How do you get your first job?
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My first real job - as opposed to part time when I was at school, or industrial training periods while I was at University ("thin sandwich" course, six months college, six months industry, repeat for four years), was with the company I did my final industrial training with. They liked what I did during the six months so they offered me a job for when I left Uni. I ended up there for ten years, and 5 or 6 promotions, multiplying my original salary by about 8 by the time I left.
Ideological Purity is no substitute for being able to stick your thumb down a pipe to stop the water
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There are exceptions to every rule, except taxes and death. The point is, until Bill, Larry, or Paul made something of themself, they were no different than the guy with no college education.
"One man's wage rise is another man's price increase." - Harold Wilson
"Fireproof doesn't mean the fire will never come. It means when the fire comes that you will be able to withstand it." - Michael Simmons
"Show me a community that obeys the Ten Commandments and I'll show you a less crowded prison system." - Anonymous
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Pete O'Hanlon wrote:
That was Varney
Yes, I knew that: I was trying to be funny; plainly, failing miserably! :)
"If you think it's expensive to hire a professional to do the job, wait until you hire an amateur." Red Adair. nils illegitimus carborundum me, me, me
I figured you knew that - however, anyone outside the UK/inside the UK but too young to remember, would need extra guidance; hence my putting his name in, and saying that PV didn't have much of a sense of humour.
*pre-emptive celebratory nipple tassle jiggle* - Sean Ewington
"Mind bleach! Send me mind bleach!" - Nagy Vilmos
CodeStash - Online Snippet Management | My blog | MoXAML PowerToys | Mole 2010 - debugging made easier
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My reply is that they would still not have made good employees. They wanted to create their own path, and probably would have made a bad entry level drone.
I understood your reply. It was Mark's that I was commenting on.
"One man's wage rise is another man's price increase." - Harold Wilson
"Fireproof doesn't mean the fire will never come. It means when the fire comes that you will be able to withstand it." - Michael Simmons
"Show me a community that obeys the Ten Commandments and I'll show you a less crowded prison system." - Anonymous
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Sounds like a dream XD What kind of work did you do?
Embedded software for Visual Display Terminals. I left a couple of years after the PC came out - it was the right time as the terminal market died a death shortly after and the company folder a few years later. I can't claim any sort of foresight though - the company was moving offices and I didn't want to relocate. Took the redundancy money and had a very nice summer, thank you! :-D
Ideological Purity is no substitute for being able to stick your thumb down a pipe to stop the water
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My first job was federal work study for a teacher at my college my freshman year. My second was an internship over summer. My third was another internship. My first job out of college was for a startup; I forget how I came across them, but it may have been a job board (e.g., Monster). I should note that my first couple jobs paid only $8/hour and one of them was doing QA ( X| ). If I were you, I wouldn't be too picky at first. I've never landed a job in a remote city, so I can't give you any advice in that area.
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I've been programming since I was in middle school nine years (almost 10) ago. I've known since then that this was the career for me. The only problem is, I can't find my first job. It doesn't help that I'm in a small town with no programming jobs. I'm slowly working towards a degree but due to two bad years, I feel I'm falling behind. I'm 22... I should have graduated by now but I haven't even earned my associates degree. I don't know if I can make it through 3 more years of college. It's very tempting to save up some money and just move to a big city with lots of jobs (like Seattle) but I'd have no guarantee that I'd get a job. I'm so bored with my life. I want to earn a living programming. How do you get your first programming job? <.>
Im from mexico, but i also lose some time trough college, began to work at 25. But you shouldnt hurry to get to wrok and enjoy college(if posible), for me college was really fun (hanging with my friends, getting drunk everytime posible, having girlfriend), you should try to enjoy it. Since i began to work i have to little time for myself, let alone for fun, i have stuck several personal projects for quite some time... so my point (and advice) is try to have fun, if you are really enjoy developing and are good at it its a sure thing youll get a first work easily, at least here in mexico is quite simply to get a job for a developer, easier for a good one ;) . One last advice most likely your first work youll be working for peanuts, but then youll get some experience(just to put in your resume, doesnt mean anything else, at least as i see it), and then you can ask for a raise or change of job pretty easily. good luck.
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I'm not picky. I'd rather work $8 an hour programming than $8 an hour in retail. *shivers* Best Buy and Food Lion... two companies I'll never work for again...
No you wouldn't. $8 an hour retail means you get to go home at the end of your shift. You can switch off. $8 and hour programming means they own your butt - and will work you into the ground, because you like what they let you do. Paid overtime? Hah! 5 day weeks? But we need this for the end of the month!
Ideological Purity is no substitute for being able to stick your thumb down a pipe to stop the water
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I understood your reply. It was Mark's that I was commenting on.
