First programming job
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My son is working on a college degree in physics and has finished his first programming classes (Java). He finds it a lot of fun, and has done some projects of his own on the side over the past semester. Now the question: with little qualifications other than two classes and a lot of interest, how would he go about finding a part-time job programming that he could do on the side while he is going to school? He's looked at the classified and some online listings, but it is obvious for the ones he's looked at that they want more experience. Thanks, Robin
Your son knows Java, so tell him to quickly read through a book on Javascript. It is a great language for enhancing websites. Then: 1. Look at the websites of all local companies he can find. 2. Identify websites which can be easily and usefully enhanced with some neat Javascript add-ons. 3. Identify the local contact person or department who is responsible for the website. 4. Call them to arrange a visit to show a printed picture of what the website would look like with the enhancement (use a picture of the screen, clip-art etc.). 5. Quote a fixed price or whatever for the job. This is the "foot in the door". He may well discover that a local company are desperate for a webmaster with programming capability and initiative. BTW, I got my first programming job after only one programming class by following this type of procedure.
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My son is working on a college degree in physics and has finished his first programming classes (Java). He finds it a lot of fun, and has done some projects of his own on the side over the past semester. Now the question: with little qualifications other than two classes and a lot of interest, how would he go about finding a part-time job programming that he could do on the side while he is going to school? He's looked at the classified and some online listings, but it is obvious for the ones he's looked at that they want more experience. Thanks, Robin
Networking is a big help, I wouldn't have gotten my first programming job had it not have been for someone I knew who was already in the industry. Helping out with local schools and colleges helps no end as well. Also I wouldn't have gotten it without the support from my Dad so keep it up and help him in any way you can.
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My son is working on a college degree in physics and has finished his first programming classes (Java). He finds it a lot of fun, and has done some projects of his own on the side over the past semester. Now the question: with little qualifications other than two classes and a lot of interest, how would he go about finding a part-time job programming that he could do on the side while he is going to school? He's looked at the classified and some online listings, but it is obvious for the ones he's looked at that they want more experience. Thanks, Robin
Two things that I found more useful than most of my university classes: 1. If you ace the beginner programming classes, you are probably qualified to "mentor" students taking the same course you took last semester through some sort of help desk. You just need to know how to lead students toward the solutions of their problems without giving them the answer. It also gets you used to looking at other peoples code. Hundreds of students trying to print an amortization schedule or write a sort algorithm come up with a LOT of different variations, many of them WRONG. You might also have to field questions for other systems where knowing how to use manuals/documentation will come in handy. e.g., a profesor wants to run some statistics or a regression via SAS or Excel. On slow nights, you are sitting at a computer with not much to do except program little projects for yourself. You can write scripts and system utilities that the admins "might" use. Maybe even find or write a game or two. We had an in house Othello/Reversi game that we were always trying to tweak to play better. 2. Do some programming for a professor. Engineering and Science professors have tons of open source simulation packages that always need a little documentation, tweaking, or enhancement. You might be able to get a gig converting a package from Fortran to Java or something along those lines. Maybe add a GUI or graphical editor to a command line package.
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My son is working on a college degree in physics and has finished his first programming classes (Java). He finds it a lot of fun, and has done some projects of his own on the side over the past semester. Now the question: with little qualifications other than two classes and a lot of interest, how would he go about finding a part-time job programming that he could do on the side while he is going to school? He's looked at the classified and some online listings, but it is obvious for the ones he's looked at that they want more experience. Thanks, Robin
Lot's of good tips here my friend. Our biggest challenge at the company I own is finding folks I can give a whole project too or at least a piece and know they will see it through and/or build a list of good questions and hit me with them all at once so I can mentor without being asked a new question every ten minutes. (Google is your friend LOL) Hiring good technies has been complicated by the number of phoney's out there... who can talk a good game but when it comes time get off the theory soap box and actually develop they stink. We hire only U.S. Citizens for consultant 1099 work... so if your son is a U.S. Citizen... have him send us a resume... we can look it over, have a phone interview (If he passes), we'd have him sign an NDA and then he'll be in queue for small contract gigs... if he performs then those jobs will get bigger and more lucrative. We don't pay for learning curve... but we do take the time to give a leg up to keep folks pointed in the right direction. The pay bit is simple: If you're adding value for the client: it's billable. If you're researching how to do something the client expects you know... it's not billable. Simple. --Jason P Sage - www.jegas.com
Know way too many languages... master of none!
