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Comment by strathmeyer | Hacker News Reader

Got a CS degree a decade ago, haven't been able to find a programming jobs since (I don't know Java or C#, learned some esoteric languages called C and C++ nobody is hiring for.) Boot camps promise jobs, after a decade of looking at jobs that require 5+ years of experience, I hope something like that can finally be my ticket into the industry. As opposed to all those projects I worked on over those four years. The webserver, the proxy, the file system, the kernel, the terminal, the shell, the ML parser written in ML, the raytracer, the networking stack, the video games. All my personal project.

So what do they have to you at bootcamps that is so special?

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You learn HTML, CSS, JavaScript, a MVC framework, Git, debugging, testing, some basics of product management, some basics of product marketing, in 3 months and they call you ready for a $85k+ job in Silicon Valley with a mid-sized business that lacks the resources to recruit like a big corporation and aren't as picky as a real startup that needs experience and skills.

You definitely can learn HTML, CSS, Javascript, MVC, git,... in 3 months if you only do that.

Ya, just pay $17k

> Got a CS degree a decade ago, haven't been able to find a programming jobs since (I don't know Java or C#, learned some esoteric languages called C and C++ nobody is hiring for.)

If you think that's important, why didn't you fix that in the mean time? Knowing nothing else about you, I'd be immediately put off by you not learning on your own..

> If you think that's important, why didn't you fix that in the mean time? Knowing nothing else about you, I'd be immediately put off by you not learning on your own..

Speaking as someone in a similar situation, even after I learn what I can, it's still difficult to get a job using the newer languages I've learned. I know that I don't know what I don't know; perhaps I'm missing something, but it's still difficult to convince employers to hire when you've got no experience.

No experience? Make a portfolio of your work.

Look, you're selling yourself to the employer/HR. They want the lowest risk with highest upside they can get so they don't get fired for hiring you. If you throw a portfolio at them of good work, they can say, hey, this dude/dudette is a low risk bet. They've covered their ass and you're hired.

> No experience? Make a portfolio of your work.

Yes, I've been doing that. I get close to getting hired often this year but they usually find some reason to not hire me. "We think you're a great hire, a really smart person, but ..."

Anyways, having a portfolio is no guarantee, or even a help. The only time people really look at it is if they are already close to hiring you. As in, they really, really want to but there's something else stopping them. Other than that, no one looks at a portfolio.

A good github will not save me, maybe not help me, but can definitely hurt me if they don't like what they see.

I was already told by one potential employer that some code I had written in a pinch for a project looked wrong so no hire.

Curate your portfolio, show only your best work.

The best case would be to have experience, without that you need a portfolio. But as you have seen, the portfolio is only to get you through the filter to an interview seat. Then it's up to you to sell yourself and your skills.

> Curate your portfolio, show only your best work.

You say these things like I hadn't thought of them. :p :)

Indeed. So all the talk about C and C++ vs Java and C# was just an excuse. I am willing to bet there are more excuses hiding.

By the way, I'm happy to give mock interviews and refer people to my employer.

> Indeed. So all the talk about C and C++ vs Java and C# was just an excuse. I am willing to bet there are more excuses hiding.

Maybe. That was another poster, though. :) For me, I've spent most of my career fixing bugs. not much new code development. I'm trying to do more in that direction but I lack real honest development experience, even several years into it. I didn't even know design patterns were a thing until recently. shrug.

> By the way, I'm happy to give mock interviews and refer people to my employer.

I might do that. Thanks for the offer.

> I'd be immediately put off by you not learning on your own.. > ...was just an excuse. I am willing to bet there are more excuses hiding.

However, I get the impression you'd hate working with me or near me. I'm kind of slow; I have to take things in kind piece wise until I understand them. It appears to people on the outside that I am a dullard, I suspect. I try to work hard as I can, but people at Google, and you I bet, are smarter and harder working than me. :)

I'm lucky that I'm good at technical interviews. That doesn't correlate very much with being an effective developer, but it gives a leg up in the job market. (And even somewhat makes up for dropping out of college.)

> I might do that. Thanks for the offer.

My email is in the profile.

> I am willing to bet there are more excuses hiding.

What you mean like people are assumptive jerks when I ask for help?

Fix it, how exactly? I've learned plenty of languages. That I can't get a job using since I have no work experience with them. What exactly do you mean by fix. If I could fix it.... it would be fixed. I've always been expected to learn everything on my own. I've worked on all my projects alone. I thought there would be other people who would want to work with me and who could teach me things.

> Got a CS degree a decade ago, haven't been able to find a programming jobs since (I don't know Java or C#, learned some esoteric languages called C and C++ nobody is hiring for.)

I am really sorry to have to say this but if after a decade and not able to land a programming job, it is probably not your technical skills holding you back. Getting through bootcamp may not help at all.

Again, really sorry to have to say it

What are programmers supposed to do, then?? I can't get a job in food service. Are we just supposed to... fade away.

Why did I take two years of Calculus in high school and then take college CS courses before I graduated? This is a serious question.

Why don't you publicised your work to get it better known, even sharing a link here might help?

I would say to request some frank and honest questions from your family and close friends about your job situation, and act upon them. Not that I am saying you are not doing them, but you have to act upon them, that is the real key.

email in my profile if you want to connect more.

edit: clarity and grammar.

> esoteric languages called C and C++ nobody is hiring for

I find it hard to believe that.

Where do you live? I've seen quite a few c++ jobs. If you've written a networking stack and a raytracer, it's the kind of high-performance code HFT firms are looking for. And they're all after c++. And then there's a lot of embedded jobs that might also be after that.

Also Java and c# would be pretty easy to pick up if you already have c++.

What have you been doing in the meantime?

There are very few entry level jobs for C and C++ programmers from what I see. The people looking for C++ programmers tend to have hard problems and are looking for really good programmers.

It's much easier finding entry level jobs if you know Javascript/Java/Ruby etc.

I am sorry, but you will have to learn JavaScript and some other legacy languages (CSS, HTML) to succeed.

None of those are required or even recommended to succeed.

If you want to develop websites - sure. But there are many other kinds of development work.

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