Ask HN: I actually need a job now • Hacker News Board

Re: Ask HN: I actually need a job now

#41

Post by SheepSlapper » Thu, Nov 21, 2013, 5:21 PM UTC

untog wrote: post #8

27182818284 wrote: post #2

You can probably handle .NET, and if you want a stable, enterprise-fueled job, then an enterprise language like .NET is great. I don't think HN hates .NET or Java, they just don't make the frontpage as much. .NET (with C#) was quite a pleasure for me to work with and sometimes I miss it while hacking on Python+Django for my daily work. Also, don't sell yourself short. Let the interviewers decide you're not worthy. Pu…

Seconding that .NET/C# can be a pleasure to work with. Stuff like LINQ is awesome, Visual Studio is a great IDE. I've often thought that if I wanted to just rake in some easy cash I'd go work for BigCorp doing .NET and save up my cash for my next adventure.

EntityFramework + LINQ is an amazing combo for getting things done quickly. And Visual Studio provides the best debugging experience I've ever had. Couple it with ReSharper[1] and you're in code heaven. At least until you run into one of the INT_MAX subtle quirks of C#/.NET, at which point you feel like throwing your dev machine off the roof.

[1] http://www.jetbrains.com/resharper/

Re: Ask HN: I actually need a job now

#42

Post by __xtrimsky » Thu, Nov 21, 2013, 5:21 PM UTC

HN does not hate PHP, .NET, VB, Java. Its just older languages and HN is about discovering new things, and working on cool new languages.

Even if PHP or Java aren't "cool", they are really nice to program with when you master them.

And its good to learn to quickly learn other languages. In 20 years Rails, Node or Mongo might not be there anymore, its good to not get "habits" in IT.

PS: Java has one advantage, you can create web/software and android apps with it. Mobile is pretty trendy right now. But it will take you a lot more time to learn then PHP.

Re: Ask HN: I actually need a job now

#43

Post by chaz » Thu, Nov 21, 2013, 5:21 PM UTC

berrypicker wrote: post #37

JonFish85 wrote: post #22

Question, and I realize that you said you want a "job for a developer"... Have you considered interviewing for a job a level above that? I imagine with a few years' of experience at startups, you've learned a lot at a "design" level rather than simply an implementation level (not that there's anything wrong with that). Consider interviewing for a developer management position. Instead of focusing on specific language…

Nope I hadn't because I always considered myself 'just a coder', and immediately discarded any other kind of job. Thinking about it I have full stack experience and have often been part of the design process, so thanks for the advice I'll consider other areas too!

Product Management might be a role worth considering. There simply aren't enough technically-savvy PMs in tech companies.

Re: Ask HN: I actually need a job now

#44

Post by wpietri » Thu, Nov 21, 2013, 5:22 PM UTC

swalkergibson wrote: post #9

Who cares about what languages HN likes or doesn't like? If you have bills to pay, get a job and let go of the need to "please" some random people on the Internet, whatever that means. Imperative, object-oriented languages are all very similar, so just go get a job doing that. All you have to do is make clear to the interviewer that you may not have the precise pedigree in $FOO_LANGUAGE, but are willing to learn.

I think "what HN likes" here is throwing you off. I don't think this is about fashion.

Good programmers care a lot about good tools. Different tools also have different communities, which means different views, different standards, different approaches.

I've done projects with great tools and projects with shitty tools. For me, it makes a giant difference. I can spend my energy on solving real user problems, or I can spend it on beating back the idiocy of bad tools. I can spend it on learning from a community that is serious about pushing the field forward, or I can spend it trying to motivate a bunch of no-hopers who picked programming over dentistry because the Computer Information Systems degree was shorter.

I think it's totally reasonable that this person wants to avoid the mire of clock-punchers and half-assed enterprise tech imposed for "business reasons". They're trying for a tactical retreat, not abject surrender. That's the spirit I think HN should support.

Re: Ask HN: I actually need a job now

#45

Post by fuj » Thu, Nov 21, 2013, 5:22 PM UTC

HN hates a lot of stuff. Most of the people here are out of touch with reality. I see a lot of "entrepreneurs" whose startups didn't go so well, or people working in a super cool stack for peanuts, but hey! they get to work on all those cool languages.

