Re: Working with Linux

Hey Pádraig,

Thanks for your reply! I really appreciate you taking the time to offer 
your advice.

I do feel a bit more constrained time wise than I was in my earlier 
twenties. Still though, I want to make sure I prepare myself by getting the 
training and experience I need to really be a valuable employee and 
contributor in the near future. So if it becomes clear that a BA would be 
the best step, it would not be out of the question for me.

You may be right however that the conversion course is the best bet. I 
would love to get involved in an open source project, even just as in my 
spare time, but I'm not sure I have anything to contribute yet due to a 
lack of technical skills. As I am currently located in rural Tipperary, I 
also don't have access to 'hacker spaces' or other social spaces with a 
tech focus. Hopefully on my return to Cork I can get involved in some 
projects.

I appreciate the advice about specialisation. It's interesting to me how 
many roles actually exist on the job market. It can be a tiny bit 
overwhelming, but also heartening to know there are niches that might fit 
your skills set, passions and abilities. Finding out about them seems to be 
half the battle! Technical writing is something that has been suggested to 
me in the past and could always be an option once I get more of a grounding 
in IT and documentation practices.

Good to know my degree might have some use after all! I had been kicking 
myself recently wishing I had specialised in an ICT related discipline 
earlier. I will just keep building on my previous experience and make it 
work in my favour.

I saw that you work at Facebook - do you get to work with open source at 
your current position? I wasn't aware that Facebook were involved in open 
source development, but it makes sense now that I think of it. The 
code.facebook section is quite well curated, good to see how accessible the 
projects are.


Best regards,

-Wolfgang 



On Saturday, 26 November 2016 02:03:15 UTC, Pádraig Brady wrote:
>
> On 25/11/16 18:33, [email protected] <javascript:> wrote: 
> > Hey lads, 
> > 
> > 
> > Not sure if this kind of thing is allowed in the ILUG, but I'm a recent 
> enough convert to GNU/Linux - currently running a community spin of Manjaro 
> on two machines and Tahrpup on a netbook. I also have a Pi3 running 
> Raspbian. 
> > I spend a lot of my free time tinkering with my installs or messing 
> about on the terminal and so far I've really enjoyed the experience. Though 
> there's way more to learn, I know more about my Linux system and my 
> hardware now than I ever did as a Windows user. Not to go full Stallman; 
> but it has felt liberating. 
> > 
> > I've been thinking of transitioning into IT for some time, possibly by 
> returning to college to do a conversion course, BA or a Springboard course. 
> > 
> > 
> > I understand that for many of you, Linux is part of the every day at 
> this stage, so I can also understand if you find yourself scoffing at my 
> new-found infatuation with all things Linux: but I'm wondering if perhaps 
> the 'grey-beards' of the group (not discriminating against the beardless) 
> can offer me some advice or insight into working with Linux as a 
> professional - as a systems admin or otherwise. 
> > 
> > One question I have is probably the most frequently asked one: how 
> important is certification? Would being Linux certified give me a head 
> start over somebody with a general CS/IT qualification? Or is a combination 
> of both the best bet? 
> > 
> > How common are entry-level positions or internships in the Linux world? 
> I haven't seen too many on the various job sites. 
> > 
> > What other IT related fields would you get to involve yourself in Linux, 
> besides working as a sys admin? I'm thinking web design or applications 
> development might have some overlap. 
> > 
> > 
> > How big of a barrier is it not coming from a tech background? 
> > 
> > Some context context on my work/education history: I have a MA in 
> Writing and have worked for several years as a freelance writer, 
> specifically writing about the arts and doing PR for various cultural 
> institutions. I also have some teaching experience and more or less 
> bilingual. Not sure how much of my experience would count as 'transferable' 
> or if there's a niche in the IT world that somebody like myself would fit 
> in better than others. Another obstacle is that besides having taken 
> courses in Python and Java Script through websites like Code Academy, I am 
> not well versed in any programming language - hence me wanting to return to 
> education. 
> > 
> > 
> > And if I can ask a personal question, for those of you that started off 
> dabbling in Linux as a hobby and later transitioned to working with Linux 
> as professionals, how has your experience affected how you feel about 
> Linux? Do you feel 'burnt out' at all, or have you been able to maintain 
> some level of enthusiasm? 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > I've done solo research into the topic, so I don't want the ILUG to feel 
> like I'm using you instead of Google. It's just that it all still feels 
> fairly vague to me and I think personal insights would help resolve that. 
> > 
> > Many online resources are also quite US centric. I will be Cork based 
> for the next few years, so if anybody has an specific advice about working 
> in IT in Cork, that would be brilliant. 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > Thanks for your time and patience, 
> > 
> > -Wolfgang 
>
> Hey Wolfgang, 
>
> Thanks for documenting your enthusiasm. 
> It's great to see, and the secret sauce to success IMHO. 
> If you're enthusiastic about this field you'll do well. 
> It's just a matter of which route is the fastest. 
>
> It's quite subjective how one best learns. 
> Some prefer study, while others are more practical. 
> Personally I don't have, nor was ever inclined to get, 
> any certifications, as I feel they go out of relevance 
> quite quickly, and can be too specific and commercial. 
> Some prefer formal education, while others getting 
> their hands dirty, like on some open source project for e.g. 
> I was lucky in that I had a technical degree before 
> I got interested in open source, but a conversion course 
> to an IT degree would both ease your progress in the field, 
> and also provide some broader info before you specialize. 
>
> Specialization is necessary really for navigating this 
> now vast field. Having a particular area of expertise, 
> be it a language, or service, or whatever, will both 
> give better satisfaction that you're working at a level 
> that is really beneficial, and is a good focus point 
> in a CV or interview. 
>
> An often overlooked aspect in a technical career is effective 
> communication, both personal and especially written. 
> Having an MA in writing is a huge advantage over the 
> common or garden software engineer, and combined with 
> enthusiasm in a particular technical area (which most 
> do not have), you can't go wrong. 
>
> Good luck. 
> Pádraig. 
>

-- 
Irish Linux Users Group
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