Indeed. the best way do build this is if you have a function that irks you, build it, refine it, document it, and then share it.
and happy hunting. On Thu, Dec 1, 2022 at 11:56 AM trent shipley via PLUG-discuss < plug-discuss@lists.phxlinux.org> wrote: > Hi Stephen, > > That is what I had strongly suspected -- especially if you don't have much > experience or you didn't just graduate from a top program. I think I'm > getting to the point where I can do more than just little training and test > exercises, so it's time to devote some effort to some demonstrable product, > even if I were to get an entry level position in the field which satisfied > me for a while. (It looks like I might get something soon as a Python web > developer ... which would be a step up from writing automated UI tests in > VBScript.) > > > Trent > > On Thu, Dec 1, 2022 at 9:47 AM Stephen Partington via PLUG-discuss < > plug-discuss@lists.phxlinux.org> wrote: > >> I will be brutally honest. When I review what someone has done the resume >> is less impressive than the work done when it comes to software. >> >> Anything you can opensource and share with the public do so. make a >> website that is based on the same domain as the same email you submit >> resume's on. link any working demos you may have. link your projects via >> git so they can look at what you make. >> >> Keep a project journal someplace and make that available. >> >> You can be the best dev in the world. but unless you can show off what >> you do nobody will have an idea. >> >> Resume's are for headhunters mostly. they look for buzzwords and >> consistent work. as well as references. >> >> >> >> >> On Wed, Nov 30, 2022 at 3:53 PM Joseph Sinclair via PLUG-discuss < >> plug-discuss@lists.phxlinux.org> wrote: >> >>> Some thoughts that may help (in addition to the good advice from Keith, >>> Steve, and David). >>> 1. Working on some open source software in Github is a good place to >>> build a "here is what I have done" portfolio. Github has pretty good >>> public analytics showing all your public commits and pull requests, as well >>> as issues, reviews, etc... I've used github history to understand >>> engineering skill, practice, and approach for both candidates and coworkers. >>> 2. What to work on depends a lot on what you find interesting. If you >>> want to work on Java or other JVM languages (e.g. Scala), I can probably >>> make some suggestions (ping me off-list for detail) for open source >>> projects to work on; if you can be patient I might be able to provide some >>> *light* guidance on some of those. >>> 3. The extreme majority of companies are terrible at interviewing. It's >>> not entirely you that's bad at interviews; the company is probably about as >>> competent interviewing software engineers as the average garden slug. >>> 4. You can try an approach I've seen some people have good results >>> with. A number of companies have started using things like HackerRank to >>> (foolishly in my opinion) "test" potential hires. It's relatively simple >>> to work through the "challenges" and "tutorials" on that site if you have >>> time. Completing the majority of those both makes it simple to pass these >>> "test" interviews (whether you know how to design software or not), and can >>> also produce a large visibility boost if you want to find work with one of >>> the companies that use the service for hiring. >>> >>> Side note (OT and rant, skip if not interested in curmudgeonly rants). >>> Using canned "code challenges" as a pass-fail "test" is about the >>> stupidest way to vet software professionals ever. High quality engineers >>> are not faster programmers (and make no mistake, HackerRank is mostly based >>> on "get the 'correct' solution fast"). High quality engineers produce >>> designs that meet requirements better, are more secure, perform better, are >>> more reliable, and/or cost less to maintain and operate. The fact is that >>> people interviewing engineers don't know how to evaluate engineering skill >>> so they fall back to "objective" tests, and end up filtering *out* the very >>> people they want. >>> I want to be clear, asking a coding problem isn't bad; provided the goal >>> is to listen and observe problem solving, however, not get a "right" >>> answer. Most people I interview never complete my coding problems; but I >>> learn a lot about how they approach problem solving in the process. >>> What's the alternative, though? I advocate dropping the "interrogation" >>> style interview entirely. If you have to dig and manipulate to get truth >>> from the interviewee, then you should not hire them at all; they cannot be >>> trusted. Focus on a clear, honest, open, adult conversation and mutual >>> learning instead. Ask questions about what the candidate can do, wants to >>> do, interests, and expectations. Learn, both directions, if and how the >>> candidate may meet the needs of the business, and if the position offered >>> will meet the needs and expectations of the candidate (not everyone wants >>> every position, nor should they). >>> I have found, through hundreds of interviews, on both sides of the >>> table, that an honest and open conversation is many times more