How To Get a Job in Software

Every now and then a friend contacts me or hooks me up with someone saying they are interested in getting into high tech, particularly software. I have come to understand that because of open source, how you do this has completely changed since I got into the industry.

Here's a copy of an email exchange I had recently with someone asking how to get started...

"Joe" says:

Hello David

Recently, I discovered the Information Technologies industry and found it most appealing.

I have always been interested in computer work and found my way learning software while utilizing my organizational skills in different industries.

I am looking for a more stable environment to raise my family in. My ambition is to start a new career in High Tech, yet I don’t know how to penetrate into the industry.

What are the opening positions that offer a person the opportunity to learn and get a foot in the door? Can one get ahead without formal education in the field?

Here is my response. I really believe this is the best way to get into the industry these days. Open source has really opened things up so anyone with any enthusiasm can get in the door...

Hi, "Joe". I can tell you're very excited about working in high tech - you must have fun with it. I would say that's the most important asset you can have :)

Ten years ago, I would have told you to get some training and try to get an entry-level position in a tech company.

Things have changed since then. Now there is this fastly growing phenomenon of open source software. This means that you do not need to take a class, go job hunting, interview, etc., etc., to start getting some real-world experience and meeting and learning from other folks in technology.

So instead what I recommend is to poke around and find out what open source projects there are that interest you. There are projects for almost everything, from little utilities for Windows, to the massive project for the Apache Web Server, which has little niches of its own inside it.

Then all you do is start volunteering your time. Start using and learning the product, and ask questions on the list. Learn how to download the source and build it. Read up on the technologies they are using, and play around with them. Then, when you feel ready, if you see a bug, see if you can fix it. You send in the changes and then someone who has the rights will put the fix into the code. You learn the people in the community, and they learn to know you. They should be friendly and helpful -- if they're critical and flaming all the time, move on to another project.

Then before you know it (a) you've learned some technology and (b) you've established some cred and some contacts. I would say if you do this for about a year, you should be able to find a good entry-level job in the same field, maybe working for a company that is paying people to work on the project you already have experience with.

Classes and trainings and books are all well-and-good, but there's nothing like real-world experience, and these days it's so easy to do because of open source.

David