Author of a Python Success Story Needs a Job!

[Andrew Jonathan Fine]

To whom it may concern,

I am the author of "Honeywell Avoids Documentation Costs with Python
and other Open Standards!"

I was laid off by Honeywell several months after I had made my
presentation in the 2005 Python Conference.

Since then I have been unable to find work either as a software
engineer or in any other capacity, even at service jobs. I've sent
resumes and have been consistently ignored.

What I have been doing in the meantime is to be a full time homemaker
and parent. As a hobby to keep me sane, I am attempting to retrain
part time at home as a jeweler and silversmith, and I sometimes used
Python for generating and manipulating code for CNC machines.

For my own peace of mind, however, I very much want to be doing
software work again because I feel so greatly ashamed to have
dedicated my life to learning and working in the field only to now
find myself on the scrap heap.

I find it highly ironic that my solution is still being advertised on
the Python web site but that I, the author of that solution, am now a
long term unemployment statistic.

Please, if there is anyone out there who needs a highly creative and
highly skilled software designer for new and completely original work,
then for the love of God I implore you to contact me.

A mind is a terrible thing to waste.

Sincerely,

Andrew Jonathan Fine
BEE, MSCS, 15 years experience, 5 in Python, the rest in C/C++,
about 1/3 embedded design and device drivers, and 2/3 in applications.

 

[joy99]

To whom it may concern,

I am the author of "Honeywell Avoids Documentation Costs with Python
and other Open Standards!"

I was laid off by Honeywell several months after I had made my
presentation in the 2005 Python Conference.

Since then I have been unable to find work either as a software
engineer or in any other capacity, even at service jobs.  I've sent
resumes and have been consistently ignored.

What I have been doing in the meantime is to be a full time homemaker
and parent.   As a hobby to keep me sane, I am attempting to retrain
part time at home as a jeweler and silversmith, and I sometimes used
Python for generating and manipulating code for CNC machines.

For my own peace of mind, however, I very much want to be doing
software work again because I feel so greatly ashamed to have
dedicated my life to learning and working in the field only to now
find myself on the scrap heap.

I find it highly ironic that my solution is still being advertised on
the Python web site but that I, the author of that solution, am now a
long term unemployment statistic.

Please, if there is anyone out there who needs a highly creative and
highly skilled software designer for new and completely original work,
then for the love of God I implore you to contact me.

A mind is a terrible thing to waste.

Sincerely,

Andrew Jonathan Fine
BEE, MSCS, 15 years experience, 5 in Python, the rest in C/C++,
about 1/3 embedded design and device drivers, and 2/3 in applications.

Dear Sir,
It seems it is pretty tough situation for you. I heard US/EU are badly
wriggling through slump and all. But I never heard of this kind.

But in India, things are bit different. All major concerns are
recruiting. But well, I do not know whether it will match your living
standards. In India major technology is C/C++ or Java. You can find
out even Honeywell has a big set up in India.

I know one person of e-mail id "(e-mail address removed)", he is most
probably has lot of Python profiles. I got this contact from this room
only. You can have a try. Python job board also has lot of offerings.
What about them? Can you think earning from some open projects for
time being. Rentacoder may be tried. Though I feel their process is
bit complicated and time-taking.

Hope coming new year will be good for you.
Wishing you a happy and prosperous new year.

Regards,
Subhabrata.
Delhi,
India.

 

[Propad]

Hello Mr. Fine,
I just read your mail on the Python Google Group. I've been in
situations of searching a job many times now - in the meantime, it's
not employments but projects I'm looking for, as I'm working as a
contractor.
While I'm currently doing reasonably well, I've never been quite
comfortable with my position, as I've experienced it several times,
one day you're The King, the other day the company's out of money, and
you're just too expensive to keep. So I went on searching for ways to
make my job more secure, and I just managed to buy a book named "Rapid
Learning" by Steve Litt. It took me several years to do so, because
the gentelman was not sending his book outside of the USA (well he
does to Canada, but I'm in Germany).
It just could be, that the book contains solutions to your situation,
as it's both about learning new technology rapidly, but also and
foremostly about selling yourself succsessfully as a competent
Programer/SW-Engineer/you-name-it. And not in a sleazy way, but still
effectively, in my opinion. It also deals with all kinds of obstacles
one can encounter while searching a job, based on age/race/area of
residence/an out-of-the-norm CV.
So just in case you want to consider the part shown in the book,
here's the link:
http://www.troubleshooters.com/bookstore/rl.htm
Much of Mr. Litt-s job-searching-philosophy is also presented in
several articles on his website, but in your situation, I'd not stop
there, but go for the book.
I wish you success in your search and a Happy New Year.
All the best,
Nenad

 

[Steve Holden]

To whom it may concern,

I am the author of "Honeywell Avoids Documentation Costs with Python
and other Open Standards!"

