Ask Slashdot: Getting Hired As a Self-Taught Old Guy?

StonyCreekBare writes "How can an autodidact get past the jobs screening process? I have a long track record of success, despite limited formal education. Despite many accomplishments, published papers, and more, I cannot seem to get past the canned hiring process and actually get before a hiring manager. Traditional hiring processes seem to revolve around the education and degrees one holds, not one's track record and accomplishments. Now as an older tech-worker I seem to encounter a double barrier by being gray-haired as well. All prospective employers seem to see is a gray-haired old guy with no formal degrees. The jobs always seem to go to the younger guys with impressive degrees, despite a total lack of accomplishment. How can an accomplished, if gray-haired, self-educated techie get a foot in the door?"

How do you know this?

[mrscorpio]

How do you know the people getting the jobs have no experience? I am probably not as old and not as experienced as you, but I was getting beat out for entry-level jobs by people with degrees AND experience, sometimes a ridiculous amount of experience for the position and/or pay. Fact is, there are a LOT of people looking for a job or a better job out there, and lack of a degree is an automatic disqualifier for a lot of positions right now due to the number of applicants hiring managers are seeing that have both the desired experience and degree.

Re:You have to contract / set up a firm

[wickedskaman]

THIS. Don't let pride get in the way of calling folks even from way back when who have been part of your professional life. Don't assume it's a waste of time.

Re:Start your own

[bonehead]

What the fuck are you talking about?

Hate to break it to you junior, but the gray hair comes creeping in LONG before retirement age is getting anywhere near.

Re:Liability

[Anonymous Coward]

There is a software engineer PE:

http://ncees.org/about-ncees/news/ncees-introduces-pe-exam-for-software-engineering/

Headhunter's secrets

[DeathGrippe]

As a former headhunter, here is my best advice:

1. Avoid headhunters. All they'll do is attach a commission handicap toward hiring you.

2. Find out where there are places nearby where you'd like to work and are qualified.

3. Prepare a killer resume that describes your accomplishments in the terms of the job you could do for those employers.

4. Find out who the hiring managers are, and what positions, if any, are open.

5. Have three copies of your resume available. Walk in the front door cold, and tell the person at the front desk your name and who you are there to see about the job.

6. If the front desk person asks for a resume, give it to them.

Generally, this will get you in front of the hiring authority. While you're talking with that person, aside from telling them all about the great things you can do, ASK FOR THE JOB! "This sounds great! I can start on Monday, would that be too soon?" etc.

Good luck.

Write code!

[Effugas]

Seriously. Write some code, publish it on Github. Spin up a single serving web page, does one interesting thing as soon as you arrive. Remember, everyone else with resumes could be pretending, you're actually doing stuff.

For work experience, sign up on freelancing sites like odesk. Take jobs just to do them. Nobody knows how old you are, there. Even if all you can do is sysadmin -- well, admin some cloud services!

Re:Start your own

[bonehead]

That's a matter of genetics, I guess. I spotted my first gray hairs while I was still in college. (Yes, at the "traditional" age to be in college.)

How to win friends and influence people

[peterba]

Read "How to win friends and influence people". The book is older than you and has been studied by many great men. This is a "manual" on human interaction, something us "geeks" can use, to present ourselves in the best light. Are you applying for suitable "high level" jobs? If you are a certified "grey beard", but are applying for entry level positions, then forget it. By definition you are the wrong person. You need to put yourself in the position of the hiring manager and see how your 6-digit salary will actually save them money. Second, most of my auto-didactic friends are consultants who have found a niche: cobol, mainframes, pdp-11/vax, as-400, etc. All based on resume, reputation (i.e. recommendations), and word-of-mouth. Old computing niches aren't sexy, but they are desperately needed and pay the bills. Once you get your first gig, if you present yourself well (see book above), then others follow. I don't know your niche ... but there are hundreds of business out there that are willing to pay thousands of dollars for you to fix their problem.