrote: post #215

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Gotta love bootcamp accounting. Personally I’d count apprenticeships; getting your foot in the door is generally the hardest part. That gives a meh 64.9%. Not far off most bootcamps to be honest, but a far cry from 97%.

If you count the apprenticeships that resulted in a full time job at the same place (i.e. where it got the person a foot in the door), then the numerator is 76+78=154 That's 40% of 388 total grads.

Ok I take it back that’s still really bad

Re: My Story as a Homeless Developer

#233

Post by Ahmed90 »

austenallred wrote: post #231
Ahmed90 wrote: post #228

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm not Syrian, I'm Iraqi, and I can assure you the issue is bigger than that around here (most middle east) The only positive(ish) thing I know of is a Bootcamp they do in northern Iraq for Iraqi(ISIS crisis) and Syrian refugees that teach them how to code, but it's most basic stuff that bearly qualify you for an interview but no more. The problem with these international organization is that they sponsor local educ…

What’s the level of English proficiency?

The level varies but in general, the young Iraqis are Hollywood addicts xD, so I would say it's decent, some are really good and some need a little bit practice.

All mentors/leaders are easily on the high side

Re: My Story as a Homeless Developer

#234

Post by [deleted] »

chrissnell wrote: post #162
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…

Indeed. I'm sitting here at a cafe in my small Kansas town. There's a landscape company across the street with a sign offering $12/hr. They are desperate for people. I know this because I've hired their competitor to mow my grass and they can't get it mowed often enough because they are understaffed. This is a small town, probably about the same size as OP's. You can walk or ride a bike anywhere, so transportation is…

[deleted]

Re: My Story as a Homeless Developer

#235

Post by watwut »

chrissnell wrote: post #162
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…

Indeed. I'm sitting here at a cafe in my small Kansas town. There's a landscape company across the street with a sign offering $12/hr. They are desperate for people. I know this because I've hired their competitor to mow my grass and they can't get it mowed often enough because they are understaffed. This is a small town, probably about the same size as OP's. You can walk or ride a bike anywhere, so transportation is…

Landscape companies here require you to have car, so that you move faster and can take tools with you.

Also, economy in your city being good and job opening for lanscape available does not imply same economy in other cities.

Re: My Story as a Homeless Developer

#236

Post by watwut »

manigandham wrote: post #220
komali2 wrote: post #83

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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…

There is no implication as the post said nothing about the homeless. > That's how the immigrants do it Not really. Lots of generalizations there about immigrants. Some might have networks but many come here on their own with nothing and grind it out for decades to build up their lives. The key is persistence. Your post seems to be full of assumptions and complaints which makes it clear that you likely have never atte…

Speaking as someone who knows people who immigrated, the cooperation and help thing were huge factor - especially so among those who did low skill work. People moved in groups or seeked places where they knew somebody. It is hard life and they are not doing it completely alone without cooperation because that would make it even harder. (Offtopic: refusal to accept that people do help each other, give each other advice and that it is factor in life is distinctively American thing. Many cultures see mutual help like that as requirement or "normal". Not everyone see insult in word help, many see it as just what intelligent people do.)

Especially the parts about someone teaching you trade and borrowing tools so you can show up like pretending to be pro instead of like someone who never done that trade. Or relative helping you get job and teaching you on the job. Smart person can learn basics fast, but can't figure them on his own and need someone to cover up basic mistakes at the beginning.

And also ability to find a place to sleep in shared with other non complete strangers (e.g. People you know something about even if a bit) - not as comfortable nor with privacy but cheap and provides connections.

The shared housing was common enough that Americans attempted to prevent it in places (via rules on multiple families in one house etc).

Re: My Story as a Homeless Developer

#237

Post by leke »

I recently quit web development and decided to get regular work. It just wasn't working out for me in my town/country (not in the US). My catch 22 was no experience, no chance. I couldn't even offer my services for free to get that experience, because companies just didn't need/want me.

I could have easily been homeless during the 2 years after I graduated, but thanks to the social welfare system, I was taken care of as a job seeker.

I'm now interested in something I call self startup ideas, which is currently making games for (mostly) mobile that might take off. This is only a hobby I allocate a couple of hours a day to though. Otherwise I'm doing unskilled labour for minimal wage.

I've had mixed feelings about my experience as a web developer. It was something I had so much passion for (even before I went to study it), but now I'm kind of glad I've walked away, as it has been a source of so much toxicity in my life recently. Kind of like kicking a really bad habit.

Re: My Story as a Homeless Developer

#238

Post by leke »

chrissnell wrote: post #162
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…

Indeed. I'm sitting here at a cafe in my small Kansas town. There's a landscape company across the street with a sign offering $12/hr. They are desperate for people. I know this because I've hired their competitor to mow my grass and they can't get it mowed often enough because they are understaffed. This is a small town, probably about the same size as OP's. You can walk or ride a bike anywhere, so transportation is…

I think OP mentioned he only wanted developer jobs.

Re: My Story as a Homeless Developer

#239

Post by leke »

watwut wrote: post #235
chrissnell wrote: post #162

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Indeed. I'm sitting here at a cafe in my small Kansas town. There's a landscape company across the street with a sign offering $12/hr. They are desperate for people. I know this because I've hired their competitor to mow my grass and they can't get it mowed often enough because they are understaffed. This is a small town, probably about the same size as OP's. You can walk or ride a bike anywhere, so transportation is…

Landscape companies here require you to have car, so that you move faster and can take tools with you. Also, economy in your city being good and job opening for lanscape available does not imply same economy in other cities.

Do many Landscape companies not supply work vehicles or pair you with employees who do have them?

Re: My Story as a Homeless Developer

#240

Post by Haydos585x2 »

welder wrote: post #204
jcriddle4 wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I suspect the author may want to sit down with someone and do a ton of practice interviews so they can be told here is 5 or 10 pieces of information that you should not volunteer to a recruiter. Here is another 5 or 10 ways to honestly answer/avoid some questions. That being said it seems like at some point the author may need to level about not having the best people skills but I am not sure how to say that without…

https://www.pramp.com/ - Practice coding interviews live for free

Parent comment was talking more about practicing the softer, more social questions rather than hard skills and problem solving questions.
Post reply on HN