Ask HN: Developer looking for career advice

[srnd]

I am at a cross-road in terms of my career and I am looking for some advice.

I am an unemployed, single, soon to be 30 male Indian software developer based in Dubai with 4 years experience in ASP.net C# and decided to move towards Python(basically, wanted to move to an open source environment). Prior to that I worked for 1 year as a Data Analyst for a market research company and did odd IT support jobs during collage days. I also worked as a site coordinator for construction company for a total 3 years.

The jobs I get are in C# and and the pay is very low. Of the 4 Python openings I could find in the last year, everyone wanted and expert with 3 years experience. I tried my luck in India but all I ending up getting more C# openings.

My problem from what I understand, I am looking for a job in a language other than C#, be it Java or Python or Scala or Ruby. But all the openings I find need experts with 3-4 years experience or Freshers. I was surprised to learn that the definition of fresher is someone who is graduated within year.

Now for my cross-roads, I have a visit visa to US. Will I able to find job in US as I am hoping that are a lot more companies there and I am hoping the large number of companies will help my odds. Will I be able to receive a work permit if I find a job? Of all the states in US, where do I start from? I am planning to apply for a Canadian visit visa to just increase my odds.

I am looking for some data mining / analysis / big data type of job. Of all the projects I have done so far the one I enjoyed the most was the one I did as a Data Analyst pulling together 15 sheets of excel data with over 300 rows each into an Access database. Normalising the data and with some SQL magic, preparing a report based on that data, telling its story. I am have also worked as a Developer on getting data from Twitter's direct API and the API via Datasift using MSMQ and storing it in Mongo DB for further analysis.

[justinmarsan]

Getting a visa to work in the US is a nightmare so I wouldn't advise you look into that. It's costly for the employer, time consumer for both of you and the odds of getting accepted are small. If you were to find some company willing to spend the time and money to get you there through that process, you would have the job you like already and would just have stumbled upon an insanely great opportunity. It doesn't look like that's the case.

Regarding the fact that all the opportunities you find require experience... Well everybody wants someone experience, it's just must faster to get them to be working and productive. That doesn't mean all companies will find that person. Itcould be because there is more demande than people looking for a new job with that skillset or because they don't want to pay enough. When that happens, they'll have to resort to hiring someone with less experience than they hoped for, and that's where you come in. Show that you're good, have some pet projects to show you know something about the language already, be great during the interview and you could get hired.

Job offers describe the ideal candidate, not the mandatory requirements, even when it says so, companies will do with what they get so apply anyway and see how that goes. I never fully met the requirements for the jobs I applied to when I got hired, and it forced me to level up, learn new things and tackle challenges, so it's not that big of a deal and you still have a shot.

[srnd]

Lets hope that a big company with the resource to pay for my Visa will have a python and data related opening where they cannot find the experienced person and decide to settle with me. How is Canadian job market?

[romankolpak]

I'm not from US so I can't provide much US-specific insight, but I thought I'd put my 2 cents.

I think you shouldn't have problems with a finding a good job with your skill-set, data analysts are in demand now. I don't even think that your lack of experience with Python should be a big problem because analytic skills are much more important.

Very common advice for increasing your odds of getting a job is to do some open-source work and make sure it doesn't go unnoticed by your future employer. Maybe participate in some open-source Python projects or start your own pet-project with data analysis and publish it on Github.

[srnd]

I did notice some companies asking for just the github id. Good idea.

[M8]

It seems like you want to combine the problem of switching to Python with the problem of getting a job abroad - which makes the whole thing more difficult.

C# and ASP.NET are open source.

Getting a tourist visa with the intention to find a job during the visit is illegal AFAIK - seek specialist advice.

[srnd]

I specifically checked that. I was told that I can go for interview and do job - test on the premises. But if I get an offer, I have leave the country and come in the work visa to work. I can only "LOOK" for a job. Not "DO" a job.

[meric]

You could do some Python contracting part time for three years while you work in a C# job. Have not tested. If you have good python code on github I imagine it wouldn't be too hard to get hired, good developers are always in demand.

[srnd]

I shall put the few codes I have already wrote on github.