[jQuery] Re: internship with a programmer - wanna work for free to learn
Hi Vik, On Thu, Jul 10, 2008 at 4:41 PM, joomlafreak <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > ... My impression so far had been that they really are > not counted much compared to your experience. It is generally > mentioned by people that increasing competition has led to companies > using the credentials like degree as a way of scoring the candidates > but in the end it is your experience relevant to the need that counts. I think this is right on target but here's where I've seen it vary. In a large corporate setting degree tends to be a check mark for eligibility for employment. Some places take GPA into account and require transcripts (I personally think this matters considerably less than the potential employee's passions.) To contrast this, smaller companies and startups usually tend to look for the experience and care less about the degree. I cut my teeth in a start up environment and that experience has been one of the biggest influences in my career. Also smaller companies may tend to be more flexable in terms of taking on an "intern" and you'll benefit from a wide range of opportunities (such as programming to hardware systems to networking). Personal networking is going to be your biggest asset in this switch (hence your post here to build your network.) Since this career switch is delving into an area where you don't have previous experience and contacts, this is where the formal degree can be an asset. When you pick a school make sure it's a research oriented program as opposed to a "general theory" program. A highly research academic setting will give you the networking contacts that you'd need to break into the field and potentially further in without as much relevant experience. A number of startups have come out of the academic settings (*cough* google.) So even going to a university and talking with the faculty may give you the contacts needed to find companies in the early stages that would love to take you on. ... > > Why I am thinking otherwise, not going formal way which may be wrong > completely, is that it is four years to do a degree course which is a > big time period and my age factor creates a fear in my mind. I am > pretty strong when I say I have taken the decision to switch my career > but still it breaks in sometimes. I absolutely know what you're going through and empathize! There will be dozens upon dozens of people that will say "you can't do that!" and then dozens more after you do it that will say "how'd you do that? Please tell me!". I've gone/going through a similar situation in changing jobs but am stepping into a situation in which I have lots of experience and contacts. Still, there are those that will tell you you're crazy. It comes down to this, you can't be afraid of things not working out and have to determine if the risk is worth the potential payoff. I agree that the four years seems like a long time but you have to ask yourself the question, "in four years would I rather be an MD or working in the technology field". There will be moments of doubt along the way (I turned in 2 weeks notice and walked out that day thinking "WHAT THE HECK HAVE I DONE!") but you have to remind your self at that point what you're working towards. So good luck! Cheers, -Jonathan
[jQuery] Re: internship with a programmer - wanna work for free to learn
You are absolutely right when you say about relevant experience. My
aim is actually to go into research oriented setting at some point. I
have been readin about opinions of people over status of a formal
degree in CS or CE. My impression so far had been that they really are
not counted much compared to your experience. It is generally
mentioned by people that increasing competition has led to companies
using the credentials like degree as a way of scoring the candidates
but in the end it is your experience relevant to the need that counts.
I am in process of talking to consultants in CS to help me decide in
my aim. I have not met anybody yet but I hope they do have some
concrete and thoughtful reasoning to guide me.
Why I am thinking otherwise, not going formal way which may be wrong
completely, is that it is four years to do a degree course which is a
big time period and my age factor creates a fear in my mind. I am
pretty strong when I say I have taken the decision to switch my career
but still it breaks in sometimes.
Anyways I sincerely thank you for your very mature opinion on my
question. I would be glad to hear anything more you have to say.
Thanks
Vik
On Jul 10, 4:19 pm, "Jonathan Sharp" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> Hi Vik,
>
> This is somewhat of a tough question to answer. I think the most important
> factor in this is rather than "programming experience" it should be
> "relevant experience". Having been professionally in the IT field for over
> 10 years, I've focused my skill set to the web development realm and more
> specifically within that to a core set of languages and skills. There is
> such a broad range of technologies and areas of expertise along with a
> plethora of developers that I think it's going to be hard. I won't say that
> you can't do a career change, but there are considerably high "sunk costs"
> associated with this.
