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It took a while, but I finally landed a permanent software development job.
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And I'm still here! I also have a newfound respect for the definition of "cold".
Gavin Kendall / Psyphen Codewalker
http://gir.slampt.net/~gavin/
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so, i picked up a new job about 2 months ago, upgraded salary, upgraded terms, the whole deal, problem is, when i was interviewed for the job, one of the main things that made me pick it up was the level of interest promised.
in the 2 months to follow, i've written exactly 10 lines of code, and was part of a few small bits of design, other then that i find myself with little or nothing to do, and for the past 2 weeks i found myself more often then not surfing the net for hours at a time, just looking for something to read or some bit of interesting programming to experiment on.
now the question is should i be looking for a new job already? or maybe give it another few months to (maybe) pick up the pace, as i said the salary is good and the terms leave me pretty well off (and getting a 6 figure salary for sitting on my ass to watch youtube isn't that bad of a deal, it's just that i can feel my programming edge beginning to go dull)
(i forgot to mention this was not my only option for a working place, i've had several serious offers and choose to take this one based on what the team leader told me on it at the time)
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The first reaction from an outsider's point of view would be, "Wow! I wish I had such a job!", but I'm sensing you're feeling unchallenged and uninspired - which is exactly the kind of drudgery thinking that comes into play when being unemployed. You're clearly bored and yet you're getting paid to do sfa.
I've been in a situation where I had finished my work so quickly that I was waiting for everyone else to finish (such as graphics design or backend server programming) and in the end I just played games until I was needed again. It wasn't a good feeling (even though my mates reckon that was the best part of the job at the time).
So I say stay at it for the next few months. If you still feel this way then perhaps you should look at other options. You also need to consider if you're financially supporting a partner or family right now.
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I would suggest you to hang on for a while , ask your management Sr. people to give you some good and challenging work , give them a chance . If the problem still cont.. for more 2 months than switch. Mean while you can learn new thing over net and also prepare for some certification , this would help in your career too. Try and learn something which is rare or not many people do it , this would add help you to beat the competition , may be help you get a better job option.
-Regards
Bharat Jain
Phisys Software Solutions Pvt. Ltd.
bharat.jain.nagpur@gmail.com
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What is the most ideal program to learn as a beginner and as someone who is interested in data analysis, data management, and/or games? I am familiarizing myself with the literature and professional community, beginning to define short- and long-term goals, and identifying interests; however, I am unsure what to do next. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you in advance for your time.
_ani_
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_ani_ wrote: Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated
Read, take a college class or two, ask intelligent questions in the programming forums, and that is just for starters.
"I guess it's what separates the professionals from the drag and drop, girly wirly, namby pamby, wishy washy, can't code for crap types." - Pete O'Hanlon
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Had an interview in Chicago, Illinois with a big law firm at Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal LLP, www.sonnenschein.com, for an IT job, only to not be reimbursed for travel expenses because I was considered "local". Ok since when is being in another county, 90 miles round trip, 25 in parking, etc., "local"?
The hiring manager on the phone interview was nice enough. As for the interview I was told I was going to be given an explanation of benefits, only to have the HR person in charge not know what they were in detail, or how they worked. Then I get to the technical interview and I meet two guys who are the leads. One was very rude and didn't know anything other than that he used to work for Deloit, being full of himself and looking for the next opportunity over being loyal to his employer. How could I work for such a place?
Thus it is a place to avoid for IT!
Joe Worker
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joeworker1970 wrote: 90 miles round trip
Big deal. I used to drive that far one way to work.
"Real programmers just throw a bunch of 1s and 0s at the computer to see what sticks" - Pete O'Hanlon
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Here you go... You are a freelancer, you have an ongoing customer who gives you work every month. He needs something new developed, which is a new ground for you (needless to say it's new to the customer as well). You have to learn (read a manual/tutorial and try something out first) before you will be able to accomplish the task. You are paid an hourly rate and charge for time spent working. Should you charge for time spent learning something which you need in order to finish the task?
I couldn't find almost nothing on Google, from the results of my research there are a few ways taken by different people:
- some will charge the normal rate
- some will lower the rate
- some will not charge
- some will raise the rate
Lowering or not charging is understandable because you feel it would be not fair to charge the customer for something you can't do right now. He could hire somebody else, who already is familiar it and can produce results faster, right?
People who charge the normal rate compare it to being an employee. Every now and then you have to improve your skills and learn a new technology you will need for the next project. But the difference I see is when you are a full time employee the boss wouldn't fire you because you didn't know something, then hire somebody else to do the job, then fire him and hire you again.  But freelancing is different - he can hire anybody just for this one project, can't he?
People who raise the rate... Although I know what their reasoning says, I don't quite get it. They say they raise the rate to scare off the customer who is forcing a project on them, where they don't know the technology and would have to learn. This supposedly is meant to protect the customer from wasting time and money. Wonder what happens when he agrees?
One things is certain - as a freelancer or not, you have to make a living, you gotta earn something. So, what are your thoughts? Charge for learning or not? If so, then how? Normal rate? Lower rate? Higher rate?