Don't mean to sound harsh but... Suck it up. I work with C# ASP.NET. Do I like it? No. Do I hate it? No Does it get the job done (performance wise)? Sure does. Would I prefer to work on another language? Yup. Does it pay well? Yup.

If you are a good programmer it does not matter the language you work on. I know a lot of sucky RoR, python, [insert cool language here] developers and I also know a lot of great PHP, ASP.NET, [insert HN hated kanguage here] programmers. As long as you are a good logic thinker, work on whatever puts the food in the table and hopefully enjoy it.

Re: Ask HN: I actually need a job now

#46

Post by BitMastro » Thu, Nov 21, 2013, 5:23 PM UTC

Have a look here as well http://workinstartups.com/

Re: Ask HN: I actually need a job now

#47

Post by SeanKilleen » Thu, Nov 21, 2013, 5:34 PM UTC

zekenie wrote: post #26

Have you checked out https://weworkremotely.com/ ? Might find it helpful. Also, there's always things like elance. I know you won't make much $, but it might help in the short term. There are occasionally node projects there.

Was going to suggest this as well. It seems like the right combination of remote work and newer technologies. Could be very useful.

Re: Ask HN: I actually need a job now

#48

Post by mathattack » Thu, Nov 21, 2013, 5:38 PM UTC

My 2 cents, having gone through a few job searches in off markets...

1 - You may need to go lateral or a half step back from what you want, but don't take 3 steps back. There's no reason to be a waiter or a shop assistant unless you want to do that for the next 20 years, or want to automate those industries.

2 - Find your way into the industry or company that you ultimately want to work for. Even if the job isn't perfect. If you want to learn PHP or .Net, get a job doing QA at a shop that uses them.

3 - Small companies are much more likely to respond to resumes tossed over the transom than big ones. This is only based on anecdotal evidence.

4 - Searching for a job needs to be your full time job until you get one. If you're not doing it 8+ hours a day, you're not trying hard enough.

5 - It's best to do both high contact (meeting people you know for coffee, and asking them to introduce you to their friends) and low contact (sending 100s, yes 100s of resumes every week) searching.

Good luck! If you have technical skills, it will all be good in a couple months.

Re: Ask HN: I actually need a job now

#49

Post by tyi4 » Thu, Nov 21, 2013, 5:39 PM UTC

owenmarshall wrote: post #34

JonFish85 wrote: post #22

Question, and I realize that you said you want a "job for a developer"... Have you considered interviewing for a job a level above that? I imagine with a few years' of experience at startups, you've learned a lot at a "design" level rather than simply an implementation level (not that there's anything wrong with that). Consider interviewing for a developer management position. Instead of focusing on specific language…

> If not management, I'd still say try to get a little more "meta" than just "I know Rails, Node..." Market yourself at a business-level, if that makes sense. In my opinion, the tools you use to solve a problem aren't as interesting as how you approach a problem and solve it. This is fantastic advice for every programmer, and once I actually started believing it was when I started getting interesting jobs that pay we…

I can't help but visualise an empty suit when people start talking about "delivering value" in the abstract, with a smug sense of superiority. People like you are mostly just lip service.

http://www.yosefk.com/blog/do-call-yourself-a-programmer-and...

Re: Ask HN: I actually need a job now

#50

Post by jebblue » Thu, Nov 21, 2013, 5:39 PM UTC

owenmarshall wrote: post #34

JonFish85 wrote: post #22

Question, and I realize that you said you want a "job for a developer"... Have you considered interviewing for a job a level above that? I imagine with a few years' of experience at startups, you've learned a lot at a "design" level rather than simply an implementation level (not that there's anything wrong with that). Consider interviewing for a developer management position. Instead of focusing on specific language…

> If not management, I'd still say try to get a little more "meta" than just "I know Rails, Node..." Market yourself at a business-level, if that makes sense. In my opinion, the tools you use to solve a problem aren't as interesting as how you approach a problem and solve it. This is fantastic advice for every programmer, and once I actually started believing it was when I started getting interesting jobs that pay we…

For me, jobs and projects come and go. Working with good tools is something I do all day. That matters a lot to me.