"One man's wage rise is another man's price increase." - Harold Wilson
"Fireproof doesn't mean the fire will never come. It means when the fire comes that you will be able to withstand it." - Michael Simmons
"Show me a community that obeys the Ten Commandments and I'll show you a less crowded prison system." - Anonymous
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I've been programming since I was in middle school nine years (almost 10) ago. I've known since then that this was the career for me. The only problem is, I can't find my first job. It doesn't help that I'm in a small town with no programming jobs. I'm slowly working towards a degree but due to two bad years, I feel I'm falling behind. I'm 22... I should have graduated by now but I haven't even earned my associates degree. I don't know if I can make it through 3 more years of college. It's very tempting to save up some money and just move to a big city with lots of jobs (like Seattle) but I'd have no guarantee that I'd get a job. I'm so bored with my life. I want to earn a living programming. How do you get your first programming job? <.>
Without a degree you may need to be a little creative about your approach: Pick a company that you want to work for and apply for a tech support job. After letting the company get to know you, apply internally to transfer into development.
Jack of all trades ~ Master of none.
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I've been programming since I was in middle school nine years (almost 10) ago. I've known since then that this was the career for me. The only problem is, I can't find my first job. It doesn't help that I'm in a small town with no programming jobs. I'm slowly working towards a degree but due to two bad years, I feel I'm falling behind. I'm 22... I should have graduated by now but I haven't even earned my associates degree. I don't know if I can make it through 3 more years of college. It's very tempting to save up some money and just move to a big city with lots of jobs (like Seattle) but I'd have no guarantee that I'd get a job. I'm so bored with my life. I want to earn a living programming. How do you get your first programming job? <.>
In my opinion, a degree doesn't mean you know or learned anything in school. The main thing it demonstrates is your persistence and commitment to completing a goal. One of the important things I learned when I first started working is patience and tenacity in solving problems. Impatience only causes you anxiety and doesn't make the end result happen any faster. Good luck and try to hang in there. :thumbsup:
QRZ? de WAØTTN
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I've been programming since I was in middle school nine years (almost 10) ago. I've known since then that this was the career for me. The only problem is, I can't find my first job. It doesn't help that I'm in a small town with no programming jobs. I'm slowly working towards a degree but due to two bad years, I feel I'm falling behind. I'm 22... I should have graduated by now but I haven't even earned my associates degree. I don't know if I can make it through 3 more years of college. It's very tempting to save up some money and just move to a big city with lots of jobs (like Seattle) but I'd have no guarantee that I'd get a job. I'm so bored with my life. I want to earn a living programming. How do you get your first programming job? <.>
I worked construction and doing janitorial work and as a grader at UT the first couple of years as an undergrad. Then, when those jobs ran out and I was ready to drop out and find work to save for the next year, I got a job writing Fortran code and tutoring that carried me through graduation and turned into my MS research work. Hang in there. I'd check moving to a larger college, but not without some sort of scholarship or part-time job already lined up. And I don't know what outside activities you are into, but I was in none whatsoever until I graduated. I spent 99% of my time working, studying and sometimes sleeping. No parties, no movies, nothing else.
CQ de W5ALT
Walt Fair, Jr., P. E. Comport Computing Specializing in Technical Engineering Software
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I *am* working hard. I took calc 2, Britsh Lit 2, Psy 1, and Mus Appr this semester. I'll be taking Astronomy, Biology, and Calc based Physics next semester... I just feel like 3 years is a looong time to wait to earn even a chance at a job. I'll be 25 at that point <.>
Stephen Dycus wrote:
I *am* working hard.
Then work harder. I'm beginning to think you are either a troll or a whiner, hoping it's the latter. Anyhow, good luck with you endeavors.
"the meat from that butcher is just the dogs danglies, absolutely amazing cuts of beef." - DaveAuld (2011)
"No, that is just the earthly manifestation of the Great God Retardon." - Nagy Vilmos (2011) "It is the celestial scrotum of good luck!" - Nagy Vilmos (2011) "But you probably have the smoothest scrotum of any grown man" - Pete O'Hanlon (2012) -
Up
"the meat from that butcher is just the dogs danglies, absolutely amazing cuts of beef." - DaveAuld (2011)
"No, that is just the earthly manifestation of the Great God Retardon." - Nagy Vilmos (2011) "It is the celestial scrotum of good luck!" - Nagy Vilmos (2011) "But you probably have the smoothest scrotum of any grown man" - Pete O'Hanlon (2012) -
No you wouldn't. $8 an hour retail means you get to go home at the end of your shift. You can switch off. $8 and hour programming means they own your butt - and will work you into the ground, because you like what they let you do. Paid overtime? Hah! 5 day weeks? But we need this for the end of the month!
Ideological Purity is no substitute for being able to stick your thumb down a pipe to stop the water
You, sir, underestimate how much I enjoy programming. XD I worked for weeks with very little sleep when I did that stuff on the PS3 I can't really talk about <.<; >.>; And I did that for FREE! (Well... someone donated me $50 but that doesn't count.)
