Might be looking for a new job...

[jblaven]

Well,

I think the writing is on the wall as they say. I find myself at the age of 35 possibly looking for a new job in a few short months. I've had this job almost 7 years. Its been fun, its also been the most stressful thing I have ever done in my life. I've become numb to a lot of things. I used to get stressed, now I just don't care. I think I am ready for a change. Even though it is the worst possible time to lose a good paying job, I sense that I would feel much better having the weight lifted. I've made it up to a "6 figure" salary. Money is not everything -so, so true.

So that brings me to the reason for my post.

I have a little background with Java and VB programming. I've just now started learning Objective-C for the iPhone. I seem to enjoy the challenge. Every part of the process. Thinking of an idea, figuring out how the user interface should react, how should the code be laid out, placing your own fingerprint on it. These programs are the one thing I seem to always follow through on. So here I am at mid-life looking at a possible career change.

The question is:

What sort of certifications should a person try and get to become a junior programmer? Is this something that can be studied from home with the proper materials? Will it have to be taken at a junior college? Which ones are creditable, which ones are a joke?

I know you guys have great advice, I could use a little direction as far as what credentials I should try and shoot for?

[szymon_g]

hm... i may be wrong, but certificates are pretty useless- nothing is more important that years of practicing, experiance. sad but true :~

[Roasted]

Despite years of experience weighing in much heavier than anything else, I've talked to a lot of business folk who do the hiring for tech people in their respective companies. They've all expressed that certain certifications can weigh in as heavily and often times heavier than a standard 4 year college degree. This of course also depends on the type of degree it is, how much hands on experience you had in school, etc.

Case and point. I know somebody with a 2 year degree, yet he was "well qualified" for a position that was requiring a 6 year degree. Why? The certifications he had.

To say the least, he enjoys that job.

[jblaven]

Despite years of experience weighing in much heavier than anything else, I've talked to a lot of business folk who do the hiring for tech people in their respective companies. They've all expressed that certain certifications can weigh in as heavily and often times heavier than a standard 4 year college degree. This of course also depends on the type of degree it is, how much hands on experience you had in school, etc.

Case and point. I know somebody with a 2 year degree, yet he was "well qualified" for a position that was requiring a 6 year degree. Why? The certifications he had.

To say the least, he enjoys that job.

Wow,

I see that a lot. I also have a 2 year degree. My wife has a 4 year. She does what she enjoys, but it pays not near what it should. I make quite a bit more than she does.

Any idea what certifications are desired? I know there are articles out there, but I wanted to get your opinions.

Thanks

[samalex]

In the 90's I think certs were VERY key, then they kinda tapered off in the first few years of the 2000's because of market saturation and also technology was changing MUCH faster then certs. Now'days I see it going back around where employers are starting to seek those with certifications because now there's this influx of IT people hitting the classifieds who have YEARS of experience but much of it is either outdated or in a nitch part of IT.

From your post it sounds like you'd like to get into software development, which unfortunately there's just not a whole lot of certs out there for... unless you develop under the Microsoft camp. They have a cert for about everything.

I say first choose something you enjoy and are comfortable with. Since you're looking to make this your profession you need to focus on not only languages but also design patterns (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Design_pattern_%28computer_science%29) plus Nth-Tier development which seems to be where many apps are going anymore.

Also if you've never worked with databases, download a copy of MS SQL, Oracle, or MySQL and start working those into your applications.

If you're not tied to any language or industry I'd recommend downloading Qt and also Visual Studio Express (all available for free) and start learning C# and C++ using the IDE's. You mentioned you'd picked-up Obj-C, but unfortunately that's just not a very marketable language since you rarely see companies coding in it.

Sounds like lots of stuff, and honestly it is. Unfortunately there's no fast track other then jumping in. I wouldn't recommend however taking Jr College courses unless you talk to the professor first. Unfortunately so many Jr College classes covering development hardly touch the basics, and most teach stuff a determined student could learn in a few weekends on his/her own. If there's development theory or pattern classes though, those might be beneficial, but unfortunately most of those types of classes are only in higher-level classes.

