Question for programmers....

[Rangster]

Hi,

The slow down and possibility of a few months on the bench has got me thinking about my career. I have been doing project management type roles but really don’t enjoy the leadership, inter-personal side of things (i.e. chasing people, politics, stakeholder management etc). It really doesn’t suit my personality. I was thinking that I would investigate programming and would be interested in your opinion on suitability rather than the business/practical side (ie training/contracts)

On the positive side:

1) I am a good at mentally and physically organising and structuring things. I make a great project planner (I think!). I like to optimise things so they work well. Similar to programming?
2) I pick things up quickly. Especially technical concepts.
3) I have an artistic/investigative nature.
4) I am a musician and play piano and drums but suck at guitar. I read somewhere that people in this situation make better heavy programmers?

On the negative side

I really suck at maths! (which is why I never got into it in the first place)

Any thoughts welcome.

Waz

 

[chicane]

There's nothing to say that your skills and mentality wouldn't make a good developer, but the only way to be sure is to sit down and actually do some programming. You could try putting together a database to catalogue your music collection or something.

I personally don't believe strong maths knowledge is required for development unless you're heading for some niche math-oriented sector.

Lots of free programming languages and development environments out there if you've got a couple of weekends free to give it a shot.

 

[Bob Dalek]

Hi,

The slow down and possibility of a few months on the bench has got me thinking about my career. I have been doing project management type roles but really don’t enjoy the leadership, inter-personal side of things (i.e. chasing people, politics, stakeholder management etc). It really doesn’t suit my personality. I was thinking that I would investigate programming and would be interested in your opinion on suitability rather than the business/practical side (ie training/contracts)

On the positive side:

1) I am a good at mentally and physically organising and structuring things. I make a great project planner (I think!). I like to optimise things so they work well. Similar to programming?
2) I pick things up quickly. Especially technical concepts.
3) I have an artistic/investigative nature.
4) I am a musician and play piano and drums but suck at guitar. I read somewhere that people in this situation make better heavy programmers?

On the negative side

I really suck at maths! (which is why I never got into it in the first place)

Any thoughts welcome.

Waz

1. Browse Jobserve. Find the top 5 languages offering decent rates (permie).
2. Teach yourself each one - you will soon find the one you have more of an aptitude for - so it won't be a case of learning each one to the nth degree. Do a course and write something clever with it as your "portfolio".
3.Take a crap rate as a permie.
4. Stick at it for a year.
5. Get better job, etc.

Good luck.

 

[PAH]

Project Manager to Programmer must be a bit of a drop in 'pay'.

Just look at jobserve, lucky to get over 30k as permie or £8/hour as a contractor programmer these days.

Anyone saying they're on anything over 200 a day as a programmer is lying. Trust me. We don't get called code monkeys for nothing. Bottom of the food chain.

 

[Churchill]

Project Manager to Programmer must be a bit of a drop in 'pay'.

Just look at jobserve, lucky to get over 30k as permie or £8/hour as a contractor programmer these days.

Anyone saying they're on anything over 200 a day as a programmer is lying. Trust me. We don't get called code monkeys for nothing. Bottom of the food chain.

That is 'coz you is pooh!

None of my freelancers are on less than £40 an hour.

 

[voodooflux]

1) I am a good at mentally and physically organising and structuring things. I make a great project planner (I think!). I like to optimise things so they work well. Similar to programming?
2) I pick things up quickly. Especially technical concepts.
3) I have an artistic/investigative nature.
4) I am a musician and play piano and drums but suck at guitar. I read somewhere that people in this situation make better heavy programmers?

Perhaps try your hand at something web oriented to take advantage of your artistic/creative nature?

 

[PAH]

That is 'coz you is pooh!

None of my freelancers are on less than £40 an hour.

Next you'll be saying you've got an R8 and did Lucy over the bonnet.

There's a definite ceiling in rate for programmers, and one that I'd expect to be somewhat less than rates offered for project managers.

Of course, money isn't everything, so that's not the whole argument in this case. I'd certainly prefer to be coding than paper shuffling, and accept that I'm going to be on roughly the same average rate as I have been for the last ten years.

 

[Churchill]

Next you'll be saying you've got an R8 and did Lucy over the bonnet.

There's a definite ceiling in rate for programmers, and one that I'd expect to be somewhat less than rates offered for project managers.

Of course, money isn't everything, so that's not the whole argument in this case. I'd certainly prefer to be coding than paper shuffling, and accept that I'm going to be on roughly the same average rate as I have been for the last ten years.

R8 yes, Lucy nope. However I did get a rather saucy PM from her once...

 

[BrilloPad]

R8 yes, Lucy nope. However I did get a rather saucy PM from her once...

I thought a gentleman never tells?

 

[AtW]

I thought a gentleman never tells?

Only if he kisses...