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I've been programming since I was in middle school nine years (almost 10) ago. I've known since then that this was the career for me. The only problem is, I can't find my first job. It doesn't help that I'm in a small town with no programming jobs. I'm slowly working towards a degree but due to two bad years, I feel I'm falling behind. I'm 22... I should have graduated by now but I haven't even earned my associates degree. I don't know if I can make it through 3 more years of college. It's very tempting to save up some money and just move to a big city with lots of jobs (like Seattle) but I'd have no guarantee that I'd get a job. I'm so bored with my life. I want to earn a living programming. How do you get your first programming job? <.>
First of all, go get Boston's first album and listen to the song "Peace of Mind". Seriously, do that. Second, if you want to program, then program. There is nothing like getting your hands dirty. Be entrepreneurial: ask people what they would like to see their computer do. Don't be afraid of writing plugins for Microsoft Word, Excel, etc. Or try to participate, in some way, to the open source community. I've been programming since I was in high school (over thirty years ago) but I didn't get my first profession job until I was 35. Prior to that I worked mostly on hardware and I wrote a graphics program in my spare time. This isn't to say you shouldn't go to college. In fact, you should. But not going to college will not exclude you (it will make it harder though). Simply writing a code, being persistent, and paying your dues is the most effective way of getting the career you want.
m.bergman
For Bruce Schneier, quanta only have one state : afraid.
To succeed in the world it is not enough to be stupid, you must also be well-mannered. -- Voltaire
In most cases the only difference between disappointment and depression is your level of commitment. -- Marc Maron
I am not a chatbot
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I worked construction and doing janitorial work and as a grader at UT the first couple of years as an undergrad. Then, when those jobs ran out and I was ready to drop out and find work to save for the next year, I got a job writing Fortran code and tutoring that carried me through graduation and turned into my MS research work. Hang in there. I'd check moving to a larger college, but not without some sort of scholarship or part-time job already lined up. And I don't know what outside activities you are into, but I was in none whatsoever until I graduated. I spent 99% of my time working, studying and sometimes sleeping. No parties, no movies, nothing else.
CQ de W5ALT
Walt Fair, Jr., P. E. Comport Computing Specializing in Technical Engineering Software
I don't party. Occasionally (maybe once a month if that) my girlfriend, my best friend, and I will play a Mario Party drinking game... that's about as wild as I get lol. The only big hobby I have right now is Backpacking. I bought some really good ones for my birthday along with a professional water filter. It helps me to work off my programmer's gut. Problem is, I don't have a job so I can rarely afford the like $30 dollars it takes to go. (gas + food) Money is a big factor for why I posted this. I feel like if I can get a job programming, I'd be motivated to perform well in my job. Where as retail... I'm just going to be doing it for the money.
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Stephen Dycus wrote:
I *am* working hard.
Then work harder. I'm beginning to think you are either a troll or a whiner, hoping it's the latter. Anyhow, good luck with you endeavors.
"the meat from that butcher is just the dogs danglies, absolutely amazing cuts of beef." - DaveAuld (2011)
"No, that is just the earthly manifestation of the Great God Retardon." - Nagy Vilmos (2011) "It is the celestial scrotum of good luck!" - Nagy Vilmos (2011) "But you probably have the smoothest scrotum of any grown man" - Pete O'Hanlon (2012)I can't work harder lol. I'm working toward's a transfer degree which requires a list of courses be taken. I only need to take two more courses to be done with my degree... but due to weird scheduling, it's going to take 2 more semesters to complete. I have to take Calc based Physics next semester and then its continuation the next semester. You seem to be holding on to an argument that this is about my work ethic... I cannot take on more responsibility... the college won't let me. I'm pretty sure you're the only one trolling here. Everyone else is being supportive, you're saying it's all my fault. :P
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I've been programming since I was in middle school nine years (almost 10) ago. I've known since then that this was the career for me. The only problem is, I can't find my first job. It doesn't help that I'm in a small town with no programming jobs. I'm slowly working towards a degree but due to two bad years, I feel I'm falling behind. I'm 22... I should have graduated by now but I haven't even earned my associates degree. I don't know if I can make it through 3 more years of college. It's very tempting to save up some money and just move to a big city with lots of jobs (like Seattle) but I'd have no guarantee that I'd get a job. I'm so bored with my life. I want to earn a living programming. How do you get your first programming job? <.>
My good looks, wit, and charm won the day for me. That was over 30 years ago. It won't be long before I can no longer rely on just being pretty.
".45 ACP - because shooting twice is just silly" - JSOP, 2010
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You can never have too much ammo - unless you're swimming, or on fire. - JSOP, 2010
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"Why don't you tie a kerosene-soaked rag around your ankles so the ants won't climb up and eat your candy ass." - Dale Earnhardt, 1997 -
I can't work harder lol. I'm working toward's a transfer degree which requires a list of courses be taken. I only need to take two more courses to be done with my degree... but due to weird scheduling, it's going to take 2 more semesters to complete. I have to take Calc based Physics next semester and then its continuation the next semester. You seem to be holding on to an argument that this is about my work ethic... I cannot take on more responsibility... the college won't let me. I'm pretty sure you're the only one trolling here. Everyone else is being supportive, you're saying it's all my fault. :P
Yep, you're a whiner.
"the meat from that butcher is just the dogs danglies, absolutely amazing cuts of beef." - DaveAuld (2011)
"No, that is just the earthly manifestation of the Great God Retardon." - Nagy Vilmos (2011) "It is the celestial scrotum of good luck!" - Nagy Vilmos (2011) "But you probably have the smoothest scrotum of any grown man" - Pete O'Hanlon (2012)