I was laid off by Honeywell several months after I had made my
presentation in the 2005 Python Conference.

Since then I have been unable to find work either as a software
engineer or in any other capacity, even at service jobs. I've sent
resumes and have been consistently ignored.

What I have been doing in the meantime is to be a full time homemaker
and parent. As a hobby to keep me sane, I am attempting to retrain
part time at home as a jeweler and silversmith, and I sometimes used
Python for generating and manipulating code for CNC machines.

For my own peace of mind, however, I very much want to be doing
software work again because I feel so greatly ashamed to have
dedicated my life to learning and working in the field only to now
find myself on the scrap heap.

I find it highly ironic that my solution is still being advertised on
the Python web site but that I, the author of that solution, am now a
long term unemployment statistic.

Please, if there is anyone out there who needs a highly creative and
highly skilled software designer for new and completely original work,
then for the love of God I implore you to contact me.

A mind is a terrible thing to waste.

Sincerely,

Andrew Jonathan Fine
BEE, MSCS, 15 years experience, 5 in Python, the rest in C/C++,
about 1/3 embedded design and device drivers, and 2/3 in applications.

Andrew:

I am sorry to hear about your predicament. Unfortunately Holden Web
isn't hiring, so I can't offer you a job, but I wanted to at least thank
you for your support of Python and commiserate with you. These are
difficult times to be looking for work in the USA.

Do you follow the Python Job Board? It's a resource that not everyone
knows about, where employers are allowed to post free for the benefit of
Python community members who may be looking for a job.

http://www.python.org/community/jobs/

Hope this helps.

regards
Steve

 

[webtourist]

Andrew I'm very sorry to hear your situation.
This is, I don't know how else to put it, so hard to believe - that
someone like you has been jobless since 2005,
well over 2 years before the "big bust".
Good luck to you.

 

[Eric_Dexter]

To whom it may concern,

I am the author of "Honeywell Avoids Documentation Costs with Python
and other Open Standards!"

I was laid off by Honeywell several months after I had made my
presentation in the 2005 Python Conference.

Since then I have been unable to find work either as a software
engineer or in any other capacity, even at service jobs.  I've sent
resumes and have been consistently ignored.

What I have been doing in the meantime is to be a full time homemaker
and parent.   As a hobby to keep me sane, I am attempting to retrain
part time at home as a jeweler and silversmith, and I sometimes used
Python for generating and manipulating code for CNC machines.

For my own peace of mind, however, I very much want to be doing
software work again because I feel so greatly ashamed to have
dedicated my life to learning and working in the field only to now
find myself on the scrap heap.

I find it highly ironic that my solution is still being advertised on
the Python web site but that I, the author of that solution, am now a
long term unemployment statistic.

Please, if there is anyone out there who needs a highly creative and
highly skilled software designer for new and completely original work,
then for the love of God I implore you to contact me.

A mind is a terrible thing to waste.

Sincerely,

Andrew Jonathan Fine
BEE, MSCS, 15 years experience, 5 in Python, the rest in C/C++,
about 1/3 embedded design and device drivers, and 2/3 in applications.

I do the dex tracker project but I have never made anything more than
some advertising money from it. I would welcome some help it is
possible that it could be a little bit more commercial available on cd
produced on demand but I don't see it being a very large thing. It
does count as experience though on a resume

http://dextracker.blogspot.com/

 

[Andrew Jonathan Fine]

Andrew:

I am sorry to hear about your predicament. Unfortunately Holden Web
isn't hiring, so I can't offer you a job, but I wanted to at least thank
you for your support of Python and commiserate with you. These are
difficult times to be looking for work in the USA.

Do you follow the Python Job Board? It's a resource that not everyone
knows about, where employers are allowed to post free for the benefit of
Python community members who may be looking for a job.

 http://www.python.org/community/jobs/

Hope this helps.

regards
 Steve
--
Steve Holden           +1 571 484 6266   +1 800 494 3119
PyCon is coming! Atlanta, Feb 2010  http://us.pycon.org/
Holden Web LLC                http://www.holdenweb.com/
UPCOMING EVENTS:        http://holdenweb.eventbrite.com/- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Yes, I have been following that board for years.

 

[Andrew Jonathan Fine]

Andrew I'm very sorry to hear your situation.
This is, I don't know how else to put it, so hard to believe - that
someone like you has been jobless since 2005,
well over 2 years before the "big bust".
Good luck to you.

Well, you can believe it.

