How do I get an entry level position in programming????

[MGD]

I'm trying to make a career change from blue collar to white.....I've worked as a woodworker/carpenter for over 20 years, and a year ago last spring got my AAS in information technology with a major in programming.....I cant seem to get any feed back from any of the applications I've filled out..I feel like I'm basically invisible to the IT hiring community. I plan to continue my education at a differnt university some time soon, but I hate the idea of trying to school towards one career while working in another. The company I now work for has as many as 10 programmers on staff, and recently was looking to fill one position, but they wanted someone with tons of experience instead of a green-horn like me.
I used Daniweb while working on my AAS to help with some coding problems in C++, and Java, and have just joined the community this past late summer, thinking it would help me in my current endeaver.....finding an entry level position in programming.....does anybody have any suggestions??????

[petaglx]

Hi Dear,

You can start by reading famous books in programming such as John# in C# programming. But in my opinion, a successful IT man should start learning IT since he is a child and not when he has worked over 20 years in a completely irrelevant fields. But don't worry. I think, the best way to attending programming courses. Then you will connect to more IT peaople. Hope this helps.

Regards.

[JustinNH]

But in my opinion, a successful IT man should start learning IT since he is a child and not when he has worked over 20 years in a completely irrelevant fields.

I'm sorry but what the hell does that mean? A successful IT man should start learning IT? How do you learn "IT" since it's basically an all encompassing descriptive?

Now, to the OP, I'm not a developer but I'd start with applying with placement companies like Robert Half and such. You're picking a pretty bad time to be searching for a career in this field, coming in with no experience and such, and any job you may find is likely to pay you FAR less than what you'd make with 20 years of carpentry under you.

[MGD]

First off, there are entry level positions such as program testers! These people do nothing all day but try to make a program error while it's in the development stage to ensure a minimal failure rate. I know of two such people and they don't have grand degrees to speak of!
As far as IT being all encompassing, I don't know of anybody who's doing networking, programming, and working with security issues all at the same time, most people specialize in one aspect or another. (You must be one hell of a cracker jack)
As far as what a carpenter makes, I'd bet my bottom dollar you have no clue as to what that number might be...I'd like to say thanks for the advise, but all I'm seeing is a bunch of crap............

[dancks]

Dude, I have to ask, do have a family? Because the amount of time and/or money you may have to sacrifice could be really demanding. Honestly, I'm working my ass off in a CC while working so I can save up money both for a 4 year and also so I have $ to do an unpaid internship to increase experience. In an economy like this you need experience. Push come to shove I'm gonna join either Navy or AF and see what kind of job training I can net from that. I'm assuming you're too old for that.

It sounds to me you are in a way better position to pull this off b/c you can use your existing skills to grab a non-demanding job as an on call maintenance guy while you study at home. I know where I live tons of apts hotels are looking for people like that. Or hell just do odd jobs its not like you can't make a living at it. Assuming of course you're not some unskilled douche who digs ditches and carries wood around all day.

the info for getting what you want is all there all you need to do now is be economical in your strategy.

[MGD]

I find that hard to believe....In addition, how much real world experience would you bring to the table?

[laddikey]

MGD,

I will offer a genuine opinion (mind you it's just one but no one else is offering anything so at least this is something) that is based on my personal experience. I would encourage you to look around at small companies near you and find a software need. Then write them some software. It will take time/effort but you already have shown that those are not obstacles that will deter you (getting the education proves it in your case). This will do a few things for you: 1)it will give you some 'credentials for your resume' (absolutely include mention of any/all software that you write for others), 2)it will give you real world experience which will translate to better development style, will be communicated when to talk to potential employers (as well as other geeks - this can become benefitial in as much as the 'godd 'ol boy' networking sense), and could possibly lead directly to larger scale employment as a developer, 3)it will put you into the actual community of 'practicing' developers (as opposed to the realm of those whom like the idea).

You can absolutely get into the 'promised land' of professional development, no matter how long you have been at it - I am proof of the fact, very similar background, not exact but similar and professionally employed as a developer for a bit over a decade.

