Programming as a career?
Discussion
Certification definately helps in some fields and, all things being otherwise equal, employers will use this to decide on candidates. Some roles are advertised requiring certs.
As ever though experince matters and will lead to work.
It was once the case that even limited experience would lead to a contracting job and good money but times have changes and companies will only take contractors with apparent good track-record and expertise in an appropriate field.
At the start of a career in Dev work you'll need to start with a junior position appropriate to your skills and experience. Usually these will be graduate level positions. Without a relevant degree you may struggle.
As ever though experince matters and will lead to work.
It was once the case that even limited experience would lead to a contracting job and good money but times have changes and companies will only take contractors with apparent good track-record and expertise in an appropriate field.
At the start of a career in Dev work you'll need to start with a junior position appropriate to your skills and experience. Usually these will be graduate level positions. Without a relevant degree you may struggle.
Yes, I am a software developer. (Specifically, a C++ programmer, but also have done projects with everything from C# to Labview in the past!)
Some employers insist on a degree or MCPD, but experience does seem to count for a lot. When I have interviewed for positions, they are most interested in shipped projects and whether you can actually program or not There are a suprising number of 'programmers' out there that can't code!
Just out of interest, in your profile you list games developer, what are you doing now? Fancy swapping?
I would like to work in the games industry, but everyone seems to insist on a shipped title for a current console! 
Some employers insist on a degree or MCPD, but experience does seem to count for a lot. When I have interviewed for positions, they are most interested in shipped projects and whether you can actually program or not There are a suprising number of 'programmers' out there that can't code!
Just out of interest, in your profile you list games developer, what are you doing now? Fancy swapping?
I would like to work in the games industry, but everyone seems to insist on a shipped title for a current console! 
Experience is king. Sell yourself cheap to start with, IMO, and be prepared to move companies to get the pay rises you want and you should be able to get something.
When I first started I kept fairly quiet about the open source work I'd done; it seemed to put some hard of thinking types off. I'd be more inclined now to suggest going that route to be able to put your name to a well known project. Possibly a wider market there in the world of Java than C# though, if that interests you.
When I first started I kept fairly quiet about the open source work I'd done; it seemed to put some hard of thinking types off. I'd be more inclined now to suggest going that route to be able to put your name to a well known project. Possibly a wider market there in the world of Java than C# though, if that interests you.
Get involved in your own personal projects and community projects, it's the best way to gain experience before you can get a job and have something to show at interviews. In my experience, experience > certificates, but both will stand you in good stead (as long as they are respected certificates).
TuxRacer said:
Possibly a wider market there in the world of Java than C# though, if that interests you.
C# is at best a closed world, where the software limits are setby Microsoft and the hardware limits of smallish single user
tabletop machines.
A more mature programmer will realise the world is open and
different folk's boxes need to communicate with bigger and
faster boxes and do wild and exotic things not yet thought
of by Microsoft.
To learn about the wider world, I'd recommend graduating
from C# to Java on Linux.
After you've got the hang of that, move onto the next
level by learning C++ on Linux.
After that level of complexity, the programming world is pretty
much your lobster.
dcb said:
TuxRacer said:
Possibly a wider market there in the world of Java than C# though, if that interests you.
C# is at best a closed world, where the software limits are setby Microsoft and the hardware limits of smallish single user
tabletop machines.
A more mature programmer will realise the world is open and
different folk's boxes need to communicate with bigger and
faster boxes and do wild and exotic things not yet thought
of by Microsoft.
To learn about the wider world, I'd recommend graduating
from C# to Java on Linux.
After you've got the hang of that, move onto the next
level by learning C++ on Linux.
After that level of complexity, the programming world is pretty
much your lobster.
T84 said:
Any developers on here?
I'm currently teaching myself C# and the concepts of OOP (Currently learning about inheritance and interfaces) and I was wondering how feasible it would be to pursue a career in this field?
Would I need any certification?
Thanks!
I started off teaching myself VB5 having no real coding experience and am still in the field. Have a look at the MS C# exams, pass one, and go for an entry level job.I'm currently teaching myself C# and the concepts of OOP (Currently learning about inheritance and interfaces) and I was wondering how feasible it would be to pursue a career in this field?
Would I need any certification?
Thanks!
NoelWatson said:
dcb said:
TuxRacer said:
Possibly a wider market there in the world of Java than C# though, if that interests you.
C# is at best a closed world, where the software limits are setby Microsoft and the hardware limits of smallish single user
tabletop machines.
A more mature programmer will realise the world is open and
different folk's boxes need to communicate with bigger and
faster boxes and do wild and exotic things not yet thought
of by Microsoft.
To learn about the wider world, I'd recommend graduating
from C# to Java on Linux.
After you've got the hang of that, move onto the next
level by learning C++ on Linux.
After that level of complexity, the programming world is pretty
much your lobster.
I would say the best option is to try out a few different things and persue the one that interests you the most.
I started hating programming at Uni and then fell into a Java job... roll forward 5 years I move into the murky world of C# and then hybrid programming.
Have been there ever since.
Programming is easy to get into, but the area in which you work will decide your income.
Most of my work involves threading, caching, calculations, DB interaction and manipulation of data to appease someone or other.
Area I work in is Finance, but unlike most of the programmers we have I have extensive business knowledge too, so its easier for me to do my work as I know what it needs to do.
Have been there ever since.
Programming is easy to get into, but the area in which you work will decide your income.
Most of my work involves threading, caching, calculations, DB interaction and manipulation of data to appease someone or other.
Area I work in is Finance, but unlike most of the programmers we have I have extensive business knowledge too, so its easier for me to do my work as I know what it needs to do.
dcb said:
TuxRacer said:
Possibly a wider market there in the world of Java than C# though, if that interests you.
C# is at best a closed world, where the software limits are setby Microsoft and the hardware limits of smallish single user
tabletop machines.
A more mature programmer will realise the world is open and
different folk's boxes need to communicate with bigger and
faster boxes and do wild and exotic things not yet thought
of by Microsoft.
To learn about the wider world, I'd recommend graduating
from C# to Java on Linux.
After you've got the hang of that, move onto the next
level by learning C++ on Linux.
After that level of complexity, the programming world is pretty
much your lobster.
For someone with little industry experience, I'd count working on open-Source or cloud-sourced projects as a good thing as well as evidence of home-built projects.
We'd never hire someone without a simple coding test which is not designed to test memory of syntax, but to test a fundamental understanding of how to construct good code and patterns.
NoelWatson said:
dcb said:
TuxRacer said:
Possibly a wider market there in the world of Java than C# though, if that interests you.
C# is at best a closed world, where the software limits are setby Microsoft and the hardware limits of smallish single user
tabletop machines.
A more mature programmer will realise the world is open and
different folk's boxes need to communicate with bigger and
faster boxes and do wild and exotic things not yet thought
of by Microsoft.
To learn about the wider world, I'd recommend graduating
from C# to Java on Linux.
After you've got the hang of that, move onto the next
level by learning C++ on Linux.
After that level of complexity, the programming world is pretty
much your lobster.
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