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

Ask HN: Desperate Python Hacker Seeking Help and Suggestions

news.ycombinator.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

41–50 of 194 posts

Re: Ask HN: Desperate Python Hacker Seeking Help and Suggestions

#41

Post by pavel_lishin »

mtogo wrote: post #20
SeoxyS wrote: post #5

Have you considered a drastic move to SF, NYC, Boston, or another startup hotspot? Having no money in Michigan is no better than having no money in a more expensive city, so cost of living shouldn't even be a factor here. Also, don't limit yourself to Python / C. Stress that you're able and willing to learn any programming language and solve any challenge that comes your way. I know there isn't a single unemployed Ru…

Have you considered a drastic move to SF, NYC, Boston, or another startup hotspot? Ah yes, it's so easy to move when you can't even afford $100 to start a company. Great advice. Finding a job as a developer is actually not that hard, in this economy. Looks like you're wrong, in this instance at least.

> Ah yes, it's so easy to move when you can't afford $100 to start a company. Great advice.

My biggest pet peeve about HN? The automatic assumption that if you're not looking to start your own company, you're a worthless idiot.

As bretthoerner pointed out, many companies will pay for you to move. And even if they don't, putting $5k on a credit card to move to someplace where you would actually be employed is still a better plan than starving to death next to your bed.

Re: Ask HN: Desperate Python Hacker Seeking Help and Suggestions

#43

Post by mtogo »

pavel_lishin wrote: post #41
mtogo wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Have you considered a drastic move to SF, NYC, Boston, or another startup hotspot? Ah yes, it's so easy to move when you can't even afford $100 to start a company. Great advice. Finding a job as a developer is actually not that hard, in this economy. Looks like you're wrong, in this instance at least.

> Ah yes, it's so easy to move when you can't afford $100 to start a company. Great advice. My biggest pet peeve about HN? The automatic assumption that if you're not looking to start your own company, you're a worthless idiot. As bretthoerner pointed out, many companies will pay for you to move. And even if they don't, putting $5k on a credit card to move to someplace where you would actually be employed is still a…

My biggest pet peeve about HN? The automatic assumption that if you're not looking to start your own company, you're a worthless idiot.

Woah, didn't mean to imply that at all. I just used the "to start a company" bit because he had said that in his post. I notice that attitude around HN and i hate it too.

As bretthoerner pointed out, many companies will pay for you to move. And even if they don't, putting $5k on a credit card to move to someplace where you would actually be employed is still a better plan than starving to death next to your bed.

You are probably absolutely right. I felt that if he can't put $100 on a credit card for some reason he probably can't put $5k on one, but i don't know what kind of relocation assistance companies provide nowadays.

Re: Ask HN: Desperate Python Hacker Seeking Help and Suggestions

#44

Post by [deleted] »

SeoxyS wrote: post #5

Have you considered a drastic move to SF, NYC, Boston, or another startup hotspot? Having no money in Michigan is no better than having no money in a more expensive city, so cost of living shouldn't even be a factor here. Also, don't limit yourself to Python / C. Stress that you're able and willing to learn any programming language and solve any challenge that comes your way. I know there isn't a single unemployed Ru…

[deleted]

Re: Ask HN: Desperate Python Hacker Seeking Help and Suggestions

#45

Post by elias »

dotBen wrote: post #26

Repeating the advice of others to move, if only in the hope that the repetition will alude to the validation of said advice. I usually don't have a good word to say about recruiters but in cases like yours it might be worth contacting a few who work in one of the hubs you could move to, and have them look at your resume. They'll help you brush it up if needed but more importantly help you validate that there are empl…

Agreed with Ben. I'm an Aussie transplant and know the pain that comes with moving but have to say it was the best decisions of my life.

I help the portfolio of Charles River Ventures (early investor in Twitter, Yammer) find exceptional hackers to help change the world. Happy to look over people's resumes and give feedback. If you're not from Silicon Valley, I'll set you up with a half dozen interviews and can help you overcome visa issues -- I'm passionate about seeing the world's smartest people working in startups (either as founders or early stage employees).

Email: elias @ crv.com

Re: Ask HN: Desperate Python Hacker Seeking Help and Suggestions

#46

Post by sgrove »

bretthoerner wrote: post #34
mtogo wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Have you considered a drastic move to SF, NYC, Boston, or another startup hotspot? Ah yes, it's so easy to move when you can't even afford $100 to start a company. Great advice. Finding a job as a developer is actually not that hard, in this economy. Looks like you're wrong, in this instance at least.