And finally, if you haven't learned the in's and out's of Object Oriented Programming, do so. This is what I'm still struggling with being a DBA trying to jump into the software development camp. I've done software development since I was a kid, but most of my professional career has been as a DBA. My forte is Microsoft SQL, but I'm starting to learn C# since that's what we use at my 8-5 and after hours I'm picking up Mono and Qt.

Getting back to certifications, here are a few you can check out, though I don't know of anyone who's gone through any of these:
Nokia Qt Certification Program
http://qt.nokia.com/developer/learning/certification
Microsoft Certified Solution Developer
http://www.microsoft.com/learning/en/us/certification/mcsd.aspx
Microsoft Certified Professional Developer
http://www.microsoft.com/learning/en/us/certification/mcpd.aspx

I might get flamed for suggesting Microsoft, but from my experience looking at the local market most IT shops still code using C# or VB. If you're looking for a development language to learn to further your career and make you more marketable, C# is the way to go IMO. I still suggest going with Qt, Tkl/Tk, or another similar language to satisfy other FOSS avenues and to make you a more rounded developer (which looks good to employers as well). Plus don't loose sight of the database aspect of it all.

This is all of course if you're looking at Application Development. If you'd rather code for web-based apps or websites, then that's an entirely different can of works :)

Take care --

Sam

[PhilGil]

About 10 years ago, I took a one-year CIS (Computer Information Systems) certification course at my local community college. Almost as valuable as the education was being able to use the College's job placement center, where I found the employer I am still working for.

I also agree with samalex, most enterprises are still Microsoft shops, so C# or VB.net would be reasonable languages to focus on. If you don't want to sell your soul to Microsoft, there also seems to be a high demand for web skills: PHP, Java, XML, ASP, etc.

[jblaven]

Samalex,

Wow that's a lot of good info! I do have a best friend whom I've grown up with who got his degree in MIS (http://www.terry.uga.edu/mis/). He has made a few suggestions for someone who is in my shoes. You know, probably will have to find another job while I learn and study for a new field. These are the links he sent me yesterday.

Microsoft Certification Overview
http://www.microsoft.com/learning/en/us/certification/cert-overview.aspx
Microsoft Visual Studio Certification
http://www.microsoft.com/learning/en/us/certification/cert-vstudio.aspx
Ramp Up
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/rampup/default.aspx

He also recommends c# and asp.net.

PhilGil,

Funny thing is my friend and I spoke on the phone about a local junior college and he said the same thing about the job placement center.

[jblaven]

I will say that Object Oriented Programming is the hardest part to wrap your mind around. ...reason is, when you read it, it isn't "logical". Even when it doesn't look logical, it would be the most efficient code. Trying to learn it on your own out of a book is really tough because without a good explanation, you can forget following the progression.

Now throw in the fact that books are written by humans, and humans make errors, I was stuck on a page for days trying to figure out why my code wouldn't compile... it was because the author had mistyped the code in his book!#-o

[RabbitWho]

Well,
Money is not everything -so, so true.

I hate when people say that. Would you go to an amputee ward and say "legs aren't everything" of course they're not "everything" but you have a lot less to worry about when you have them. You can go back to college and do whatever the hell job you like now.

[jblaven]

I hate when people say that. Would you go to an amputee ward and say "legs aren't everything" of course they're not "everything" but you have a lot less to worry about when you have them. You can go back to college and do whatever the hell job you like now.

Well, you make the assumption we have money. We have medical bills to take every penny that's left, but that's not the point. The point is I've had the money in my hands, had the toys, but it doesn't bring happiness. Just a small taste of it proves it. I am glad I had it, because I felt just like you before I made good money. I would say, be careful what job you take. It's not worth it, if you have to give too much of yourself.

I used to tell my Dad, "I know you are right, but I have to learn it for myself." Money is the same. I don't care if I ever make that much again. I just want to pay my bills, have a happy life, sleep soundly at night, have a happy wife, successful children. :D

[markbuntu]

The overwhelming quest for money can often overwhelm the desire for happiness. This is a terribly destuctive phenomenon, especially when the quest for money is less than overwhelmingly successful and more and more time and effort is spent in its pursuit while happiness slips further and further into the future.

Do what you love, life is too short to put happiness off for long.