I am a Python enthusiast, picked up the language a year and a half ago by self tutoring and also took the Udacity Introduction to Data Science course with a keystone Project.I also picked up learning the Flask Web framework, in order to deliver web applications using Python.
I am really struggling with getting my foot through the door, as there is the typical catch 22 scenario, "We can't take you on board as you do not have Production centric experience" Well i need to work on a real project, in order to gain Production experience. I'm even willing to work Pro bono, in order to gain experience under my belt. Are there any suggestions as to how to break through? anybody out there with a project needing help?
Ask HN: Python Enthusiast – How to get my foot through the door?
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Re: Ask HN: Python Enthusiast – How to get my foot through the door?
#2I'm exactly in your position. Any help or advice would be great.
Re: Ask HN: Python Enthusiast – How to get my foot through the door?
#3Where are you located?
Re: Ask HN: Python Enthusiast – How to get my foot through the door?
#4Have you tried some of the free lancing websites like oDesk? While it probably doesn't completely solve your problem, it will give you some real world production experience. You might have to low ball some offers though.
Re: Ask HN: Python Enthusiast – How to get my foot through the door?
#5- go to local Python meetups and network
- look on elance or other contracting sites and underbid everybody
- contribute to open-source
Re: Ask HN: Python Enthusiast – How to get my foot through the door?
#6Make a Django/Flask web application on github, find a open source project and start contributing to it, make sure you understand testing/continuous delivery, learn all the important data structures and algorithms. If you honestly understand everything on these websites you will have no problem passing a interview.
https://github.com/wdi-sf-jan/notes/tree/master/ds_algorithm... http://bigocheatsheet.com/ http://www.geeksforgeeks.org/
Re: Ask HN: Python Enthusiast – How to get my foot through the door?
#7If you've been learning Flask take those sites that you use to learn with and host them up on Digital Ocean or the like. That way you'll have production and deployment experience. There are also a ton of open source products out there using Python. Reddit is one for example.
Re: Ask HN: Python Enthusiast – How to get my foot through the door?
#8In order to get a job as a fullstack python dev, at the minimum you need to know:
- Python
- JavaScript
- jQuery (bonus for knowing Angular or something other framework)
- Basic Git skills
- SQL
- HTML / CSS
- Flask or Django
- Basic Unix skills
- Basic knowledge of algorithms and data structures
I cover how I personally approached this here:
http://alexkrupp.typepad.com/sensemaking/2013/11/2012-my-yea...
Once you have these skills, it's still going to take a couple months because every place you approach is going to ask you to do a code challenge, since presumably you don't have a well-developed GitHub profile.
The best strategy is to take a job as a consultant at a dev shop, even if it's at somewhat less than market rate. Then after a year or two you'll be extremely employable and your salary will basically double, assuming you've been using all your free time to teach yourself new skills and build a portfolio.
Re: Ask HN: Python Enthusiast – How to get my foot through the door?
#9When i was just starting out (back in 1996) i simply built a website for myself, then one for a friend, then one for the company where i was working as a janitor to get some extra income to pay for my studies. Mostly for free, the company one in exchange for computer parts since they could then just write it off as tax deductible office equipment :) Basically you build up your portfolio on the low end until you find an entry level position somewhere or find that your good at selling yourself so you can start freelancing and then you roll from there.
Re: Ask HN: Python Enthusiast – How to get my foot through the door?
#10Start talking to local dev shops and startups that heavily use Python and offer to work for free (as you mentioned).
Most will probably deny you due to lack of resources (onboarding volunteers still takes engineering hours), but one might take a chance.
Shoot me an email if you want to chat (address in my profile). I was in the exact same spot as you 18 months ago, and have been employed as an engineer since then.