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Thanks so much for the reply! I guess my other question would be how did you end up at your latest job? I always find that - for non .NET jobs they are mostly

by kzisme 9y ago

Thanks so much for the reply! I guess my other question would be how did you end up at your latest job? I always find that - for non .NET jobs they are mostly looking for Sr. level folks for jobs. Any advice on transitioning?

EnderMB 9y ago
I think it was mainly luck, because I've noticed this on both sides. Senior roles are extremely hard to fill because there aren't enough experienced developers looking for full-time roles. In the UK you often reach a certain earning threshold and your options are: 1. Push the salary limits where you can, but accept a full-time role with limited progression, limited pay, but less stress. 2. Be a lead developer, and ultimately move away from code and into management. 3. Go contracting, because you'll earn 2x what you earn as a salaried employee. Having been on the other side and having to look for a senior-level candidate to join a team, I'd say that you could probably still send a speculative application, and essentially explain that while you're not the finished article they're looking for, you're interested in the company and you're actively looking to learn. For my interviews, I essentially went in with full honesty. I said that my main experience is C#, but that I'm looking to move away from web development on the Windows stack and am looking to give something new a try to build my skills as a developer. Some companies will appreciate your honesty, and some won't, but I'd argue that the companies that are merely looking to fill a defined role won't offer you the progression you're after anyway. It's still early days where I am at the moment, and there's every chance that things might not work out, but so far I've been enjoying being the newbie again. For me, it's been less about moving to a new stack, and more about getting over that imposter syndrome of being a one-stack man. If it all goes to shit, and I get made redundant/sacked, at the very least I can go back to my old stack, and that alone takes a good bit of stress off of me.

by kzisme 9y ago

EnderMB 9y ago

I think it was mainly luck, because I've noticed this on both sides. Senior roles are extremely hard to fill because there aren't enough experienced developers looking for full-time roles. In the UK you often reach a certain earning threshold and your options are: 1. Push the salary limits where you can, but accept a full-time role with limited progression, limited pay, but less stress. 2. Be a lead developer, and ultimately move away from code and into management. 3. Go contracting, because you'll earn 2x what you earn as a salaried employee. Having been on the other side and having to look for a senior-level candidate to join a team, I'd say that you could probably still send a speculative application, and essentially explain that while you're not the finished article they're looking for, you're interested in the company and you're actively looking to learn. For my interviews, I essentially went in with full honesty. I said that my main experience is C#, but that I'm looking to move away from web development on the Windows stack and am looking to give something new a try to build my skills as a developer. Some companies will appreciate your honesty, and some won't, but I'd argue that the companies that are merely looking to fill a defined role won't offer you the progression you're after anyway. It's still early days where I am at the moment, and there's every chance that things might not work out, but so far I've been enjoying being the newbie again. For me, it's been less about moving to a new stack, and more about getting over that imposter syndrome of being a one-stack man. If it all goes to shit, and I get made redundant/sacked, at the very least I can go back to my old stack, and that alone takes a good bit of stress off of me.