successful >>> than the typical approach. >>> >>> On 2022-11-29 08:50 PM, trent shipley via PLUG-discuss wrote: >>> > (Lead buried in last two or three paragraphs.) >>> > >>> > Hi, >>> > >>> > I've been in software writing positions on-and-off since about 1999. I >>> > spent a couple years teaching myself Oracle SQL and PERL in 1999 and >>> 2000 >>> > for a nice application in the phone industry, then I had a long bout of >>> > unemployment, with some false stats on contract programming positions >>> along >>> > the way. During that time I complimented my degrees, which included a >>> math >>> > major, with an MS in Information Management (really IT management) and >>> a >>> > certificate in programming from Rio Salado, a couple years programming >>> > software tests in VBS for Micro Focus UFT One--which ceased to be very >>> > challenging by the end of two years. Recently, I did a >>> pre-apprenticeship >>> > program with a local company with a software developer apprenticeship >>> > program (TechOne IT) which basically worked out to a slow-paced >>> virtual >>> > boot camp in anticipation of an initial contingent >>> placement/apprenticeship >>> > proper. >>> > >>> > Right now my current employer (The Precisionists Inc)--which is >>> specialized >>> > in semi-supported contingent employment for autistic, neurodiverse, and >>> > other disabled people (in that order) has me on the bench, but I'm >>> close to >>> > getting a new position as a Python web developer ... for which, I >>> could be >>> > more unqualified, but not much. >>> > >>> > After lackluster success with the equivalent of more than an AS in CIS >>> > specializing in programming. I have concluded I face a few obstacles. >>> > >>> > 1. I'm autistic, so I can't interview worth a damn. >>> > 2.a. There is a tremendous shortage of doctors and nurses, but no one >>> is >>> > going to hire one who hasn't graduated from an accredited program, >>> done an >>> > internship successfully, and passed their credentialing exam ... unless >>> > it's as a drug salesperson. >>> > 2.b. There is a tremendous shortage of software writers, but no one is >>> > going to be studpid enough to hire one until they have completed an >>> > accredited degree, done an internship, done a bootcamp, and maybe >>> gotten >>> > some certs. I've only done the first. >>> > >>> > I've been looking at maybe putting together a "software portfolio". >>> > >>> > The stuff on the internet is focused on web-developer portfolio and >>> seems >>> > to be really describing a visually appealing website which is partware >>> > between a resume and CV, but much closer to a friendlier more >>> personable >>> > website--which to pay to have made since you aren't a web designer. >>> > >>> > I was thinking more, "this is my public GitHub account and this is >>> software >>> > I've written." >>> > >>> > Between school and the recent quasi-bootcamp, I should know Java well >>> > enough to write something useful in it. >>> > >>> > I'm partway through a Scala basics book, and I love it sooo much. >>> > >>> > I'd like to write more than just toys, maybe starting with little >>> > utility-like things (but all the good ones seem to have been done) or >>> by >>> > doing maintenance or little chores on a Java- or Scala-based open >>> source >>> > project, which raises the question of how to find a not-dead project I >>> fit >>> > well with and which can use my not-MIT grade talent and knowledge. >>> > >>> > I'd really like advice on how to put together a public software >>> portfolio >>> > which is also of practical use (well, of some kind of use to others, >>> even >>> > if not terribly practical.) >>> > >>> > >>> > Trent >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> > --------------------------------------------------- >>> > PLUG-discuss mailing list: PLUG-discuss@lists.phxlinux.org >>> > To subscribe, unsubscribe, or to change your mail settings: >>> > https://lists.phxlinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug-discuss >>> > >>> >>> --------------------------------------------------- >>> PLUG-discuss mailing list: PLUG-discuss@lists.phxlinux.org >>> To subscribe, unsubscribe, or to change your mail settings: >>> https://lists.phxlinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug-discuss >>> >> >> >> -- >> A mouse trap, placed on top of your alarm clock, will prevent you from >> rolling over and going back to sleep after you hit the snooze button. >> >> Stephen >> >> --------------------------------------------------- >> PLUG-discuss mailing list: PLUG-discuss@lists.phxlinux.org >> To subscribe, unsubscribe, or to change your mail settings: >> https://lists.phxlinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug-discuss >> > --------------------------------------------------- > PLUG-discuss mailing list: PLUG-discuss@lists.phxlinux.org > To subscribe, unsubscribe, or to change your mail settings: > https://lists.phxlinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug-discuss > -- A mouse trap, placed on top of your alarm clock, will prevent you from rolling over and going back to sleep after you hit the snooze button. Stephen
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