Job search, Interrupted

lexaprogrammer(they/them) — Tue, 26 May 2020 00:46:12 +0000

“Mann Tracht, Un Gott Lacht”

I started the year off with renewed passion and determination to try to leave ITOps behind and start my journey into development. I was studying using resources like freeCodeCamp CodeAcademy and Egghead.io. I had set up a regimen of studying, applying for jobs and doing projects. I learned just enough React to set up a personal website and started building my brand. I began networking with different people in the development community, looking for mentors, etc. 2020 was going to be my rebuilding year!

In February I interviewed for a engineering support position with a remote company. I passed the interviews and programming test and they were going to extend an offer. I was ecstatic for my first job involving code in 8 years! A week went by, then two, three weeks later they told me hiring was on hold for an unnamed reason. I dusted myself off and interviewed locally for a few positions that were a mix of Ops and development. I got extended an offer from a company to do in house hardware support/user admin but also dabble in in house app development. It paid pretty well and they were going to send the info through the agency that I was working with by the end of the week. A week went by, then two.. hiring freeze. This was mid March and all the leads I had started to dry up. The agency I worked with shuttered and I got really depressed.

I did accept two offers for contract work which have helped provide some kind of structure to my day but all the steam was taken out of my sails. I could not get my brain to focus on code long enough to finish my multiple side projects. I sat on blog posts for months and struggled with feeling unproductive. I became very disillusioned with finding ANY work, let alone one for a 40 year old entry level developer. I am scared and don't want to be forced to enter the job market where I have to go into an office right now. Every day I'm seeing people far more experienced than I am being let go from their companies.

I'm coming to grips with the fact that I kinda froze for a few months right as things started going downhill. I've never lived through a pandemic and never been this affected by a pending recession/depression before. I see tech "influencers" peddling motivational porn but for a lot of us this is a harrowing experience; it's not just a break. Do what you need to survive. Give yourself space to rest and do nothing if thats all you can do.

I recently got my second wind and started applying for jobs again. My contract work has given my days structure again. My improved mood has renewed my interest in finishing side projects and certs. I meditate every morning and started doing home workouts. I'm waiting to hear back from a company I interviewed with a month ago who insists that I am a preferred candidate. Things are slowly looking up again but I'm cautious against optimism. It took longer than normal for me to recharge and thats OK.

If you need to take a break please give yourself permission.

Coming back to development after a decade away

lexaprogrammer(they/them) — Tue, 03 Mar 2020 16:51:49 +0000

Back during the web 1.0 days I thought of myself as an artisté

I changed majors my senior year of college to focus on Interactive multimedia, websites and software development. I felt a strong pull for displaying information in a clear and concise manner and worshiped at the throne of Tufte. I loved data and this love fostered a need for me to learn ways to display it with the gravitas it deserved. Learning various technologies were a means to an end. Databases? Markup? OOP? Scripting? Give me a few weeks and I'm on it.

I held various creative jobs post graduation. I made websites, produced tv & commercials and got into corporate communications. Fast forward to the housing boom of 2006-2008. I landed my first big boy development job working for a marketing firm. They were consulting their real estate clients the traditional way but wanted to break into variable data printing. I created a website with a python backend that streamlined the process letting users pay online and was available 24/7. Business grew exponentially and so did my salary. When the bubble burst I decided to focus on IT Operations because it seemed "less volatile than programming".

As a GenXer who grew up with a strong work ethic I decided to start at the bottom, work hard and wait to be recognized for my efforts. I got so wrapped up in reaching for the brass ring I forgot about my real passions. I've bounced between a bunch of different focuses: Technical writing and documentation, training, process creation, deployment, networking and helpdesk. All in an effort to regain the spark I had creating with code.

If you are reading this and thinking of transitioning to development, or in my case back into development, JUST DO IT. I'm still in Ops but missed the creative nature (and salary) associated with creating tools and making the best software I can. Ever since I’ve started coding again I can feel my brain wrinkling every day. I am learning so much and want to contribute to the community at large. Yes, I do have concerns regarding entering development at this stage of my life but I encourage everyone to pursue their passions. Even if you never make a career of this at least you won’t have regrets.

DEV Community: lexaprogrammer(they/them)

Job search, Interrupted

“Mann Tracht, Un Gott Lacht”

Coming back to development after a decade away

Back during the web 1.0 days I thought of myself as an artisté