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What does your conscience tell you? That has to be your guide. It's no good us giving you advice if you wouldn't be morally comfortable following it.
As a customer though, I wouldn't be happy paying you for something that should take 2 weeks if it actually takes 6 weeks and I end up having to pay you for it because you spent four weeks learning it. More importantly, you wouldn't be providing an optimal solution because your work wouldn't be backed up by experience, so I would be getting hit twice here. But, as I say, it's up to you to decide how you want to proceed.
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Pete O'Hanlon wrote: It's no good us giving you advice if you wouldn't be morally comfortable following it.
If I won't be morally comfortable with something I will not follow it.
Honestly, my viewpoint is exactly the same as yours. Oh, one factor I forgot about is the usefulness of what you learn. What if the knowledge you posses by learning on this project would be useful to you on this project only? So what I want to say is you are learning something new to finish a task and then most likely never use that knowledge again. Does it change anything?
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Pawel Krakowiak wrote: Does it change anything?
If it was me, I'd say thanks but no thanks. Actually, we do have this situation from time to time when clients ask us to develop something in Java or Oracle because that's what they've got/been told to use. If I can't talk them round to using technology sets we're comfortable with, we will walk away. The only thing we would get by shafting the customer like this would be a bad name.
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Charge. Always charge.
Pull as much money out of that sucker as you can. There is no such thing as a fair price. There is only how much money the costumers is willing to pay.
Just make sure the terms (price, time to be spent) is clear from the start. Then the costumer can accept or reject.
So to answer your question: Charge if you think you can get away with it.
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Delphi4Ever wrote: Pull as much money out of that sucker as you can.
Well there's one way to maintain a long lasting business relationship! 
It is well known that it is easier to get repeat custom from an existing customer than it is to get a new customer on board. But if you want to use the model of sucking as much out of the customer as possible then having to use that extra money in persuading a new business to be your customer then go for it.
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wrote: costumers
 It's customer 
"I guess it's what separates the professionals from the drag and drop, girly wirly, namby pamby, wishy washy, can't code for crap types." - Pete O'Hanlon
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I've been working as an SDET (Software Design Eng in Test) for 8 years, building internal test tools (mostly in C++). It is now time to move on, and my interest is in .Net/C#/database work, although I haven't done much of taht for quite a while. Some of my test dev work is in C#, so it isn't totally foreign to me.
What is the best way to update my skills that is desireable for a new employer? Besides C#/SQL, are there other skills I should be looking at? Since I haven't been working for several years in these areas, how can I best sell myself at an interview? How valuable is certification? My impression has been that MCSEs are given out in cereal boxes lately, what about the MSTS or MSPD certs, do they have any credibility?
thanks all!
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Obviously nobody has any comment about your post 
"Real programmers just throw a bunch of 1s and 0s at the computer to see what sticks" - Pete O'Hanlon
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Hi friends, I hope I am posting in the right section. I am sure that u guys will be able to help me in this case. I am having a project on search-engine. Same as the windows search engine, it should search loacal files on the hard disk. Now I have no clue as to how to create an index (database). Creating a database manually will take me months. I hope there will be some command to index all the files on the Hard disk in Sql,Oracle etc. Or tell me of any idea you can get of indexing files on Hard disk.Now I think that codeproject forum is the programmers last resort, hence I am here. Hope u get some ideas soon.
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HI
i want to do certification in SQL Server 2005. But my job profile is not in which i have to maintain / install a data base. But i have to use data base for querying, Writing procedure ( T-Sql)
So pls can any one suggest which certification should i get.
MSTC for Sql Server 70 - 431 is for installation,Implimentation and Maintaince of Sql Server
Thanks
Vikram
Vikram
I Code...
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Have u done SQL Server 2000 certification(MCP).
if not you can do 70-229.... 
If U Get Errors U Will Learn
If U Don't Get Errors U Have Learnt
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Thanks....
Vikram
I Code...
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I am still learning the ins and outs of being a telecommuting developer. I recently returned from a trip outside the US, was gone for a while. Now I am sitting in a state far away from my office where other people are diligently working daily. I have another job that I am doing during the day which for this post I will leave out. Yet I am trying to help my company on projects that need to be completed.
I am trying to help yet feel as though I am pulling my hair out trying to understand this new DB schema. I look at columns and tables trying to get description, how the flow of the data will go. I have pages taped on my wall of diagrams trying to piece together the missing pieces in my mind on how it all fits. I've read the documentation that's been generated. Column and table descriptions are not really all that descriptive, almost vague. I find myself stuffing data into tables on my system trying to make it make sense. I have tasks to complete, and sometimes not really getting as many tasks as I would like, but have asked and asked and asked only to come up with even more questions. 
I am wondering if there are any other telecommuting developers out there and if they have any horror stories, experiences, lessons learned about walking into a project midstream and trying to pickup and understand where everyone else is at. Especially when you are trying to do it from home.
I am really trying to make this telecommuting work. I also appreciate if anyone has some good telecommuting tips too.
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