OldCoder
Joined 14 years ago
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78
Submissions
46
Member since
May 2
I'll fill it in later
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Comment · 12 years ago
Vuong, you're welcome :P I helped with structure. But the piece, like the decision, is yours. The fact you're thinking about decisions, and were moved to compose the piece, bodes well. Keep the fact we're allotted only so much Time in the World in mind and, for you, it'll work out. Time, again, Time. You'll have the day in the meadow, daisies and all.
Comment · 12 years ago
Manager positions wouldn't have worked at the initial firm or the dot-com because both firms kicked the bucket.
What I should have done is understand that things change and prepared for changes in advance.
Comment · 12 years ago
Not a bad idea. May implement down the road. Thanks.
Comment · 12 years ago
It could be worse. I could be an Old Coder in his 70s :P
But, in all seriousness, though age discrimination is very real, I don't feel that it's as significant a factor for me presently as my lack of a social network or the fact that I'm a generalist.
Comment · 12 years ago
The ":P" was intended to convey tongue in cheek. But the suggestions are useful and appreciated. And I like the idea that one might feel "froggy". I'm not sure what this means but it sounds lively.
Comment · 12 years ago
If I'm going to become a specialist, this is entirely correct. But is this the right path? Or is there a way to salvage a generalist career?
Comment · 12 years ago
Thanks both for the suggestion and the best of luck. I'll do as you suggest at some point.
Comment · 12 years ago
Recently, I'm failing at finding listings that seem to be a match.
Friends have urged me to simply apply for random jobs even if I'm missing experience in particular frameworks.
I've been reluctant to do so. Instead, I've been looking for:
(a) Junior positions that I'm clearly qualified for
(b) Positions at firms that are seeking generalists
(c) Positions where I'd be able to use the special skills that I do possess
I'll probably need to build connections over time for this to work out. In the interim, a non-tech position might be the way to go.
Comment · 12 years ago
A targeted resume, intended to present me as a specialist in Linux, would zoom in and do precisely this.
However, if I tried to add this level of detail to everything on the resume at once, I'd end up with dozens of pages. Remember that I've done hundreds of projects.
In the 1990s, I tried to produce a complete resume. The result was a short novel :P I'm kidding, but it did take me years to get the thing down to a single page.
Comment · 12 years ago
So it's mostly about social networks, which I talked about myself and which I neglected to maintain.
A number of other people here are focused on the resume. You yourself suggest a rewrite. But if it's of marginal utility I think that embracing the generalist aspect might be the way to go.
And I'll need to find a non-tech job to pay the rent while I'm hanging out at Linux User Groups, Doge Festivals, and so on.
Comment · 12 years ago
These points are sensible. But aren't you simply confirming what I said to begin with?
You're essentially saying that companies use checkbox filters to sift through applicants looking for specialists. Exactly what I was trying to say myself.
The solution that you propose is to create a targeted resume.
But I've worked on hundreds of projects. Many of which used technologies that are no longer relevant Is it possible for me to produce a tailored resume based on perhaps one project from 20 years ago that matches a specific niche?
It doesn't seem likely. So most firms are going to be out of reach. I'll need to acquire more specialties. Or identify firms that are interested in generalists.
Comment · 12 years ago
Excellent point. And, conversely, how do I demonstrate, on my resume, that I'm proficient as a generalist without listing the things that specialist-oriented readers here suggest that I omit?
Comment · 12 years ago
Yes, regarding reasons for leaving. I'm going to drop those.
DOS and AIX are included to illustrate breadth as opposed to depth. Not because I expect anybody to be impressed by 20-year-old work in these two OSes.
Metrics are an interesting point; I'll need to look further at this.
Regarding teamwork, the resume mentions that I was considered a "mentor". Does this count?
Comment · 12 years ago
The problem isn't presently the age or the resume.
With you, the resume would be a problem. But this might be a good thing.
As I've said elsewhere, I'd be pleased to obtain a junior tech position if it was a good match. But you're looking for specialists, aren't you?
I might be mistaken, but perhaps you're not familiar with how generalists operate. If this is the case, I'd prefer that you proceed to "circular file" my resume. It will save my time as well as yours.
Regarding the points that you've raised:
1) The website you've looked at isn't my professional site. The post went there, but the professional site is located at:
Yes, I know that the professional site is sorely lacking in polish. I'll Twitter Bootstrap it sometime. :P
2) If somebody does not understand what it means to build a Linux distro from scratch, and feels that this is irrelevant to their firm, they are not looking for a generalist. Accordingly, I'm not a match for them and they're not a match for me.
As a side note, yes, over the past two decades, I've written literally hundreds of small servers and clients from scratch, plus a number of large ones.
Should all of the different servers and clients be listed on the resume? If so, would you look through the list, searching for some past project that matched some current need?
Do you understand what a generalist does?
3) I feel that this point is incorrect. You're thinking like a specialist here.
Nobody is going to hire me to work on DOS or AIX. Well, not AIX anyway; there is still some DOS work going on. But it's the range of things that I wish to convey here. Not the specialties.
If somebody such as yourself looks at my resume hoping to find a specialist, and dismisses the parts that illustrate a generalist background, it's best for all concerned, including me. that they toss the resume.
4) No idea what I'm talking about? :-) Heh. I maintain a fork of "sloccount".
First, it's about both code and documentation, not simply code. Or did I forget to note that? Regardless, I had a specific reason for mentioning the page count originally.
However, due to ongoing revisions, it may no longer make sense to include it. You may be correct about this point.
5) This point is confusing. You asked for more details but criticized the details for the Grumman job as "fluff".
The project included a Java GUI, Perl database code, network protocols implemented using multiple languages, a large OO Perl framework, the simulator that you mentioned, and numerous other components.
Which part is "fluff" ?
What I "did" was to design each component from scratch and implement it, except for the ones that I based on FOSS (which I then modified or extended).
Regarding the closing point, "Fix up your resume, and cleanup or hide your web presence, and you'll have a better chance":
It doesn't seem as though you've read much of the original post. You've commented on the resume and on the website where the post appears. You are not fond of either. It is your right to feel this way.
However, these two things are not presently the key issues. Nor were they the subject of the original post.
Comment · 12 years ago
I started a few days ago. It hasn't been a good week for medical issues but things are looking up.
I've been to the Emergency Room twice since Sunday. And I had a fever of 102 degrees just a few hours ago. But I'm feeling O.K. and I'm scheduled to go back in a few hours to nail down what's happening physically.
Due to recent changes in U.S. laws, I might be able to qualify for medical care now. If it works out, this will be a big help.