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If I stay in the S.F. Bay Area, I think that a junior tech position here might work out. Above entry level and below lead. The trick will be staying above water

If I stay in the S.F. Bay Area, I think that a junior tech position here might work out. Above entry level and below lead. The trick will be staying above water long enough to find a good match. I'd expand my options, both tech and non-tech, if I took the right courses and obtained certifications. I'm seriously considering doing something like this. For example, the person who did my LiveScan recently (it was a background check for a tutoring job) teaches an EKG Technician class and said that it might work out for me. A police detective who I phoned by mistake one night told me that I should consider getting a Digital Forensics certificate. He seemed to feel that I might be a match for that. Note: The story of the call is on the same weblog as tonight's post. The medical care issue may be looking up. I had to go to the Emergency Room the other day. Didn't wish to, but no choice. I learned that the laws changed in January and that I might qualify for assistance after 10 years without care.

yukichan 13y ago
Honest question, how well do you do in programming interviews? Do you blow data structures and algorithm, etc CS questions out of the water?
- OldCoder 13y ago
  In everyday situations, outside of job interviews, if I feel confident about a situation, and I'm not under time pressure, I often come across as polished. I've been mistaken for an attorney repeatedly over the past few decades. At least twice, people have thought that I was a government official of some type. If the confidence isn't there, I do poorly. And I haven't felt confident in interviews because of the types of questions that you're referring to. I don't memorize data structures and algorithms. I start with projects and learn what's needed in each case. Coding tests are another problem for me. If you review my GitHub repos or technical site (oldcoder.org) you'll see that my code is reasonably good. But it involves flow. If I drop into flow, I can do anything. But it's difficult to reach that state while somebody is waiting. I understand, of course, that companies have their processes, and that I need to be the one to adapt as opposed to the other way around.
  - jnbiche 13y ago
    I'm around 40 and I struggle with the exact same issues, at least with algorithms (I'm pretty much OK with data structures). Funny thing is, I've enjoyed doing things like Project Euler just for fun, and I can usually work out an algorithm given a little time and the ability to work on my own in an environment I'm comfortable in. But put me in front of a white board, or phone interview, with one or more impatient interviewers in front of me? I'm toast. Many of these interviewers were studying these algorithms in depth in school only 4 or 5 years ago. Anyway, I've resigned myself to the fact that I have to earn my own living by freelancing and side projects. I'm doing OK with that, and I hope that an upcoming side project will provide even more financial stability. Have you considered starting your own company? These days, you don't need much.
    - jimbokun 13y ago
      "Have you considered starting your own company? These days, you don't need much." Also a good resume builder, shows you have still been coding since your last job in 2009.
    - eru 13y ago
      > [..] same issues, at least with algorithms (I'm pretty much OK with data structures). What's the difference?
      - jnbiche 13y ago
        On the off chance that you'll look back and see this, I'll response. Your implication is that data structures are algorithms, and while that certainly may be true, both traditional computer science curricula and hiring tech companies make a distinction between the two. In the latter case, what they call algorithms usually tend to be similar to the kind of "brain twister" problems that Microsoft was famous for. In the former case (academics), data structures include things like stacks, queues, deques, linked lists, and on to graphs and trees. Whereas algorithms are specific procedures carried out with data structures, like sorting and searching, and dynamic algorithms. And then on to much harder stuff, like FFT. My point is simply that I feel comfortable creating stacks, queues, linked lists, graphs, trees, etc., whereas when someone asked an open-ended algorithmic question to be solved on the white board or phone, I struggle under the pressure and gazing eyes of multiple interviewers to solve these problems (whereas I do fine in my own environment with only the pressure of finishing a job).
kokey 13y ago
The digital forensics suggestion seems quite good to me. It's a growing industry and people with decent skills are hard to find, where decent skills means being cable of working with technology from hardware up to data structures and encryption, while also making sure processes to capture and present evidence is followed properly.
d--b 13y ago
Don't present yourself as a generalist. Play the C card all the way. There is a large amount of corporations that developed in house systems in C that need maintenance, and that face a shortage of developers. You should become a specialist of older generalist systems. My first internship in 2004 was to take care of a large cobol source base in a bank. It was very hard for them to find someone. Forget about new certifications, just find a big old bank or insurance that requires C developer with knowledge of SQL / unix / scripting.

yukichan 13y ago

Honest question, how well do you do in programming interviews? Do you blow data structures and algorithm, etc CS questions out of the water?

OldCoder 13y ago
In everyday situations, outside of job interviews, if I feel confident about a situation, and I'm not under time pressure, I often come across as polished. I've been mistaken for an attorney repeatedly over the past few decades. At least twice, people have thought that I was a government official of some type. If the confidence isn't there, I do poorly. And I haven't felt confident in interviews because of the types of questions that you're referring to. I don't memorize data structures and algorithms. I start with projects and learn what's needed in each case. Coding tests are another problem for me. If you review my GitHub repos or technical site (oldcoder.org) you'll see that my code is reasonably good. But it involves flow. If I drop into flow, I can do anything. But it's difficult to reach that state while somebody is waiting. I understand, of course, that companies have their processes, and that I need to be the one to adapt as opposed to the other way around.
- jnbiche 13y ago
  I'm around 40 and I struggle with the exact same issues, at least with algorithms (I'm pretty much OK with data structures). Funny thing is, I've enjoyed doing things like Project Euler just for fun, and I can usually work out an algorithm given a little time and the ability to work on my own in an environment I'm comfortable in. But put me in front of a white board, or phone interview, with one or more impatient interviewers in front of me? I'm toast. Many of these interviewers were studying these algorithms in depth in school only 4 or 5 years ago. Anyway, I've resigned myself to the fact that I have to earn my own living by freelancing and side projects. I'm doing OK with that, and I hope that an upcoming side project will provide even more financial stability. Have you considered starting your own company? These days, you don't need much.
  - jimbokun 13y ago
    "Have you considered starting your own company? These days, you don't need much." Also a good resume builder, shows you have still been coding since your last job in 2009.
  - eru 13y ago
    > [..] same issues, at least with algorithms (I'm pretty much OK with data structures). What's the difference?
    - jnbiche 13y ago
      On the off chance that you'll look back and see this, I'll response. Your implication is that data structures are algorithms, and while that certainly may be true, both traditional computer science curricula and hiring tech companies make a distinction between the two. In the latter case, what they call algorithms usually tend to be similar to the kind of "brain twister" problems that Microsoft was famous for. In the former case (academics), data structures include things like stacks, queues, deques, linked lists, and on to graphs and trees. Whereas algorithms are specific procedures carried out with data structures, like sorting and searching, and dynamic algorithms. And then on to much harder stuff, like FFT. My point is simply that I feel comfortable creating stacks, queues, linked lists, graphs, trees, etc., whereas when someone asked an open-ended algorithmic question to be solved on the white board or phone, I struggle under the pressure and gazing eyes of multiple interviewers to solve these problems (whereas I do fine in my own environment with only the pressure of finishing a job).

kokey 13y ago

The digital forensics suggestion seems quite good to me. It's a growing industry and people with decent skills are hard to find, where decent skills means being cable of working with technology from hardware up to data structures and encryption, while also making sure processes to capture and present evidence is followed properly.

d--b 13y ago

Don't present yourself as a generalist. Play the C card all the way. There is a large amount of corporations that developed in house systems in C that need maintenance, and that face a shortage of developers. You should become a specialist of older generalist systems. My first internship in 2004 was to take care of a large cobol source base in a bank. It was very hard for them to find someone. Forget about new certifications, just find a big old bank or insurance that requires C developer with knowledge of SQL / unix / scripting.