[ciapug] Re: Looking for guidance

Tue May 2 09:45:49 CDT 2006

Couldn't help but add to this thread, as I teach Java part time at
DMACC.  Some things to consider:

1) Do what's been suggested and get a degree.  Grab an Associate's from
DMACC, since you've already had classes there and they're inexpensive,
and most of the credits will transfer to Simpson / Grand View / etc
where you can pick up a Bachelor's.

2) Do whatever it takes to get an internship and/or first programming
job.  Suggestions include:

  a) talk with DMACC's career counseling (dunno what their actual 
     dept name is...)

  b) attend PHP User Group / Linux User Group / Other Language 
     User Group meetings and ask if there's any novice developer 
     positions available.  Most people will be glad to help.

  c) hook up with a church or nonprofit and offer to do their
     website.  I'd be happy to host it for free, you may get 
     similar offers on this mailing list.

  d) if the chance at doing tech at your current job is nil, change
     jobs.  Try joining help desk or tech support.  There are a 
     couple temp services in town that hire for tech support - try
     Manpower, Tek Systems (sp?), Robert Half.  I was hired as a
     full time programmer after spending 6 mo's on help desk.

Your goal in this exercise is to meet as many people as possible.  The
more you meet, the more likely you are to get an offer.

3) Lastly, avoid Principal.  I had an extremely negative interview
experience with their HR department, and this is despite having a friend
who was a hiring manager there trying to get me through the rigamarole.
I also have friends that work in various Principal branches that are not
happy with their job, mostly due to poor middle management.

=Daniel Juliano

-----Original Message-----
From: ciapug-bounces at cialug.org [mailto:ciapug-bounces at cialug.org] On
Behalf Of afan at afan.net
Sent: Tuesday, May 02, 2006 9:14 AM
To: ciapug at cialug.org
Subject: [ciapug] Re: Looking for guidance

My story:
came to New York as war refugee in 1997. Had some programming experience
from my country (Bosnia) from collage. But, didn't have any certificate
here, in US.

Was working 6 months in Sprout Communications as internship. Boss found
I LOVE programming and I'm good and first hired me for 4 hrs/day, and
after next 6 months 8 hrs/day. After a year I got full time position.
For 3 years jumped from 21K to 48K/year. We got GOOOOOD client (Sony
Entertainment Pictures" and I built GOOOOOOD portfolio (check afan.net).
No, it opens almost every door. :)

What I want to say, is EDUCATION is VERY important, not because you are
going to get some certificates, then you will get some KNOWLEDGE.

It's ok to (pre)plan everything but, actually, you CANNOT plan
everything!
And you have to believe in your luck too. If you want to plan everything
up front - you will never start. Just GO, start. This moment.

Google for  web development/web companies and check internships. Almost
positive are plenty.
Also, start building web sites for non-profit organizations. They
(usually) are short on money a they will be more than happy to have
somebody to make them a web site for free. Build a web site for your
community. Build web sites for friends. YOU NEVER KNOW what could
happen!
Believe me, you CANNOT plan everything.
:)

-afan
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 4
> Date: Mon, 1 May 2006 15:47:04 -0700 (PDT)
> From: Matthew Burch <matthewaburch at yahoo.com>
> Subject: [ciapug] Looking for guidance
> To: ciapug at cialug.org
> Message-ID: <20060501224704.66861.qmail at web53104.mail.yahoo.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1
>
> Hello,
>  Pardon for the verbosity of this email.
>  I have been a board leech for a few months now, but I was wondering 
> if the members might mind giving some professional advice.
>  First, some background to set the stage. I am the bread winner of a 
> family of four. At night when I get time from my 4yr old and autistic 
> 3yr old, I have been teaching myself various technologies such as PHP 
> and ASP and programming languages such as C++, Visual Basic and now 
> the .NET framework and some ADO. I have yet to find a distribution of 
> Linux that I really like to get to know well. I have been using 
> computers since 1984 so I am not technically challenged. I started my 
> career with networking and administration about 10 years ago, but have

> always enjoyed the little bits of programming that I have done and its

> challenges. I did have my MCSE back in 1999 with Windows NT4.
> I taught myself enough to pass all of the tests on my first attempt in

> a 4 week span, though I have never been an administrator in an 
> Enterprise environment. I have zero experience with working in a team 
> programming environment or as a professional developer. I have read 
> numerous website tutorials, and started a decent sized library of 
> various books. The major downside to all this unstructured self 
> education is that most tutorials on the Internet and from books are 
> small and uncomplicated. They teach ideas but not how they are often 
> implemented with real world applications. I taught myself C++ and went

> to take a night course at DMACC here in Des Moines to try to learn 
> more, but they don&#8217;t go beyond a 2 semester offering.
> Unfortunately I was unable to
> get much from the class as I had already taught myself most of what 
> the class contained and am unable to attend college full time to get a

> degree.
>  My questions are as follows:
>
> &#8226;	How possible is it to get a programming job at such
places as
Principal
> without a programming
> degree or any certifications?
> &#8226;	What suggestions would you offer to help prove to a
possible
employer
> that I can do the job?
> &#8226;	Do you know of any companies that offer Internships or
would
consider
> hiring someone cheaply
> just to get more experience?
>
> Thank you in advance for any and all responses.
>
> Matthew Burch
>

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