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My son is working on a college degree in physics and has finished his first programming classes (Java). He finds it a lot of fun, and has done some projects of his own on the side over the past semester. Now the question: with little qualifications other than two classes and a lot of interest, how would he go about finding a part-time job programming that he could do on the side while he is going to school? He's looked at the classified and some online listings, but it is obvious for the ones he's looked at that they want more experience. Thanks, Robin
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My son is working on a college degree in physics and has finished his first programming classes (Java). He finds it a lot of fun, and has done some projects of his own on the side over the past semester. Now the question: with little qualifications other than two classes and a lot of interest, how would he go about finding a part-time job programming that he could do on the side while he is going to school? He's looked at the classified and some online listings, but it is obvious for the ones he's looked at that they want more experience. Thanks, Robin
I am 19 and actually in college working on a programming/Database degree. I only have a couple VB.NET and web development classes under my belt and some general IT troubleshooting as well. I talked with my co op advisor at school and made a resume which she sent out to companies. I currently am in and have been in for the past few months working as a entry level programmer coding in VBA. My suggestion is for your son to try to keep broadening his programming skills while applying for companies or try to get an intership/co op through his school. I wish him luck and keep looking! Geoff
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My son is working on a college degree in physics and has finished his first programming classes (Java). He finds it a lot of fun, and has done some projects of his own on the side over the past semester. Now the question: with little qualifications other than two classes and a lot of interest, how would he go about finding a part-time job programming that he could do on the side while he is going to school? He's looked at the classified and some online listings, but it is obvious for the ones he's looked at that they want more experience. Thanks, Robin
I would suggest finding an internship, but I would suggest one in physics. His programming skill will add to his value and he'll more easily find a niche there. Some of the best programmers I know were first something else; Mathematician; Engineer; Physicist. Pursue both is my advice.
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My son is working on a college degree in physics and has finished his first programming classes (Java). He finds it a lot of fun, and has done some projects of his own on the side over the past semester. Now the question: with little qualifications other than two classes and a lot of interest, how would he go about finding a part-time job programming that he could do on the side while he is going to school? He's looked at the classified and some online listings, but it is obvious for the ones he's looked at that they want more experience. Thanks, Robin
he needs to learn C as fast as he can. It's fine if he does it on his own, but he needs to get it on his resume. It will more than double his opportunities. If he's quick and motivated (and it sounds like he is), he can learn it with some online tutorials or a book in a couple of weeks. As far as hiring, there are SO many internship / co-op / student applicants that knowing someone really makes all the difference. You and your son should just talk to everyone you can think of to see how he might get his foot in the door. Small companies are great for younger first-time workers as they see a lot more big picture. (A lot of people don't agree with me on that.) So, ask your friends, neighbors, professors, clergy (they know EVERYBODY), local chamber of commerce, etc. His university job placement office will have some help. And get C on that resume by hook or by crook! Stuart
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My son is working on a college degree in physics and has finished his first programming classes (Java). He finds it a lot of fun, and has done some projects of his own on the side over the past semester. Now the question: with little qualifications other than two classes and a lot of interest, how would he go about finding a part-time job programming that he could do on the side while he is going to school? He's looked at the classified and some online listings, but it is obvious for the ones he's looked at that they want more experience. Thanks, Robin
I got my college degree in History. I got my first programming experience by diving into Visual Web Developer Express (free) and eventually finding a non-profit company that relies heavily on volunteers with a need for a web programmer (I volunteered the summer). A lot of newer programmers, especially ones with experience/knowledge from college tend to miss web-based technologies as being great opportunities to get programming experience. Any good programmer will tell you to try experiment with many different technologies/languages, especially those out of your comfort zone, to enhance your skills. As for finding a paid job programming, that might be too great an expectation since he only has one course and no demonstrated experience, but you never know.
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My son is working on a college degree in physics and has finished his first programming classes (Java). He finds it a lot of fun, and has done some projects of his own on the side over the past semester. Now the question: with little qualifications other than two classes and a lot of interest, how would he go about finding a part-time job programming that he could do on the side while he is going to school? He's looked at the classified and some online listings, but it is obvious for the ones he's looked at that they want more experience. Thanks, Robin
I had only two classes in programming, and I got a job at a small company doing something other than programming. I then told them I could automate a lot of the redundant processes during my spare time. I worked there for two years getting paid $15.00/hr and doing a lot of programming. I then applied to a professional developing position with the government and three years later I was making $30.00/hr with all medical/dental/paid vacations provided for free. That's pretty good for our area.
