Thread: How did you get your job?

  1. #1
    Registered User Inept Pig's Avatar
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    Question How did you get your job?

    I've recently finished my studies in C Programmimg, and am now looking for my first job, which is turning out to be quite hard...

    Most jobs require some kind of expierence, I have none...

    So.... How did you get your first job in programming????

    Obviously, I'd prefer responses from people who reside within the UK, but any advice is welcome!

  2. #2
    Guest Sebastiani's Avatar
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    ...how I got my job...

    I just walked in, asked if they could use my help, and that was it! They showed me where to put the clean dishes after I was done washing them, and I have been going at it ever since

    Seriously, though, I most recently applied at Nokia, but they said that they *preferred* someone with more experience...<sigh>, I still apply quite frequently, though and plan to keep trying till I land a position...just stay positive.
    Code:
    #include <cmath>
    #include <complex>
    bool euler_flip(bool value)
    {
        return std::pow
        (
            std::complex<float>(std::exp(1.0)), 
            std::complex<float>(0, 1) 
            * std::complex<float>(std::atan(1.0)
            *(1 << (value + 2)))
        ).real() < 0;
    }

  3. #3
    Try www.guru.com
    Try www.rentacoder.com
    Try www.free-lance.co.il
    Try applying for newspaper-jobs, even if they aren't about programming.
    I suggest rentacoder. They're very well organized.

  4. #4
    Registered User TravisS's Avatar
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    The job I have right now isn't in programming, but basically all that I did was get A+ certified, send in a resume, and that was it.

    My plans for getting a job in programming:

    I want to get my foot in the door at a small facility. This will give me at least a bit of experience before I can go to a large firm. There is a local company (e-acceleration corp. They make Webcelerator, Gator, etc...) that has their own "boot-camp". This is a relatively intense program, designed to give you 40+ hours a week of "work", that basically just gets your mind geared around programming. They play lot's of mind games, such as chess, trivia, etc... and at the end of the program you can be offered a job.

    So, that's my hopes

  5. #5
    train spotter
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    Has anyone here actually got a paid job from Rent a Coder?

    All seems to be 'do my homework for five bucks?'
    "Man alone suffers so excruciatingly in the world that he was compelled to invent laughter."
    Friedrich Nietzsche

    "I spent a lot of my money on booze, birds and fast cars......the rest I squandered."
    George Best

    "If you are going through hell....keep going."
    Winston Churchill

  6. #6
    the hat of redundancy hat nvoigt's Avatar
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    I got my job after doing a project for my employer. We had a 2 months project phase in our 2 years of schooling, so it was pretty easy to find something. Try to get internships or something first, they will get you some experience and probably some money.

    Even if they prefer people with more experience, apply anyway. people with experience in this field are rare ( at least in Germany at the moment ) and if they don't find someone with more experience they might as well take you.
    hth
    -nv

    She was so Blonde, she spent 20 minutes looking at the orange juice can because it said "Concentrate."

    When in doubt, read the FAQ.
    Then ask a smart question.

  7. #7
    flashing vampire black's Avatar
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    Re: ...how I got my job...

    Originally posted by Sebastiani
    I just walked in, asked if they could use my help, and that was it! They showed me where to put the clean dishes after I was done washing them, and I have been going at it ever since
    aha ! you could write a program which would wash them.
    Never end on learning~

  8. #8
    flashing vampire black's Avatar
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    To tell the truth, I also wanna be a programmer. So sad I saw many ad said they want the experienced programmer, how could I get them ? They wouldnt accept my practice time as experience.
    Never end on learning~

  9. #9
    5|-|1+|-|34|) ober's Avatar
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    *slurping sound*

    no... i'm an intern as a programmer right now... (have been an intern for nearly 5 years now because of my university... it's weird, but worth it)... and with that kind of experience, I should be able to get my foot in the door at lots of places.

  10. #10
    Sir Mister Insane Sako Klinerr1's Avatar
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    my freind has a job in programming, its a small interprise type thing but he still gets payed good $$$$$$$. He said what he did was make a website (like I) and make freeware and maybe shareware programs, and after you have made some programs and your site has peopel going their and checking out your programs, somoene will say somethign to you (for him over e-mail) saying they would like to hire you. this took him a while, but he got some income from mcdonalds working and free fries I also recomend on your site to say you are looking for a job in programming
    Email: [email protected] || AIM: MisterSako || MSN: [email protected]

    -the shroom has spoken

  11. #11
    Sir Mister Insane Sako Klinerr1's Avatar
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    5/\/\4|2+455 |=|_|(|<3|2
    what does THAT mean
    Email: [email protected] || AIM: MisterSako || MSN: [email protected]

    -the shroom has spoken

  12. #12
    5|-|1+|-|34|) ober's Avatar
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    it's 1337 5p34|<

    figure it out yourself.

  13. #13
    Green Member Cshot's Avatar
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    Yeah it helps if you have experience such as internships. I found my job at a career fair and they seemed to like my recommendations from my internship.

    5/\/\4|2+455 |=|_|(|<3|2
    I don't appreciate the |>|2<>|=4|\|1+'/

  14. #14
    Code Goddess Prelude's Avatar
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    I got my job by being confident and slightly arrogant. This is my usual attitude, but I think it impressed the people interviewing me more than my knowledge and lack of experience didn't matter. Despite what they say, most employers will hire you if you show that you can dive in and do the job, or learn to do the job quickly. The enthusiastic candidate is usually the one that gets the job.

    I can't guarantee that everyone will like it if you take my approach, but the worst they can do is not hire you. What I did was go in for a few days before the interview and get to know everyone, then when I went to get interviewed, I was already a familiar face and could get away with making myself at home. It's a sneaky trick to make them subconsciously think that you've already been hired, so they just make it official.

    Of course, I also wasn't just some bum from the street and actually could back up my arrogance about programming to a certain point. If you mess up on the interview questions then there's probably no hope, so at least know the basics.

    -Prelude
    My best code is written with the delete key.

  15. #15
    Registered User hk_mp5kpdw's Avatar
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    I was a summer hire at the FAA headquarters building in Washington, DC in between going to college at Virginia Tech to get my degree in Computer Science. I was officially classified as a Clerk Typist and I basically did data entry for them. Once I got my degree, I came back for what I thought would be my last summer with the FAA. A programming contractor who worked with the group I worked with had quit recently and here I was, a newly graduated programmer looking for a job. The contracting company offered me the position and I took it. I didn't even have to move my stuff to a different area. I've been here several years now.
    "Owners of dogs will have noticed that, if you provide them with food and water and shelter and affection, they will think you are god. Whereas owners of cats are compelled to realize that, if you provide them with food and water and shelter and affection, they draw the conclusion that they are gods."
    -Christopher Hitchens

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