Junior Dev, remote work, looking for job-seeking advice

Jobs & Dev Profiles Dev Profiles
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Paul Bickford

US citizen, Brookfield, Connecticut, prefer remote work.

Full-stack Software Engineer

I am eager to pursue any position, preferably leading to full-stack work.

Although I don’t have much work experience as a developer, I actually have been programming for many, many years, as a hobbyist and to support my past professional work. Broadly, but informally, educated in computer science and programming, I am constantly learning and updating my skills. I am also an avid fan of Elixir, OTP, Phoenix, and LiveView.

Languages

Professional experience

  • JavaScript, ReactNative, Python, Flask, Pytest, Marshmallow, MongoDB, HTML, CSS, Docker, & Git.

Personal experience

  • Elixir, OTP, Phoenix, LiveView, Tailwind, SQL, React, Linux, Docker, Haskell, Ruby, Java, Visual Basic, C++, C, FORTRAN, & BASIC.

Experience

Software related experience

Contract Software Engineer, Nomad Health, New York, NY, Jan 2019 to Dec 2019

  • Developed a mobile React Native app from conception to production for healthcare start-up, ‎Nomad: Travel Nurse Jobs on the App Store.

  • Worked on agile scrum team with engineers, product managers, and designers.

  • Developed requirements and user stories with product managers and designers.

  • Wrote API endpoints in Python/Flask app.

  • Worked with JavaScript, React Native, Python, Flask, Marshmallow, MongoDB, Pytest, and Docker.

  • Delivered core feature user experiences.

Co-Founder, 2b1, inc., San Francisco, CA, Jan 1996 to Jan 2001

  • Managed all aspects of business, as well as general and technical staff for IT consulting firm.

  • Analyzed needs and proposed technical solutions for customers.

  • Designed and installed TCP/IP, Microsoft, and Apple networks: software, hardware, and wiring.

  • Taught courses on software packages and network management.

  • Installed and ported databases.

  • Prepared client estimates, oversaw billing and receivables collection.

Director of Operations, Tribe Computer Works, Alameda, CA, Jan 1995 to Jan 1996

  • Managed a team of five people in finance and operations up to acquisition by Zoom Technologies.

  • Negotiated contracts and managed subcontractors for production run of line of routers and bridges.

  • Managed all financial aspects of accounts receivable, accounts payable, product operations, and facilities.

Other experience

Stay-at-home dad, France & US, Jan 2001 to present

  • Sold my consultancy, moved to France and raised my kids.

  • As an avid hobbyist, I continually expanded my programming skills.

  • Tutored children at high school and college level in probability, logic, computer science, math, physics, and chemistry.

  • Renovated multiple houses in France and the US.

Propulsion Engineer, The Aerospace Corporation & Caterpillar

  • Researched rocket and diesel energy conversion systems.

Education

Formal

  • MS Aerospace Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle

  • MBA, Columbia University, New York City

Informal

  • Read widely from many classic academic and industry books,
    e.g. Cormen/Leiserson/Rivest, Meyer, Gamma/Helm/Johnson/Vlissides, Evans, Lippman, Fowler, Martin, Thomas, Perry, Jurić …

  • Received 17 Udemy course certificates, covering REST API’s, Elixir, Phoenix, Python, JavaScript, React, React Native, Redux, HTML, CSS, Git, Linux, Docker, Kubernetes.

  • Expanded my knowledge of probability, logic, and computer science, while tutoring children in high school and college.

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Some of the best advice I ever received was to not just have a single resume you give to everyone. Personalize your resume for specific job applications as much as possible. If you have apps that you’ve made for your own purposes, but relate to the jobs you are applying to, list them on your resume. Use wording and phrases directly from the job description. Many robo screening applications search for those words. Best of luck!

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Agreed, it’s a hassle but it really helps you stand out.

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Thanks for the advice!

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Also, be extremely judicious about the roles you apply too. Some sites let you blast off dozens of resumes at once, this seems super productive but in my experience it’s a waste of time. It’s better to just target a few specific roles every week and customize your resume, get to know their business, write a strong and customized cover letter (if they require it). It’s way more effort to do this but it’s what led to my first job after months of doing the generic resume blasts.

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In addition to the above, have you thought about blogging?

When I first started blogging about Ruby I had quite a few job offers and from some big Ruby/Rails companies too. It was a pleasant surprise though never my intention. Try to keep your name/domain/gh consistent as well - and don’t forget to upload your picture to dev related places like this forum if you intend to be active… faces become familiar over time and ultimately people hire people :smiley:

Good luck!

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A lot of available work in Elixir, although not all, is in the web space. Since you mention some FE tools I assume you would be interested in them, and if you are able and willing to market yourself as full stack that is very attractive to employers. Since you’re primarily interested in Elixir though, it would be good to be able to demonstrate some familiarity with web-based API design, i.e. REST graphql etc. Liveview is fantastic but there are a lot of orgs with split applications with API only backends. That would complement your react exp especially well.

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