Just a comment for those who are thinking about trying tech support for a while. Treat your customers with respect and listen closely to them. Please, do not treat them like idiots that have no idea what they are talking about. Granted, some of them are, but you cannot assume that. Little pisses me off more than calling for assistance with a problem and then being treated like a burned out light bulb. Sometimes, your callers may know way more than you do, they just need help with a particular issue unfamiliar to them. Don't be condescending, just use a little respect and listen. You might learn something!
Michael On Thu, Nov 17, 2016 at 10:01 AM, c <[email protected]> wrote: > If your goal is to be a sysadmin or program for embedded systems, my advice > is probably not as relevant. If you want to develop software for an end > user market of the general public though, I have to second the > recommendation to do a year or two of tech support. > > I did a couple of years of tech support while at university and it > dramatically helped my problem solving and troubleshooting skills. It gave > me a much better idea of how most people interact with software and > hardware. Don't hesitate to do some support. You will be exposed to all > kinds of tools and use cases that you will be certain you can design and > implement a better way. It can hopefully motivate you to continue trying > out different patterns and approaches in your own coding in your free time. > The skills I learned landed me my first couple of jobs. > > I will also second the suggestion to speak with all your instructors. Tell > them you are looking for anything programming or even support related and > they might be able to find you a couple of leads. > > Purcell > > On Mon, Nov 14, 2016 at 6:55 PM, John Sechrest <[email protected]> wrote: > > > Just a quick note from Seattle.... There are lots and lots of job > > opportunities for tech talent in Seattle..... > > > > But as people have been saying... The best way to get hired is to clearly > > show a passion for doing coding and to have a good github repository and > > evidence of programming as a passion. > > > > > > On Mon, Nov 14, 2016 at 4:49 PM, Cryptomonkeys.org < > > [email protected] > > > wrote: > > > > > > > > > On Nov 14, 2016, at 8:10 AM, Michael C. Robinson < > > > [email protected]> wrote: > > > > > > > > I have a major problem, I'm a college grad in computer science with 0 > > > > years of experience. That PSU allows this when granting a degree is > > > > sad, but that's another issue for another time. Everything I can > find > > > > is for senior level people and a lot of the programming jobs require > > > > .NET or some other Microsoft thing. Short of an internship, no > college > > > > graduate can have experience programming in a Linux or any other > > > > environment professionally. How do you land a job in this market? > With > > > > Intel laying off so many senior level people, I cannot compete with > the > > > > talent out there. The tech industry in Oregon doesn't need college > > > > graduates and doesn't seem to want them either. > > > > > > > > I'm thinking of volunteering somewhere, possibly at freegeek. Thing > > > > is, I need coding experience. The only other thing I can think to do > > > > is build a code repository and certify in Java. Don't know if there > > > > are Python, C++, PHP, and Perl certifications that companies care > > > > about. I'm looking at seasonal work in retail because I can't get a > > > > computer job. That doesn't cut it, I worked too hard for a degree in > > > > computer science to be shut out of the field. I need in, I'm too old > > > > to wait: 1, 5, or 10 years longer for that first progamming job. > I've > > > > been job hunting for 2 years as it is. > > > > > > > > Interested in any good tips or advice people may have. I admit I'm > > > > discouraged, but I'm not giving up. Giving up won't solve the > problem > > > > of being unable to land that first programming job. This isn't a > > > > situation I want to deal with much longer, an entry level programming > > > > job would be very welcome. Barring that, all I can think to do is > > > > prove I have the experience necessary to function in a more senior > > > > position. That's a heck of a place to start though. > > > > > > > > > > Speaking as somebody who went to school in oregon and got a degree, I > > > would concur that there is much more talent that wants to be in > Portland > > > than companies looking for said talent. This is not a problem if you > are > > in > > > demand. For everybody else, the easiest thing is probably to go where > > > people are hiring. I spent 7yrs in the bay area. Being fresh out of > > school > > > (even though I’d taught several courses on the way; sucks when you > have a > > > required course and no instructor), I clearly wasn’t the expert. I made > > > sure that everyplace I got a job, I was not the expert. I wanted to > know > > > what other people did, why they did it, how they did it. I went to > user > > > groups, I met amazing people. I have some experience. I even have some > > > ideas on how I’d do *some* things differently. I still don’t know > enough > > to > > > be in demand in Portland. At some point, I’d like to move back, but I > > can’t > > > say when it will be. Is it what I originally wanted? No. Have I had a > > good > > > time doing things I never thought I would? Yeah. I’ve had a great time. > > > I’ve had amazing opportunities, and I expect that will continue. A good > > > opportunity doesn’t always show up in the form you want, or expect. Be > > > willing to knock on doors. Something will open. > > > > > > Additionally, if you know you want to write code, do it. There are lots > > of > > > resume building possibilities by taking part in a F/OSS project, or > > writing > > > your own app and putting it on github. If you want a website, you could > > use > > > something like pelican (you mentioned python). Write a module/plugin > for > > > it. Detail the process you went through on the website. Maybe you have > > more > > > things you want to write, you can use your website to advertise for it > > (it > > > can also have a copy of your CV). Maybe consulting opportunities will > pop > > > up after you have some work that people can look at. > > > > > > Lastly, I would visit all the CS profs you are on good terms with and > let > > > them know what your situation is and see if they have any advice. They > > may > > > have connections to introduce you to people. They may have an > internship > > > that could turn into a job (most internships are paid, and people who > do > > > well are frequently invited back). My employer just hired a woman who > did > > > an internship over the summer (she starts after graduation next > summer). > > > > > > -- > > > Louis Kowolowski > [email protected] > > > Cryptomonkeys: > > > http://www.cryptomonkeys.com/ > > > > > > Making life more interesting for people since 1977 > > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > > PLUG mailing list > > > [email protected] > > > http://lists.pdxlinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug > > > > > > > > > > > > -- > > John Sechrest . Need to schedule a meeting : > > http://sechrest.youcanbookme.com > > . > > . > > . > > > > . > > [email protected] > > . > > @sechrest <http://www.twitter.com/sechrest> > > > > . > > http://www.oomaat.com > > . > > _______________________________________________ > > PLUG mailing list > > [email protected] > > http://lists.pdxlinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug > > > > > > -- > Darkness spoons with you. > _______________________________________________ > PLUG mailing list > [email protected] > http://lists.pdxlinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug > _______________________________________________ PLUG mailing list [email protected] http://lists.pdxlinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug
