Well here is the question.
I’d like a bit of advice on what to concentrate on to develop my career.
I’m not specifically looking for a contracting role, (I’d like to contracting, I expect my experience is too narrow atm) but I thought that because this is a U.K. forum and contractors get to move around a lot there would be a good breadth of experience here.
I’m looking to move jobs but every job I look at seems to have different requirements and I seem to fall short when applying because I don’t have enough experience in technology X’’. I need to concentrate on another technology to increase my employability. I’m not really bothered by languages personally ,(massive APIs that scare me more), but I need to centrate on adding another one as I’m stagnating.
My background is in applied mathematics research, fluid dynamics, and my current job is mainly in Fortran (not modern Fortran unfortunately) writing training simulators . I’d like to hear people recommendations on which language I should concentrate on give the application and the U.K. market in which I’m operating. I’m especially keen on hearing from people who are science / engineering based. I’ve drifted into programming more as a tool (I’m not a general programmer) rather than having always programmed all though university / teenage years *e.t.c. but I still like to follow good practice.
I think I’ve three main options.
Python.
As well as Fortran I also have experience python, but both have been used for administrative tasks (combined with some Bash) for text parsing tasks e.t.c., I wouldn’t say I was a python developer.
Positives: I know a little, has a good libraries.
Negatives: I haven't really seen many jobs in my domain (if any jobs asking for it).
C++
I also *have a little C++ knowledge. My theoretical knowledge of how many of language features works is actually reasonable as I’ve used it as a method of learning the functionality of different data structures and algorithms and to learn some more low level aspect of computer operation but I’m not well practiced so forget syntax if I’m not using it, don’t know the STL like the back of my hand, only know a little Qt and a tiny bit of Boost from experimenting otherwise don’t really know any tool kits super well. I use it at work a little but bug fixing and tweaking rather than developing. I don’t use it often enough to sit down and develop without thinking, hence on a test I spend time reacquainting myself with aspects rather than getting the questions done.
Positives: I know it a little with ok theoretical knowledge just need practice, I’ve seen jobs in my field using it.
Negatives: Its a massive and tough language, seem like a catch 22 of you can’t get good at it without years and years of experience but you can’t get a job using C++ if you’re not a or at least very good.
C#
This is purely on a friend’s recommendation as he loves it, but he writes more business / banking db based applications. It looks like a good language and is definitely capable but I haven’t noticed that jobs in the science / engineering, this may well just be the oddities of my searches.
Positives: Seems like a good popular modern language.
Negatives: Have not really seen any jobs in science / engineering asking for it. I’d have to buy a copy of windows to learn it properly.
I know someone will say improve / learn them all but I don’t have the time, nor to be honest the energy to spend every waking hour I’m not at work on a computer, I need my time outside learning other stuff! I’ve also used some specialist languages such as mathematica that uses a functional style, wrote matlab for a year disease modeling, and I alway like to learn more but I have to prioritise in order to get a new job and develop as I’m stagnating in my current role.
God that was a long ramble!
I’d like a bit of advice on what to concentrate on to develop my career.
I’m not specifically looking for a contracting role, (I’d like to contracting, I expect my experience is too narrow atm) but I thought that because this is a U.K. forum and contractors get to move around a lot there would be a good breadth of experience here.
I’m looking to move jobs but every job I look at seems to have different requirements and I seem to fall short when applying because I don’t have enough experience in technology X’’. I need to concentrate on another technology to increase my employability. I’m not really bothered by languages personally ,(massive APIs that scare me more), but I need to centrate on adding another one as I’m stagnating.
My background is in applied mathematics research, fluid dynamics, and my current job is mainly in Fortran (not modern Fortran unfortunately) writing training simulators . I’d like to hear people recommendations on which language I should concentrate on give the application and the U.K. market in which I’m operating. I’m especially keen on hearing from people who are science / engineering based. I’ve drifted into programming more as a tool (I’m not a general programmer) rather than having always programmed all though university / teenage years *e.t.c. but I still like to follow good practice.
I think I’ve three main options.
Python.
As well as Fortran I also have experience python, but both have been used for administrative tasks (combined with some Bash) for text parsing tasks e.t.c., I wouldn’t say I was a python developer.
Positives: I know a little, has a good libraries.
Negatives: I haven't really seen many jobs in my domain (if any jobs asking for it).
C++
I also *have a little C++ knowledge. My theoretical knowledge of how many of language features works is actually reasonable as I’ve used it as a method of learning the functionality of different data structures and algorithms and to learn some more low level aspect of computer operation but I’m not well practiced so forget syntax if I’m not using it, don’t know the STL like the back of my hand, only know a little Qt and a tiny bit of Boost from experimenting otherwise don’t really know any tool kits super well. I use it at work a little but bug fixing and tweaking rather than developing. I don’t use it often enough to sit down and develop without thinking, hence on a test I spend time reacquainting myself with aspects rather than getting the questions done.
Positives: I know it a little with ok theoretical knowledge just need practice, I’ve seen jobs in my field using it.
Negatives: Its a massive and tough language, seem like a catch 22 of you can’t get good at it without years and years of experience but you can’t get a job using C++ if you’re not a or at least very good.
C#
This is purely on a friend’s recommendation as he loves it, but he writes more business / banking db based applications. It looks like a good language and is definitely capable but I haven’t noticed that jobs in the science / engineering, this may well just be the oddities of my searches.
Positives: Seems like a good popular modern language.
Negatives: Have not really seen any jobs in science / engineering asking for it. I’d have to buy a copy of windows to learn it properly.
I know someone will say improve / learn them all but I don’t have the time, nor to be honest the energy to spend every waking hour I’m not at work on a computer, I need my time outside learning other stuff! I’ve also used some specialist languages such as mathematica that uses a functional style, wrote matlab for a year disease modeling, and I alway like to learn more but I have to prioritise in order to get a new job and develop as I’m stagnating in my current role.
God that was a long ramble!
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