41–50 of 97 posts
Good luck.
I did this back in 2009. Here's how to do it. Pick a technology stack that you want to get a job in and build a side project in your spare time. Attend meetups with experts in your local community and learn how to make it awesome. Build relationships with them along the way. Use those relationships to get some part-time contract work in said technology stack with someone local. Document this experience and build up a…
> I think if I applied for a job I'd get rejected as there is no track record of being able to work with that tech. This is a big assumption, that is simply not true for a lot of opportunities out there. If you are able to show proficiency in what they are looking for, many companies will take you seriously as a candidate, even without 5+ years on the resume in said technology. Worst thing you can do for yourself is…
Hiring managers, you are going to get what you ask for.
As someone who does a lot of hiring for a startup, I will say I'm agnostic with regards to languages and frameworks. We've hired folks with all sorts of disparate backgrounds including embedded C (we mostly use Java and JavaScript). I think you should sell yourself as an experienced technologist who's looking to learn. You should also demonstrate a willingness and ability to learn new things; maybe by making somethin…
I did this back in 2009. Here's how to do it. Pick a technology stack that you want to get a job in and build a side project in your spare time. Attend meetups with experts in your local community and learn how to make it awesome. Build relationships with them along the way. Use those relationships to get some part-time contract work in said technology stack with someone local. Document this experience and build up a…
I did this with a twist, if you can swing it.
1) Find a local client that is looking to do a project on the cheap - someone who has an Elance budget but is uncomfortable dealing with someone remotely.
2) Propose to do this project pro-bono if they budget the availability of a sr. resource for mentorship - say 5 hrs a week.
3) Put in reasonable constraints AFA availability, estimates, testing, etc., that befits your jr. status. Ultimately you want your mentor to guide you as much as possible and the client to understand this relationship. It shields you from unreasonable expectations.
Doing this, a) you get to work on a real-world project (it pushes you forward faster with issues that a side project usually doesn't... if for nothing else you're interacting with others on their schedule, their whims), b) you get on-hands training, and c) you get access to the networks of your mentor/client if the relationship is fruitful.
I did this back in 2012 - the only work I had done prior to this was going through the Hartl Rails Tutorial. The initial project lasted for 4 months @ ~20hrs/week and I was paired with someone who was an early engineer from Gilt Groupe. During this time I continued to work my day job.
Toward the end of that project my mentor brought me the opportunity to bid a long-term gig. I quit my job the day the that contract was signed w/ about 3 months of financial runway. A few months later he brought me another, and that work kept me going for over a year at an overall cashflow greater than I had made at my enterprise job. Toward the end of these engagements I started consulting for a local startup which converted into a FTE situation for a year and a half. Now I'm back consulting on another long-term project by way of a recommendation from the design team on one of those earlier projects.
The one thing I will say about consulting is when you're starting out communication is more key than technical skill. Just be open w/ the client, you're both making concessions in such a situation.
As someone who does a lot of hiring for a startup, I will say I'm agnostic with regards to languages and frameworks. We've hired folks with all sorts of disparate backgrounds including embedded C (we mostly use Java and JavaScript). I think you should sell yourself as an experienced technologist who's looking to learn. You should also demonstrate a willingness and ability to learn new things; maybe by making somethin…
You get an up vote for that.
I have found it is much easier to switch to a new stack within your existing employer than it is to get hired for a stack for which you have no professional experience. Here are the steps: a. find employment at a company that requires your niche skillset but also has projects in your desired tech stack (hopefully this is your current employer) b. learn enough of the desired tech stack on your own to be a useful contr…
As someone who does a lot of hiring for a startup, I will say I'm agnostic with regards to languages and frameworks. We've hired folks with all sorts of disparate backgrounds including embedded C (we mostly use Java and JavaScript). I think you should sell yourself as an experienced technologist who's looking to learn. You should also demonstrate a willingness and ability to learn new things; maybe by making somethin…
I did this back in 2009. Here's how to do it. Pick a technology stack that you want to get a job in and build a side project in your spare time. Attend meetups with experts in your local community and learn how to make it awesome. Build relationships with them along the way. Use those relationships to get some part-time contract work in said technology stack with someone local. Document this experience and build up a…
And (this might be obvious), but read, read, read! That's what works for me at least. Articles, books, blogs, IRC, IRC chat logs, Github issues, etc. When I am learning something new I might spend a few days (or even weeks depending on the subject) reading around about it before I take that first step to build my side project.