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My son is working on a college degree in physics and has finished his first programming classes (Java). He finds it a lot of fun, and has done some projects of his own on the side over the past semester. Now the question: with little qualifications other than two classes and a lot of interest, how would he go about finding a part-time job programming that he could do on the side while he is going to school? He's looked at the classified and some online listings, but it is obvious for the ones he's looked at that they want more experience. Thanks, Robin
he could start building apps for people for a small fee. nothing big just something that gets the job done for them. he'll learn along the way too. _________________________________________________ "Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler." Albert Einstein ..::: BNEM :::..
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My son is working on a college degree in physics and has finished his first programming classes (Java). He finds it a lot of fun, and has done some projects of his own on the side over the past semester. Now the question: with little qualifications other than two classes and a lot of interest, how would he go about finding a part-time job programming that he could do on the side while he is going to school? He's looked at the classified and some online listings, but it is obvious for the ones he's looked at that they want more experience. Thanks, Robin
I think that he should work on one or more of the ba-zillion open source projects that exist. I mean, I'm sorry, but I just don't think that he should burn any cycles trying to get "paid" (in money) right now. Have him go get a job waiting tables at a place where the tips are really good instead, work all summer on open source projects, read a million lines of other peoples code, write one line that helps a project along. The effort that he expends will be "paid" in many, many other ways. Next summer he will be able to kick down a door somewhere with the confidence that he is going to be worth his rice bowl.
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My son is working on a college degree in physics and has finished his first programming classes (Java). He finds it a lot of fun, and has done some projects of his own on the side over the past semester. Now the question: with little qualifications other than two classes and a lot of interest, how would he go about finding a part-time job programming that he could do on the side while he is going to school? He's looked at the classified and some online listings, but it is obvious for the ones he's looked at that they want more experience. Thanks, Robin
The Coperative Education (Co-Op) program at my school was a great help. It may not be time to get paid yet. There are lots of non-profits that could use help programming. As his Dad you can help steer him clear of some of them (the ones that either don't really know what they want, don't know what can/should be automated, or want something huge/impossible). Find something small that can be done successfully and build on it. People using your software can be a great motivator. A well written thank you letter can serve as a recommendation. Best wishes, -Chris C.
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My son is working on a college degree in physics and has finished his first programming classes (Java). He finds it a lot of fun, and has done some projects of his own on the side over the past semester. Now the question: with little qualifications other than two classes and a lot of interest, how would he go about finding a part-time job programming that he could do on the side while he is going to school? He's looked at the classified and some online listings, but it is obvious for the ones he's looked at that they want more experience. Thanks, Robin
He should let his prof's know he would be interested in helping with any tasks they may take on. Prof's are frequently asked to do contract work and farm it out to students. Prof's are also asked for recommendations on who to hire - it's how I got my first job in industry.
Melting Away www.deals-house.com www.innovative--concepts.com
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<to understand recursion you must first understand recursion> 5ed for the support you gave me. </to understand recursion you must first understand recursion>
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You guys... I love you
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Your son knows Java, so tell him to quickly read through a book on Javascript. It is a great language for enhancing websites. Then: 1. Look at the websites of all local companies he can find. 2. Identify websites which can be easily and usefully enhanced with some neat Javascript add-ons. 3. Identify the local contact person or department who is responsible for the website. 4. Call them to arrange a visit to show a printed picture of what the website would look like with the enhancement (use a picture of the screen, clip-art etc.). 5. Quote a fixed price or whatever for the job. This is the "foot in the door". He may well discover that a local company are desperate for a webmaster with programming capability and initiative. BTW, I got my first programming job after only one programming class by following this type of procedure.
That is indeed a great idea, coming to someone with a proposed "added value" is bound to work. But, I think it's important to also highlight the fact that Javascript, websites, webadmin and most of the Internet-oriented technologies and the jobs that go with them, can been profoundly annoying/discouraging to some people. So the suggestion above might be the best I've seen so far, but for the love of software make sure your son understands it's not the only path. I loath most of the technologies and jobs that revolve around website making/maintenance but I had no trouble finding employment before and after graduation.