[comprev]

This might sound a little controversial, but have you considered other roles in IT, not just pure development jobs?

I've been in Ops for 20+ years now and started on 1st line support for an ISP, although I had very few options without a degree (or much of an academic background really).

An entry level role might be a stepping stone to other positions within the company - and an opportunity to network with colleagues in other departments.

Over the years I built professional relationships and moved up to 2nd line and then 3rd line (sysadmin). This provided industry experience, certifications and sufficient domain knowledge to move elsewhere.

A few peers from 1st line moved over to development after they helped provide direct feedback to the devs as users of their software.

[teminal]

thanks for sharing!

i took a break earlier due to health issues and missed placements, and now i’m doing open source as a maintainer, but it doesn’t pay enough. i feel a bit stuck because with ai moving so fast, i’m not sure what to focus on or if learning something new will take too long. i only have about three months or the rest of this year to figure things out, so maybe it’s better to focus on finding roles related to what i already know.

would you suggest trying something new, or sticking to my current skills to get a job faster?

[comprev]

I knew I couldn't go straight into the Ops world and accepted I had to start on the support ladder answering telephones and responding to emails about expired domains, lost passwords, etc. However during this necessary detour I never lost sight of my target - even if it felt a million miles away at the time. The job was merely a stepping stone to cross the river.