Hey Guys,

I need some career advice.

I graduated in mid 2005 with a degree in computer science, information systems and accounting.

I then took a break for about a year and did a couple of months helpdesk work and some landscaping (just to be different .

I want to get into software developemnt and have found it hard to get a job - currently I work in testing and the main focus of my job is debugging and finding errors in my companys utilities software (we use Java).

I consider myself more technical and enjoyed the technical side of my degree (working with sockets, tcp/ip, locks and semaphores...).

What I would like to do is take a years experience from my current job (in new zealand) and then travel overseas to try my luck as a developer and do a bit of an OE.

What I would like to know is if it would be a good idea to become a java certified developer before I go - is this certification well recognised in places like the UK, America and Australia. Would it increse my ability to get to a job?
Should I study something else or remain at my job for longer?

Thank in advance

Jizznit.

> Would it increse my ability to get to a job?
Yes, definitely. Certifications, though not popular among core developers who think of it as just scrap paper, are certainly the way to go when going for a job interview. The more the merrier.

That being said, it is also necessary that you showcase the required skills which should go along with your certifications.

That being said, if you are in need of a sure shot job, always do something which has become a buzzword. Java, Ruby on Rails, Python, C# will get you the best jobs.

I was a Java programmer for 6 years. Then I got laid off 4 months ago. When I tried to get another Java programming job I found only one thing - If I could completely memorize all the java APIs and certification exam books back and forth then I could get any job I wanted to. Well, even after 6 years I couldn't and I failed every interview I went on. I'm a great prorgrammer with a bad, bad memory. I wound up getting a great job as a Webmaster.

If you have no experience then you will need to certification to get the interview. Once you have 5 years experience, you don't need it. The key is that once you get the interview you need to be able to pass exam-like interviews nowadays. Its not my thing. I found that my experience in Web design, graphics, project management, architecture, etc. made me a better fit for something that was not just programming.