What IT job opportunities should I focus on?

[axlucas]

Hi, guys! This is my first post.
Well, I have many years of experience in many areas of IT (on my own), but for one reason or another, I've always worked at some other thing. Now I would like to use my expertise, but I kind of get lost among the different possibilities. I am not a professional, but have programmed in C, C++ and Assembly since the 90s. Later, I learned some scripting and have used PHP to build a few sites. I recently started learning Java and I'm getting better at it too. I am a Linux user and know some of its internals. I have some basic understanding on servers. I also have very good knowledge on file formats, compression, some encryption, sound synthesis, etc.
Do I stand a chance given that I'm not a professional? Which of these abilities should I focus on and work more on to find a job in NZ?
I would like to get to know people who already work on some of these things and could guide me. I do have the knowledge and practice, but since I've always used it on my own, I get lost in the job hunt. I appreciate any hint you may give me. Thanks!

[Otaku]

Hello,

Welcome to the forum! If you see the job postings on sites such as seek.co.nz, you will realize that NZ IT market is no different from other parts of the world. So, my suggestion would be to see if the job description (JD) suits your experience and skillsets, and tailor your resume accordingly. For example, if company X is looking for 'Java Developer', you can highlight your Java experience. If you a domain-specific work experience (FMCG,BFSI, Public Sector/Governemnt), you can mention that too and look for jobs in similar organizations. All the Best!

Thanks,
O

[DMS]

I'm part of Sr. IT Mgmt here in the USA and soon to be the same in Auckland and I'm sorry but I wouldn't even give you an interview because I don't hire people based on their hobbies but their education and their experience. You show me a degree in Computer Science and I'd consider you for entry level position. IT isn't a field that you can just pick and choose what you want to do. Its a specialized field filled with specialists. I don't hire people because they are well rounded, I hire people who have a niche and are SME's (subject matter experts) in their skills.

The other problem is your experience is limited to the mid range platform. Ubuntu, Linux, Debian, RHL, and Solaris make up a much smaller, specialsed funtion in most enterprises and as such have a much smaller support and development teams. In the larger enterprises I've been in, I have had 10 VS/Wintel devs for every mid range analysts. The other problem that I have is that you have no database experience.

You need to pick a skill that you like, assess the business viability and then from their make that your only focus. Then focus on a accompanying skills that are going to accentuate your primary skill. I don't know how old you are but ageism exists in IT because it changes so often.

I don't recommend working in IT for those that don't know what they want to do. But if you can put the work in and learn what you need to, it can be a very good career path.

[axlucas]

Thank you both, guys! I appreciate your honest and clear replies.
It would be easy for me to choose among the areas of IT, one that I really like the most, but I'm afraid that wouldn't be a very popular one. What I'm best at and enjoy the most is low-level programming (Assembly alone or C with embedded Assembly, for example). For this reason, I have been strengthening other possibilities. I know, for example, that Java is on high demand today, but while I have the skills in prorgramming to understand it, it couldn't be more different from Assembly.
I am currently 35 years old and I am willing to learn whatever necessary to add to my current knowledge and expertise. I am aware that I'm just at the border between the young and the old programmers. I could gain some working experience in the field here first, but if I do that, in the meantime, I will get older. Do you think age will weigh more than working experience?

[DMS]

I apologize in advance in posting from my phone. What is the nature of what you are doing in Assembly? I'd you are doing Assembly and lets say low level C I would recommend manufacturing or something mechanical. Not everybody in IT is an analyst crunching data or admininistrating an enterprise. There are a lot of engineers out there that are writing boolean operations for manufacturing, writing drivers and eeproms for digital devices or automated relays for power and data.

As for what you are doing, yes experience matters. In a CV only experience shows as most hiring managers, like myself, could care less about your hobbies and that is simply because when I'm hiring I will get no minimum than 30 CV's, a week. So what happens is each one gets the scan. The scan is a reason to cull the list and I'm looking for any reason to round file you. So yes, work in tech as much as you can wherever you are.

If would like to learn more about IT roles, go to Dice.com and look at what jobs are being posted and what skills they are looking for. Salary sites are good too like Glassceilings.

Good luck. I like your enthusiasm. On a side note when I was considering leaving the US, BA and Uruguay were both in my top five after Auckland, Hawaii and Panama.

[axlucas]

Thanks, DMS!
What I've been doing lately in Assembly (and any medium level language that allows to merge assembly in) is mostly related to system tools and parts of what could be an OS. Also, the low level part of games, like direct access to graphics or sound handling, but this is all 100% software. In the past, I've been working more with a focus on hardware, because there was DOS, which allowed to skip any driver and get directly to the boards and chips. With Linux (or Windows) you end up always using libraries and daemons. I still know some obsolete things like directly controlling the DAC and OPL chips in a classic SoundBlaster board. Maybe that is itself useless now, but I've learnt what a driver must look like and how I should build one. I also used to access the computer mouse without a driver.
I don't think I can get any job related to hardware programming with ASM in Argentina because there simply aren't any. I could find something as a Java developer, but well, that's not what I'm best at. Anyway, I think that, if I get some experience working in Java, that may be positive if I later look for a job in Assembly/low-level C... only then, I'll be 40 years old. That is the puzzle I'm trying to find a solution for. So I appreciate when you guys help me get on the right track. Any hint is good, even when honest truth is tough.

I am also a musician... maybe I should work at that, ha, ha