Author Archives: Andrew K Kirk

4 Tips to Find a Programming Job

Programming Job I often get asked by programmers and aspiring programmers if I know of any good job opportunities currently available. I always offer to keep my ears open for anything and am happy to do what I can to help.

To non-developers, they only hear about the large paydays at Google, Facebook, etc. that recent college grads snag and incorrectly assume that programming jobs must fall into the lap of every programmer. That’s just not the case.

For anyone looking for work, it’s always smart to work your extended professional network to find jobs, and that’s true of programmers. I typically see that many roles are not filled through online job postings nor the traditional application & interview process. Instead, many roles are filled through networking and 3rd party services (recruiters).

To take advantage of these non-traditional job channels, developers can do the following:

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Lessons Learned Starting and Selling my First Business

In the Spring 2011, I found myself at a crossroads. I had recently closed the doors on a 4 month part-time mobile app project; our team decided to go our separate ways. I had caught the entrepreneurial bug, but had no clear path to take next.

I was determined to start my own company and I set the following criteria:

  • I would continue working with early-stage technology companies
  • rely on my existing skills
  • Be the sole owner

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How Codecademy Will Make Money

Codecademy is a service that lets people take free online coding classes, and has received $12.5M in institutional capital. It’s an awesome idea, but how will it make money if it’s billed as free (emphasis added)?

Learn to code interactively, for free.
codecademy

I became fascinated with code later in life than your typical self-taught developer. Part of my journey included using CodeYear and Codecademy to kick off my programming.
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Are Developer Bootcamps Worth It?

Developer Bootcamps, an intensive 8-14 week program, allow someone with very little to no experience to immediately jump into the path of becoming a developer. With increasing rates of unemployment, underemployment, and falling wages, these programs have popped up to fill a need – tech companies are in need of developers and people are always looking for means to jump start their career and quickly make more money.

DevBootcamp, General Assembly, and App Academy are a few well known names in quickly growing and crowded list of options. Each program is slightly different, but the cost associated for you to participate is typically north of $10,000. While there is a shortage of developers, are these programs really the answer? More importantly, are they the right solution for you?
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