Wow. Nice tone, man. > Ah yes, it's so easy to move when you can't afford $100 to start a company. Great advice. Many, many companies would gladly pay to relocate a good developer right now. > Looks like you're wrong, in this instance at least. He's talking about places that aren't in BFE, and he's right.

Definitely, relocation costs vs recruiter fees? Easy, easy choice for a good hacker.

Re: Ask HN: Desperate Python Hacker Seeking Help and Suggestions

#47

Post by jsvaughan »

A few ideas

1. Consider where it is going wrong. Are you getting interviews for things you are suitable for? Are you getting knocked back at the interview stage? i.e. it it you CV that needs sorting out, or the interview? Or is it that there is nothing that matches your skills? Regardless of anything I would get someone else to give you feedback on your CV.

2. Find companies using the technologies you use and ring them up to see if they have any work available, rather than waiting for adverts.

3. Consider being a tester. It is rare to find a good tech skilled tester / QA and they are valuable.

4. Get the skills for the jobs that are available. Frankly if you are desperate then put 5 years of C# on your CV and work night and day building something in C#.

Re: Ask HN: Desperate Python Hacker Seeking Help and Suggestions

#48

Post by strlen »

There are a number of open source Python projects that have vendors associated with them (or large corporate users). OpenStack is one such example, but there's also various scientific libraries, e.g., NumPy/scipy that may better suited to your background. Typically open source-heavy companies are more open to remote/distributed work: I am not saying working remotely full-time, but something along the lines of working on site for the first six months (to prove yourself) and then working remotely most of the time/flying in on site for one week a month.

Consider this: identify several such projects along with the companies that are heavily involved in these projects open source communities, i.e., ones that are actually contributing and/or heavily modifying them.

First, send a patch, do something to "get your feet wet". Then pick a substantial sub-project (not something trivial), start contributing to it and at the mean time contact the engineer/managers working at associated companies (as not to be trapped in the HR resume black-hole). In the interview, at least mention the work you're doing.

Chances are they will be willing to fly you out to interview and help relocate. Be honest with them and say that (due to family reason) you'll need to at the very least travel.

In the worst case, you could do the reverse of working remotely/visiting the office frequently: rent a room in the remote area, work in the office most of the time, travel to Michigan for weekends/a week at a time: this will be difficult, but at the very least you'll be able to establish more "formal" experience and industry connections that you could translate into a more sustainable arrangement later (don't, however, start a position knowing that you won't be able to stick for at least a year and a half to two years: that would not very ethical, especially since you're looking for a company that will invest in your career). Of course, some family situations, e.g., elder care won't allow for that. In that case, still the advice applies: you're far more likely to find a remote-work scenario in an open-source related company than elsewhere.

Re: Ask HN: Desperate Python Hacker Seeking Help and Suggestions

#49

Post by canadiancreed »

SeoxyS wrote: post #5

Have you considered a drastic move to SF, NYC, Boston, or another startup hotspot? Having no money in Michigan is no better than having no money in a more expensive city, so cost of living shouldn't even be a factor here. Also, don't limit yourself to Python / C. Stress that you're able and willing to learn any programming language and solve any challenge that comes your way. I know there isn't a single unemployed Ru…

I'd echo what SeoxyS has to say, in that companies want you in their doors, and that means heading to where they are. The market for remote workers is think to say the least, especially for folks that are not close to company headquarters (speaking from over seven months and counting of looking for exactly that).

However I'd be pessimistic about marketing your skills to shops that dont' use the tech that you have experience in. I've found with my own quest that employers are for the most part, not convinced that it's the programming knowledge, not the syntax that matters. This may be less of an issue in the hotspots though.

And yes anything manufacturing....well it's the 1930's all over again.

Re: Ask HN: Desperate Python Hacker Seeking Help and Suggestions

#50

Post by josephmosby »

bfe wrote: post #40

As someone born and raised in Michigan and whose partner was also born and raised in Michigan, my advice is that other than visiting grandparents and hiking and touring breweries, you will find your opportunities tremendously expanded by as quickly as possible getting the fuck out of Michigan.

+1
Post reply on HN