IT (re)skilling - now how to change job?

dazberry

I've been writing software commercially for the last 12 years, and would be a pretty good all-rounder, technical, s/w engineering, architecture etc. But but but I became a bit of a zealot as which tools I used and well that's led me down a path which now offers little opportunity. Coupled with the fact that I'm stuck in my current job and it sucks - well finally you have to bite the bullet...

So to cut a long story short I've ventured over to the darkside and started an MCPD bootcamp through C#. Now its a bit early for me to start sitting any of the exams yet - but I've become competent enough to start getting the itch and have started looking at the market to get a general feel.

Problem is that I feel I'm going to be stuck because if and when I finally get these certifications, I will have no direct experience - even though I naturally have a ton of very similar experience - ultimately the magic words don't match: Delphi != C#. Completely forgetting about any salary issues/flexability, most jobs I looked at wanted a minimum of 3 years C# experience.

Anyone have any advice or suggestions on what might be a good way forward here?

Thanks

D.

DublinEvents

Well, you seem to have a lot of experience coding in Delphi. In all these years of coding, I'm sure you have made some app or project in Delphi that you are particularly proud of. Why not try converting that project to C#? That will be good practice for your new C# skills and you can then also show that project to prospective employers and tell them confidently that you are as good as any damn C# programmer with three years experience.

GoneShootin

DublinEvents wrote:

Well, you seem to have a lot of experience coding in Delphi. In all these years of coding, I'm sure you have made some app or project in Delphi that you are particularly proud of. Why not try converting that project to C#? That will be good practice for your new C# skills and you can then also show that project to prospective employers and tell them confidently that you are as good as any damn C# programmer with three years experience.

Excellent idea. Might poach that one for myself. You are not alone though dazberry!

dazberry

DublinEvents wrote:

Well, you seem to have a lot of experience coding in Delphi. In all these years of coding, I'm sure you have made some app or project in Delphi that you are particularly proud of. Why not try converting that project to C#? That will be good practice for your new C# skills and you can then also show that project to prospective employers and tell them confidently that you are as good as any damn C# programmer with three years experience.

Many many years ago when I'd finished my first job (it was a contract job) I had a few months off, so I was applying for jobs, and put some software demos on a floppy disk that I'd include with my CV.

For all the effort I did get one or two pieces of positive feedback - but only managed to get one interview. Out I go, and the upshot of it was that there was no job - the guy just wanted to know how the 3d spinning cubes worked - FFS

Otherwise yes, thanks for the advice - I think that's what I'll have to do. Figured I might be a bit of an old dog... but I'm really taking it in my stride. I reckon the key is to focus on the exams and work from there. I'd have loved to have some proper practical work experience prior (don't think I've been as motivated about anything in years )

GoneShootin, you going down the C# route too?

D.

GoneShootin

dazberry wrote:

GoneShootin, you going down the C# route too?
D.

Having looked at the job front in the past week I'm interested by the fact that there seems to be more Microsoft related programming positions. I'm a PHP/mySQL person by trade, but I'm pigeon-holing myself if I don't get other non-opensource based experience. I'm looking at C# ASP.NET and so on.

And to be a good moderator and take this off-topic, what is this bootcamp you speak of and where can I find out more about it?

dazberry

GoneShootin wrote:

And to be a good moderator and take this off-topic, what is this bootcamp you speak of and where can I find out more about it?

There was an offer running last year that I saw on the IrishDev.com newsletter in conjuction with Moresoft in this case and FAS.

In a nutshell it was 21 days training, books / courseware etc and 5 exam tokens for 2700. Supposedly the normal cost is 6750, and FAS pick up the tab for the difference.

At that time Moresoft were proposing to run the course every Saturday, Sunday, N evenings per week and 1 week per month. Interest wasn't that high however and so only the Saturday and Sunday training went ahead - I'm on the Sunday (only 5 of us)... so every Saturday I have to be on my best behaviour and every Sunday I spend in a classroom...

I believe a number of training companies are participating in these sort of FAS sponsored programs - it might be an idea to look around or contact FAS to see what's available.

You could of course get the material/books and do the work yourself and still get the exams but the training really suits me because it acts like a weekly milestone so I've been kept pretty motivated

HTH

D.