Good luck! I will try to pay attention and offer helpful input as I am able :)

[JustinNH]

First off, there are entry level positions such as program testers! These people do nothing all day but try to make a program error while it's in the development stage to ensure a minimal failure rate. I know of two such people and they don't have grand degrees to speak of!
As far as IT being all encompassing, I don't know of anybody who's doing networking, programming, and working with security issues all at the same time, most people specialize in one aspect or another. (You must be one hell of a cracker jack)
As far as what a carpenter makes, I'd bet my bottom dollar you have no clue as to what that number might be...I'd like to say thanks for the advise, but all I'm seeing is a bunch of crap............

What I meant was that "IT" is a descriptive that covers many fields. I wasn't stating that YOU must learn all of them. That's why the post I was commenting to didn't make much sense as he stated that you should start learning IT. Understand?

And no, I'm not one hell of a "cracker jack". Programming hurts my brain. That's why I'm a network admin and not a developer.

And I know quite well what a carpenter makes being that I was a contractor for a good part of a decade and worked along side with them quite a bit of them.

[MGD]

MGD,

I will offer a genuine opinion (mind you it's just one but no one else is offering anything so at least this is something) that is based on my personal experience. I would encourage you to look around at small companies near you and find a software need. Then write them some software. It will take time/effort but you already have shown that those are not obstacles that will deter you (getting the education proves it in your case). This will do a few things for you: 1)it will give you some 'credentials for your resume' (absolutely include mention of any/all software that you write for others), 2)it will give you real world experience which will translate to better development style, will be communicated when to talk to potential employers (as well as other geeks - this can become benefitial in as much as the 'godd 'ol boy' networking sense), and could possibly lead directly to larger scale employment as a developer, 3)it will put you into the actual community of 'practicing' developers (as opposed to the realm of those whom like the idea).

You can absolutely get into the 'promised land' of professional development, no matter how long you have been at it - I am proof of the fact, very similar background, not exact but similar and professionally employed as a developer for a bit over a decade.

Good luck! I will try to pay attention and offer helpful input as I am able :)

laddikey,

I can't believe it...Finally some constructive criticism......The idea that you presented has been suggested by some of my professors at school, and I am currently in the process of working on a few short programs for some folks I know....
It's nice to see that I'm not alone......I was beginning to loose hope being engulfed in all this cyber fog......It's hard to know what's up.......

Thanks so much......

[MGD]

What I meant was that "IT" is a descriptive that covers many fields. I wasn't stating that YOU must learn all of them. That's why the post I was commenting to didn't make much sense as he stated that you should start learning IT. Understand?

And no, I'm not one hell of a "cracker jack". Programming hurts my brain. That's why I'm a network admin and not a developer.

And I know quite well what a carpenter makes being that I was a contractor for a good part of a decade and worked along side with them quite a bit of them.

Sorry about the first part, I was unaware that you were replying to the post prior to yours until after I posted my reply to you. I didn't quite understand your comments at first even after reading the prior post because, (even though obviously miss worded), reading between the lines revealed the authors meaning....."To be a real IT man you should start learning IT", meant something like, "To become a real IT man, education should begin at childhood", or something like that......

Being a contractor for that long doesn't sound like much time to me...I'm sure you're aware though that the pay scale for carpenters varies depending on location and type of work performed...Also, the hardest hit job market in the recent downward economic spiral has been construction. Depending on where you look (some people) are making an okay buck, but most guys I know don't even do as good as myself, and I consider my current wage medium at best.....

Sorry for any negativity on my part....just frustrated....and wanting to climb higher faster than is probably practical...

Thanks for the advise.......

[laddikey]

MGD - it can be overwhelming, frustrating, humbling, and so on, etc, etc, etc.

Persistence has been the key to any success that I have had and the thing that I have found in those whom I study/have studied. Being willing to pull 'all nighters' at crunch time, searching relentlessly (and identifying which resources prove most valueable), quite simply not quitting.

So, don't quit :)

[JustinNH]

I hear ya about the frustration. I've been searching for a job a few states to the south of me to get back a little closer to family and I haven't been having much luck. It seems like there's more developer jobs floating around out there than there are support or system admin positions.

I do see a lot of Sharepoint and SAP admin jobs posted up but I doubt that helps you much.

Not sure if you're in the states or not but if so, keep an eye Indeed.com for jobs in your area. You may get lucky and stumble across something.