IT Industry - Programming

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VisualDeveloper

Newcomer
Joined
Jan 21, 2003
Messages
20
Location
London, UK
Why am I finding it so hard to break into the IT industry?

I have been applying to so many junior positions but I just happen to be stuck in the vicious cycle - "No Experience? No Job! - No Job? No Experience!"

What shall I do now?

:(

Thanks,
Shuaib
 
IMHO, Try getting a small job and work up your experience or, if you can, try to apply for an internship.

(If you truly can't break out of this cycle)
 
I agree - get a job at a small company. Even though you may not be using your full potential there, the experience of the industry gained will be invaluable. While you're at it, knock up a portfolio with your most impressive work to show to prospective employers.
 
Although I don't have a job or anything and am still in college, I've found that you get your first experience through internships. If you got your BS without doing any internships then, well, that's bad. :(

Ya so do I have any useful advice other then bad news? Well, maybe. It seems to me that personal projects seem to go far in a resume. So my advice (take it with a grain of salt) would be to work on some programs (good ones, not little dinky one day jobs) and toss 'em on a CD to ship with your resume. It may help so you can say "hey! I may not have experience at a job, but I certainly know what I'm doing!"
 
Well, it just happens that both large and small companies are still requesting experience.

There aren't any internships down where I live, London, UK, and the only option I seem to have is start creating a solid personal portfolio with example database applications.

What do you think my portfolio should contain?

Thanks,
Shuaib
 
A portfolio should contain maybe 2-3 complete programs I'd say. The reason I say only 2-3 is because they should be top quality products that show off your best, not 10-12 little projects. Quality over quantity.

You could maybe do a video store application where it keeps track of videos, customers, what videos are checked out, search options, etc, etc.. the works. Make sure it uses MS SQL, Access might be okay but I seriously doubt you'll be using that in the real world (again, I don't have a job here I'm just tossing in my itty bitty two cents)
 
Well, it looks like im gonna be busy for the next few months now.

I'll start with a web project, maybe an online bookshop for a fictious company.

I do have a keen interest in web development but I'm not really that creative when it comes to web design.
 
Wyrd, woundnt he have to pay to keep a MS SQL Server online? I´m thinking of doing a web project but I dont want to pay just to practice.
 
Well if you're doing a web project don't you need to pay for a host? Or are you just doing it locally on your system? If you're just doing it locally on your system then you shouldn't be paying for anything. I'm pretty sure there's some generic MS SQL drivers you can get for development so you don't have to actually have MS SQL.

If you want others to view your site (resume 'n what not) then just find a cheap host that has MS SQL.
http://www.webhost4life.com/
 
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