Job Hunting

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Deathwing

Deathwing

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I have yet to find a recruiter that wasn't just a useless middleman and gatekeeper, slowing communication with potential employers, providing artificial scarcity to job listings, and driving up the cost while adding little value.

Basically, they're realtors.
 
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Prodigal

Prodigal

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I just want to work where people aren’t spending more time trying to figure out how to blame someone else for a problem than they do trying to solve the problem... been at this job 22 years and it’s been downhill for the last four. I’m bearing down on 50 so if there’s any chance for a career I’d enjoy it’s fading fast.
 
Foler

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Prodigal said:
I’ve finally started seriously looking for a job as my current company had our majority owners pull all the equity out and cripple us in terms of cash flow. I haven’t seen a raise in years, partly because a significant part of my income was disbursements to stockholders and yearly bonuses, and also because I’ve never been much of a negotiator without some leverage. I should have started looking 5 years ago, but yeah, can’t go back.

My problem is the last 25 years has been working in an industry I have zero interest in staying in. LinkedIn jobs and Indeed apps pop up listings that have zero appeal, probably because of my experience.

I’ve worked on updating my skills and highlighting my analytical/data processing and reporting background and downplaying the manufacturing/management roles, but was wondering if there were other tools out there I’m overlooking for job searching.
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May be worth trying to learn to code if you think that could interest you. In house recruiters are worth talking to. 3rd party recruiters are shoe scum.
 
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Prodigal

Prodigal

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Foler said:
May be worth trying to learn to code if you think that could interest you. In house recruiters are worth talking to. 3rd party recruiters are shoe scum.
Click to expand...

Yeah I’ve been going through the stuff on Khan Academy and CodeAcademy - looking at some other stuff and have scanned the old thread for info on trying to break in to the field .
 
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Foler

Asshat Foler

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Prodigal said:
Yeah I’ve been going through the stuff on Khan Academy and CodeAcademy - looking at some other stuff and have scanned the old thread for info on trying to break in to the field .
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Well there's a few of us here who have industry experience and a few who have experience looking in current job market (myself). Let me know if you want more info. It'll take some hustle to spin up and you'll have to constantly be willing to learn BUT if you enjoy it this shouldn't be an issue
 
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Noodleface

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Deathwing said:
I have yet to find a recruiter that wasn't just a useless middleman and gatekeeper, slowing communication with potential employers, providing artificial scarcity to job listings, and driving up the cost while adding little value.

Basically, they're realtors.
Click to expand...
I meant like if he's having real issues finding places, a recruiter can help.out
 
Prodigal

Prodigal

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No doubt I'm willing to learn, and there are a lot of job opportunities in the RTP, just need to determine what's the best way to break in.
 
Noodleface

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I think with coding especially, a strong portfolio can make a huge difference. You can say 'hey I know I don't have the experience in companies that a dude my age whose done this his whole career will, but check out all these projects on my GitHub" or even open source collaborations.

When you say you've looked into coding, what areas/languages/technologies interest you the most?
 
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Prodigal

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Noodleface said:
When you say you've looked into coding, what areas/languages/technologies interest you the most?
Click to expand...

Most of what I've done is database related, pulling data from our AS400 to Access through linked tables and creating reports because our IT guys spend too much time telling me why we don't need them. I've also done some simple automation using Excel and Microsoft Query to allow people who don't understand the back end stuff to use dialog boxes and macro buttons to run up to date reports. Our IT guys use Crystal Reports so I've used that as well. I've done some database work in Access (yeah I know, it's what I had to work with) to create statistical process control tools in my former role in Process Control/Improvement. I've created a lot of automated Excel sheets with pivot tables that allow me to quickly troubleshoot manufacturing issues since the stock reports are extremely clunky. Not really coding, but I'm good with understanding what information people are looking for and how to get it from the data. I keep seeing Python when it comes to data crunching, so I've been experimenting with it.

I first started programming on a Vic-20 like 35+ years ago, taught myself Basic by keying in all the programs from Compute! and Compute Gazette magazines, even had a little assembly knowledge (not much). It consumed so much of my time my mom convinced my dad they should take it away from me. Bitch.
 
