Reply to: How have you gained experience in new skills?

[Appydaze]

If I sold at least one copy of my software it counts as commercial use at a client.

How easy/ hard have you found it to sell software? I'm producing a sheets add on based on a requirements from a previous client. But would be grateful to know techniques I could use to sell it, test its viability etc.

[sadkingbilly]

Pick a client two or three back from the most recent and say that it was most recently used there but wasn't the primary focus of the piece of work and it entirely slipped your mind to put it on your CV

If you can't blind them with science, - baffle them with bullsh1t!

[ladymuck]

An agent has asked me in the past whether a skill I have on my CV "was used commercially, at a client". How might you answer this in your scenario?

Pick a client two or three back from the most recent and say that it was most recently used there but wasn't the primary focus of the piece of work and it entirely slipped your mind to put it on your CV

[SussexSeagull]

Seems ridiculous now but web/browser testing then mobile device testing was very briefly a bit of a niche skill. Cross Browser testing used to make me laugh. Not sure how running the same set of tests in more than one browser was ever considered that difficult to do but it briefly was a speciality.

[squarepeg]

An agent has asked me in the past whether a skill I have on my CV "was used commercially, at a client". How might you answer this in your scenario?

If I sold at least one copy of my software it counts as commercial use at a client.

[GJABS]

..I develop software tools in new tech/languages and publish them for sale. ... I can then put said tech/lang with a straight face on my CV.

An agent has asked me in the past whether a skill I have on my CV "was used commercially, at a client". How might you answer this in your scenario?

[squarepeg]

I watch trends and follow the money. As a contractor running a business, I develop software tools in new tech/languages and publish them for sale. I put a lot of docs and test code to go with them for free online. I can then put said tech/lang with a straight face on my CV.

[sadkingbilly]

If you can't walk into an interview and write code then you are not going to get a job.

well, - I've always managed reasonably well. maybe just lucky.

[TheDude]

The two biggest boosts to my career.

1. About 15 years ago I heard of TopCoder (competitive coding) as an experienced developer I thought I would do well. I didn't I spent a lot of time practicing algorithmic type problems and within a year had broke out of middling Financial Servicies firm and into a top US bank. A lot of developers out there don't realise how weak they really are and typically don't find out until they interview somewhere else.

2. About 14 years ago Martin Odersky visited my firm to give a talk on Scala. I loved it but at the time there weren't many jobs. I built up a github portfolio of personal projects that demonstrated my abilities, gained my first contract and haven't looked back.


Courses and accreditations are useless if you haven't put the skills into practice. If you can't walk into an interview and write code then you are not going to get a job.

[hungry_hog]

One client insisted that everyone take the Azure exams (even contractors). And had some MI tracking it.

The client booked and paid for exams but due to Covid they were delayed. By the time it came to do the exam I was at a new client.. ironically even the mention of cloud probably got me the new role.

Some of the contractors were outside too!

[BlueSharp]

Mainly 2 but also 6.

6) The role needed a combination of skills and was paying below market rates. I would be a seasoned pro in 50% of them. The other 50% I had a working knowledge of but no real-world experience and would study and sit the exam simultaneously. The below market rates are great for picking up new skills as seasoned pros in those areas will turn their nose up at them.

[oliverson]

I tend to be pretty good at manipulating situations to acquire new skills to add to the ones I was commissioned for. Spotting opportunities and promoting myself for them. I've used this technique to pick up all sorts (WPF, Angular, Node.js, React, AWS, Azure, k8s, etc, etc., the list goes on). I guess I'm pretty good at learning things quickly, which helps. So, in summary I'd say always having an ear open to opportunities on the project you're working on.

[cojak]

I made a really old video on this many moons ago (you can see the old versions of this website looking very similar to the current version.. )

Searching Part Deux (youtube.com)

[GJABS]

Thanks all, that's very useful.
It looks like item 3. is the most used, so that's where I'll address my efforts.
I'll try and avoid 5.

[Ketto]

Best ways to learn for me are moving around clients and moving around industries. Every client does things differently so you can see what works and what doesn’t work and nearly always learn something useful from each one.

Moving between industries is the most helpful in my view. You can feel a bit clueless at first so it can be stressful, but once you get to grips with a new industry beyond a basic level it often opens up a whole new business sector which you can target for future work.