[ddots-l] Re: Job Question
- From: D!J!X! <megamansuperior@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <ddots-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 20 Mar 2013 18:17:24 -0400
Hi Chris, having a computer science degree myself I can tell you 1 thing
I've seen, and that is companies aren't looking to hire unless you've got
experience. Which then sucks because you wonder, how can I get experience if
no one wants to hire and invest in me? I've seen a few of my friends who
graduated with or after me have this issue. Once I finished my tenure at
NASA, I went to start my own company, which is what I wanted anyways, so I
didn't really run into this issue much. However one unfortunate event is
that things are shifting quickly in the computer world, and are constantly
evolving. Thus you'll find that you'll need to do a few things in order to
make enough income.
When I started, my main cut was doing custom web applications (before apps
and the smart phones etc), these are programs that run on a server or from a
central location. They range from database designs to specific in-house
order systems, customized web stores etc. As things have changed and moved
on to the mobile market these have been required less. The need for the
custom app is still there, but now with the cloud, things are shifting
again.
Web design as in designing a website have also shifted with the introduction
of so many platforms for blogging, and with social networks people don't
really have a need for sites to promote if they can do it over facebook and
twitter. I now mainly work with small businesses who need a custom design
and not something that runs off word press only, mainly law firms and such.
I still do custom apps, but again that number has decreased over the years.
Other freelancers I know and contractors have experienced the same shift, so
it's not just a 1 case situation.
All this to say, that things are changing constantly and even in the music
business, with the introduction of the project/home studio, and all these do
it yourself tools are making things suffer everywhere, so it's still the
same case.
I guess at this point you have to stick to what you are passionate about,
get creative with attracting customers, and also expand or be innovative.
One thing I can say is that you need to do multiple things to stay afloat
nowadays. We for example do custom apps still, some web design, but the main
thing we're hired for right now is building custom computer systems,
repairs, and things of that nature. My wife also does graphics design, and
that is a bit rough, but still stable (people need business cards and fliers
made etc). I still do my online training and once I finish the building
process will start the recording studio again, as music is still one of my
passions.
But these things all seem to go through seasons; for a few months I'm busy
doing web designs. Other months I'm busy building systems, upgrading,
training etc, at other times it's neither, and that's when you think: crap,
is this really worth it?
But I can certainly say that change is inevitable, and unfortunately we all
suffer; but stick to it, I and a few other people I know who own small
business have found themselves at this point where you just want to throw in
the towel, find another venture or just focus on something else completely,
but be sure to assess your situation first and try and figure it out from
all angles. You might just have to expand a bit, promote harder, be
innovative with marketing or in the solutions you offer etc. If you've tried
all these already and still no go, then perhaps refocus is inevitable, just
check to see what is out there and where you think you'll fit best.
I'd hate for you to go through a year of training for 1 thing, and by the
time you're done you find that the need for that is no longer there, or that
the market is too competitive to get into.
The question is: are you trying to work on your own as an
individual/contractor, or be hired at a company?
There's that experience factor if you are trying to get hired, and the
marketing/promotion side if you want to work on your own.
As for computer jobs, they range from basic to complex, but as I said, due
to all the changes, it's hard to say what the next poise will be. Right now
with all these tablets and smart phones and the mobile world, app
development seems to be a hit, but there are a few platforms to choose from,
coming up with ideas for apps that have yet to be made, promoting that, etc.
Software development is still a need, so you could find something there but
again, you'll have to be good at a language like c or java already, and for
the most part know more than just 1; it's not uncommon to see listings for
C+, Java, PHP, and mySQL or some other database language as part of the
requirements; they'll mainly be looking for people who can develop a
cross-platform solution that can be used on the desktop as well as on the
cloud/online.
I guess computer tech is a safe guess, since all these things run on
hardware, and the hardware needs maintenance/repairs or new things are
always being built. For that, A+ (A plus) certification is a good starting
point, but you'll really have to know what you're doing, prove the odds
which are against you, and have a lot of determination to learn and memorize
things like pin-outs, wiring schemes and such.
When I was learning all this and while I was inc high school and college,
the blind programmers list was an invaluable resource. I know they're still
around, don't know the address off hand, but you can perhaps get a better
idea from them as to what people in the blind community who are working in
companies or as freelancers are doing, what has worked and what has not,
what is a waste and what has potential.
If you wanna talk more about this, write me off list; I was going to reply
off list, but I figured I post this publicly, just in case others are going
through this same mind-state right now; in this economy I know it's hard,
and many times we feel like giving up, but hold on and hang in there! Been
there, done that...
HTH, D!J!X!
-----Original Message-----
From: ddots-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:ddots-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On
Behalf Of Chris Smart
Sent: Wednesday, March 20, 2013 5:21 PM
To: ddots-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [ddots-l] Job Question
Hi folks.
I have some employment related questions, specifically, I'm wondering in
what parts of the computer field blind folks are finding work these days.
Or,
If there is a list specifically for blind computer professionals, or more
generally, employment of blind folks, please mention it and I'll gladly take
this over there.
Both teaching music and mixing and mastering audio are both not getting me
anywhere in terms of income. It's sadly, time for me to just forget about
the music business as anything more than a hobby, and find work elsewhere.
if you were going to retrain presently, what area would you focus on?
Networking? Coding? Smartphone App developing? Something else?
I attended university before the first big dot com boom and bust in the late
1990's. Back then, a computer science degree was golden. I have no idea if
that's the case now, or where the money and opportunities are.
I'm also wondering who offers correspondence courses that has a reputable
name. i.e. not some fly by night operation or free course somewhere, but an
institution with distance learning options and real credibility and name
recognition. And, preferably somewhere that can offer something focused,
specialized, and intensive. I need to take something over the next year or
two, not four years or more, and am prepared to work flat out to finish it.
Thanks for any ideas or pointers to more appropriate lists.
Chris
--------------------------------------------------
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http://www.ctsmastering.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/CTSMASTERING
BLOG: www.ctsmastering.com/blog
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