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TJT

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Prodigal said:
Most of what I've done is database related, pulling data from our AS400 to Access through linked tables and creating reports because our IT guys spend too much time telling me why we don't need them. I've also done some simple automation using Excel and Microsoft Query to allow people who don't understand the back end stuff to use dialog boxes and macro buttons to run up to date reports. Our IT guys use Crystal Reports so I've used that as well. I've done some database work in Access (yeah I know, it's what I had to work with) to create statistical process control tools in my former role in Process Control/Improvement. I've created a lot of automated Excel sheets with pivot tables that allow me to quickly troubleshoot manufacturing issues since the stock reports are extremely clunky. Not really coding, but I'm good with understanding what information people are looking for and how to get it from the data. I keep seeing Python when it comes to data crunching, so I've been experimenting with it.

I first started programming on a Vic-20 like 35+ years ago, taught myself Basic by keying in all the programs from Compute! and Compute Gazette magazines, even had a little assembly knowledge (not much). It consumed so much of my time my mom convinced my dad they should take it away from me. Bitch.
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It sounds like you'd want to gear up your resume for a Business Intelligence kind of role?

The big thing there will be to highlight your knowledge in the various platforms. Power BI or something.

That is if I understand the direction you're wanting to go in correctly.
 
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Prodigal

Prodigal

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TJT said:
It sounds like you'd want to gear up your resume for a Business Intelligence kind of role?

The big thing there will be to highlight your knowledge in the various platforms. Power BI or something.

That is if I understand the direction you're wanting to go in correctly.
Click to expand...

I think it's probably the best way to use what I all ready know. Hell, I'd love to develop games, but I need to find a job that continues to pay the bills first. Two kids in college next year is going to be painful (though my wife makes good money and loves her job.)
 
Foler

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Prodigal said:
I think it's probably the best way to use what I all ready know. Hell, I'd love to develop games, but I need to find a job that continues to pay the bills first. Two kids in college next year is going to be painful (though my wife makes good money and loves her job.)
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What part of game develop specifically? Is there a market where you are?

Majority of game development I've seen is c++. There's an EA office in my city that's constantly nagging me about C++ jobs.
 
Prodigal

Prodigal

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Foler said:
What part of game develop specifically? Is there a market where you are?
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Epic is right up the road. I think Funcom also has an office in that area. I’ve dabbled with C++. I think systems/design, I’m good at thinking through how changes might impact other aspects and anticipating responses. I like puzzles and problem solving.
 
Noodleface

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I'm gonna lay the hard truth on you in case you haven't read about it. The gaming industry requires ridiculous hours and will lay you off in the parking light at the drop of a hat. It's not something I'd ever pursue at this point in my life
 
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Vinen

Vinen

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Noodleface said:
I'm gonna lay the hard truth on you in case you haven't read about it. The gaming industry requires ridiculous hours and will lay you off in the parking light at the drop of a hat. It's not something I'd ever pursue at this point in my life
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Gaming Industry has low pay also since so many "gamers" want to work in it. Its a worse working environment than Amazon circa 3 years ago before the bad press. Your job is also less stable than my GI tract post gallbladder removal.
 
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Foler

Asshat Foler

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Noodleface said:
I'm gonna lay the hard truth on you in case you haven't read about it. The gaming industry requires ridiculous hours and will lay you off in the parking light at the drop of a hat. It's not something I'd ever pursue at this point in my life
Click to expand...
Heard this as well which is why I've avoided it heh
 
Noodleface

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Yeah I mean I'd love to make games but it's just not feasible for a dude with a family to have such a volatile career
 
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Prodigal

Prodigal

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Noodleface said:
I'm gonna lay the hard truth on you in case you haven't read about it. The gaming industry requires ridiculous hours and will lay you off in the parking light at the drop of a hat. It's not something I'd ever pursue at this point in my life
Click to expand...

Understood, and gathered that from the other thread which is why it’s more of a passing fancy - seems it’s more like being an actor in that you land a job, work your ass of to complete the project and then your done. Your resume is what you’ve gotten released, kind of like an IMDB of game development.

Maybe not the best analogy, but yeah I need something steady at this point in my life.
 
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