Getting first Job

[canardo]

Hi

I would dearly like to program for a living

however as I am sure everyone is aware most companies ask for years experience

I have just completed my degree (got a 2.1) but havent got any real commercial experience

been thinking of doing the sun certification as prettycertain I could pass that relatively quickly

anyway how did peeps here get that first job and your experiences of the IT industry in general would be much appreicated

[_Belial]

Well when i finished at manchester poly first thing I did was just get a copy of Jobs Northwest. I attended 2 interviews, both were for jobs doing C/C++ and managed to bag one of em. The wage was pretty crap (well better than being a student anyway) but it got me that valuable experience. Once I had a year of that, I kept swapping jobs a few times to get better wages, then about 3 years after that wen contracting, been doing it ever since.

From my experience, anything you've done at uni/college will be of no use unless you're planning to work abroad and need a VISA. I only did a HND and can only think of 1 interview that I went for that I didnt get the job for (but I did manage to get an all-expenses trip to Zurich for the interview). I never get asked if I have a degree or not so I can certainly conclude that it's all down to experience. The more experience you can get doing really good tech, and be sure to get glowing references (that means dont piss off your boss ).

So essentially, you may have to take a low-paid job for a year, but work at it, get that experience and pick a job that's doing as much new neat stuff in the area you want to do, that helps a lot. Have a look on sites like jobserve, see what skills are in demand and try to get as many of them done, or try to get really kick-ass at one

And good luck, and say hello to the tax-man

[Gunnzie]

I wouldnt bother too much with the certifications just yet especially the Microsoft ones. Many companies couldnt care less about them.

I even had one manager who refused to interview one candidate as he was a Microsoft Certified Professional. The exams for these are so easy that a GCSE student could pass them.

If you take a look on a site like Jobserve, type the word "graduate" as part of the search criteria. You'll be surprised by the number of results. For example, type "C++ and graduate" in the search box and you'll currently get 147 results for the last week.

But, personally I wouldnt get into programming. I have been doing it commercially for 10 years. I currently work for one of the largest IT companies in the world (not MS thank god but not far off that kind of size). It just gets real boring after a while. But maybe thats just because I have got fed up of doing a job where I am stuck behind a desk all day. Plus some of the geeks you have to work with ! Oh my god, there was one guy I used to sit next to who could talk about nothing but computers. It used to drive me mad to the point where I had to ask my manager to move me.

[tam9]

I also work for one of the biggest IT companies in the world (unix company). I'm 19 and started my job when I was 18 - basically I applied to an agency and then I got an interview and I was told that same day that I got the job as I could do Unix stuff as asked and it's been pretty good ever since. My wages are v. good for a 19 year old that didn't have any experience in the IT field before but I knew my 'shit' so to speak.

But at the moment I want to get a proper sys admin role as that is like 16 months I've been working there and I reckon that I would get a great referance :thumbs

About the Sun exams go for it mate. They are top class in that field, that will defo give you an advantage in any job as having unix certs I reckon would boost your chances in a job. I'm actually gonna start studying for them again so I can put it down on my CV. I've also done the solaris 9 sys adesmin traning courses...they were OK but not worth the money (i didn't pay).

Good luck mate,

Tam.

[canardo]

cheers for the replys guys I think I will do the Sun certification as at 80 quid its not that expensive and think it will give me a little bit more over the majority of graduates who dont have experience.

Will let you know how I get on :0

[suthar]

tam8 - r u still with the big unix company? as i hear theyr are outsouring their IT department.

[salvadorescobar]

canardo - How did you get on with this? Did you get a job in the industry in the end?

[canardo]

yep salvador I did :0 working in the java industry as well so wont forget your help when I first started :0