Re: Any jobs here?

On Tue, 15 Mar 2005, Adam bultman wrote:

> I've got the ACS career page "pagepan"ed (http://www.pagepan.com,
> something I worked on in a class) so I know when it changes - and I
> noticed that. They wanted more experience than I had - bollucks!

I hear this a lot from guys on this and other lists. I think all of you who
are either looking for a opportunity to either break into an IT career or
advance in it should keep a few things in mind.

If you see a job you're interested in, apply for it. *Regardless* of whether
or not you think you're qualified. The fact of the matter is that many
companies over-spec job requirements, partly out of hopeful optimism, partly
just to cover all their bases. Other companies have their job requirements
set by human resource departments that don't have the first clue what's need
to fill a position.

The practical reality is that almost no position gets filled with a candidate
that's a perfect match. Compromises are the rule, not the exception. Another
practical reality is that educational requirements can usually be substituted
for experience. Even certifications can be negotiable in many situations.

Please also keep in mind that experience doesn't necessarily have to be only
that which you've been paid for. If you feel the need to have something on
your resume volunteer to do some computer work for a non-profit, your church,
or other such organisations. Any experience you have deploying technology is
relevant, whether it's your day job or not.

In the end, all that really matters is how you present yourself in the
interview. If you can get that, you've got a chance. What most (smart)
employers are looking for are good fundamentals, initiative and drive to learn
and master your tools, and good research skills (which is much more important
than rote memory). And all of this anyone with desire can learn at home, on
their own time.

In other words, if this is really what you want to do, go for it. Sure,
you'll probably have to take a few shots at it, but you only have to hit it
once. Once you get your foot in the door you can pretty much chart your own
course from there.

Of course, that's just the opinion of an uneducated hobbyist...

        --Arthur Corliss
          Bolverk's Lair -- http://arthur.corlissfamily.org/
          Digital Mages -- http://www.digitalmages.com/
          "Live Free or Die, the Only Way to Live" -- NH State Motto
---------
To unsubscribe, send email to <aklug-request@aklug.org>
with 'unsubscribe' in the message body.
Received on Wed Mar 16 00:51:57 2005