>
> I'd suggest your goal be to gain experience with the technologies specific
> to your career ("robotics related to medicine"). Unfortunately that tends to
> be a more specialized position than say a "web developer". I'd honestly say
> your best bet would probably be to pursue a computer science/computer
> engineering degree which will give you enough of the "experience" (on top of
> your MD) to break into a position which will then have a significant amount
> of "on the job" training. I'd seriously look at an academic approach as
> those fields tend to be heavily research based and technically intense by
> means of hardware / software experience.
>
> Cheers,
> -Jonathan
>
> On Thu, Jul 10, 2008 at 1:34 PM, joomlafreak <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>
> > Hi
>
> > I am trying to find some one to be my mentor and teach me programming
> > as I work. I am a novice and dont have a formal education in
> > programming but I do have some skills. I am actively reading these
> > days but that leaves a void in learning. I am in new orleans right
> > now. I am not sure how much time I can devote with my job I will
> > ultimately leave my Job when I start to grasp things well and do it
> > full time. I am MD by education and against resistance of my near dear
> > one's I have decided to go into it. It would sound crazy to many but
> > thats how I think. I want to do what I like and I like programming
> > more than my medicine.
>
> > I am 32 and dont want to go through the traditional way by going to
> > college. I had developed joomlaprodigy website (if someone knows
> > that), which I sold last year because I was still keeping on to my
> > medicine. Over this last year I have decided to switch now. I work in
> > Tulane at the moment and as soon as I get better picture of my career
> > possibilities I will go into learning programming full time. I hope to
> > go into robotics related to medicine especially orthopedics field,( my
> > post graduation) later. I will burn bridges on my back once I get the
> > feeling that I can learn it to the extent I want to learn it.
>
> > Please give me some suggestions on this and if someone can take me as
> > his/her student.( I don't need any money to be paid)
>
> > If someone think I am stupid for leaving a medicine career for
> > programming, please dont write that. I have heard that from millions.
>
> > Thanks
>
> > Vik
[jQuery] Re: internship with a programmer - wanna work for free to learn
Hi Vik,
This is somewhat of a tough question to answer. I think the most important
factor in this is rather than "programming experience" it should be
"relevant experience". Having been professionally in the IT field for over
10 years, I've focused my skill set to the web development realm and more
specifically within that to a core set of languages and skills. There is
such a broad range of technologies and areas of expertise along with a
plethora of developers that I think it's going to be hard. I won't say that
you can't do a career change, but there are considerably high "sunk costs"
associated with this.
I'd suggest your goal be to gain experience with the technologies specific
to your career ("robotics related to medicine"). Unfortunately that tends to
be a more specialized position than say a "web developer". I'd honestly say
your best bet would probably be to pursue a computer science/computer
engineering degree which will give you enough of the "experience" (on top of
your MD) to break into a position which will then have a significant amount
of "on the job" training. I'd seriously look at an academic approach as
those fields tend to be heavily research based and technically intense by
means of hardware / software experience.
Cheers,
-Jonathan
On Thu, Jul 10, 2008 at 1:34 PM, joomlafreak <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>
> Hi
>
> I am trying to find some one to be my mentor and teach me programming
> as I work. I am a novice and dont have a formal education in
> programming but I do have some skills. I am actively reading these
> days but that leaves a void in learning. I am in new orleans right
> now. I am not sure how much time I can devote with my job I will
> ultimately leave my Job when I start to grasp things well and do it
> full time. I am MD by education and against resistance of my near dear
> one's I have decided to go into it. It would sound crazy to many but
> thats how I think. I want to do what I like and I like programming
> more than my medicine.
>
> I am 32 and dont want to go through the traditional way by going to
> college. I had developed joomlaprodigy website (if someone knows
> that), which I sold last year because I was still keeping on to my
> medicine. Over this last year I have decided to switch now. I work in
> Tulane at the moment and as soon as I get better picture of my career
> possibilities I will go into learning programming full time. I hope to
> go into robotics related to medicine especially orthopedics field,( my
> post graduation) later. I will burn bridges on my back once I get the
> feeling that I can learn it to the extent I want to learn it.
>
> Please give me some suggestions on this and if someone can take me as
> his/her student.( I don't need any money to be paid)
>
> If someone think I am stupid for leaving a medicine career for
> programming, please dont write that. I have heard that from millions.
>
> Thanks
>
> Vik
>