 

[John Bokma]

Well, you can believe it.

Wat works for me (as a Perl programmer): blogging. My blog isn't even
mainly about Perl but does have some Perl related entries. And pages
that mention my skills and how to contact me for work. I do get work
that way.

Besides, I do also very small things in exchange for (technical) books.

It might take you at least a year or so to get sufficient traffic, but
if you blog more (than I on Perl) on Python you and keep updating your
skills, and show to your visitors what you can do.

 

[Diez B. Roggisch]

Please, if there is anyone out there who needs a highly creative and

highly skilled software designer for new and completely original work,
then for the love of God I implore you to contact me.

You don't write if you are willing to relocate, and if yes, if outside
the USA is an option.

We hire skilled python employees in Berlin. Not speaking german is no
problem, neither at work nor in the city itself.

Take a look:

http://www.ableton.com/jobs


All the best,


Diez

 

[Aahz]

I was laid off by Honeywell several months after I had made my
presentation in the 2005 Python Conference.

Since then I have been unable to find work either as a software
engineer or in any other capacity, even at service jobs. I've sent
resumes and have been consistently ignored.

You don't say where you're located, which probably has some effect. I
was laid off a year ago and after taking a couple of months off, I found
a new job at the end of July. I don't have a degree, but I do have a
fairly high profile in the Python community, and I'm located in the SF
Bay Area. I also got my previous job in 2004 partly through having a
high profile.

I'm not pretending it's easy, and I do think luck played a significant
role, but I also think that you can take action to improve your odds.

Incidentally, my company has had a fair amount of difficulty finding
Python programmers -- anyone in the SF area looking for a job near
Mountain View?

 

[Phlip]

6 years ago the silver bullet there was Java. Today, it is Rails. I happen to
suspect Django has a superior architecture, but it's still RoR that's flying off
the shelves these days. (And, under MERB's tutelage, they will soon surpass
Django for modularity!)

 

[Paul Rubin]

Incidentally, my company has had a fair amount of difficulty finding
Python programmers -- anyone in the SF area looking for a job near
Mountain View?

I'm surprised there aren't a ton of Python programmers there, given
that's where Brand G is and so forth. Anyway, when posting that type of
message, it would probably be helpful to describe what your company
does, what you're looking for, and (if possible) supply a url.

 

[Robert Kern]

I'm surprised there aren't a ton of Python programmers there, given
that's where Brand G is and so forth.

They probably absorb more (good) Python programmers than they spit back out.

--
Robert Kern

"I have come to believe that the whole world is an enigma, a harmless enigma
that is made terrible by our own mad attempt to interpret it as though it had
an underlying truth."
-- Umberto Eco

 

[Jean-Michel Pichavant]

I'm surprised there aren't a ton of Python programmers there, given
that's where Brand G is and so forth. Anyway, when posting that type of
message, it would probably be helpful to describe what your company
does, what you're looking for, and (if possible) supply a url.

We're all python fanatics around here, no need to know more than the job
is about to write Python code !
The real question is "is there enough space for my 3x4 meters poster of
Guido ?" )

JM

 

[Aahz]

They probably absorb more (good) Python programmers than they spit back out.

Bingo -- I call it "The Giant Google Sucking Sound"

 

[Aahz]

I'm surprised there aren't a ton of Python programmers there, given
that's where Brand G is and so forth. Anyway, when posting that type of
message, it would probably be helpful to describe what your company
does, what you're looking for, and (if possible) supply a url.

http://www.egnyte.com/

Basically, at this point we're just looking for competent Python
developers who have a reasonably broad experience, preferably with some
web development background. There's a non-current ad on the Python Job
Board that I need to update.

 

[Novocastrian_Nomad]

Why is it so many, so called high tech companies, insist on the 19th
century practice of demanding an employee's physical presence in a
specific geographic location.

This is the 21st century with climate change, carbon footprints,
broadband internet, telecommuting, tele-presence, telephones, fax
machines, mobile phones, electronic funds transfer, express shipping
companies and a host of other gadgets and applications, that make
geographic location almost irrelevant.

I know whereof I speak, I have been fortunate enough to work remotely
(across the country) for the last ten years, for two different
employers.

(possibly OT rant over)

 

[Aahz]

Why is it so many, so called high tech companies, insist on the 19th
century practice of demanding an employee's physical presence in a
specific geographic location.

Because it works better? My current job is mostly done at the office,
and I think it leads to better morale in many ways. I'm not sure about
productivity, though.

 

[Paul Boddie]

  As a hobby to keep me sane, I am attempting to retrain
part time at home as a jeweler and silversmith, and I sometimes used
Python for generating and manipulating code for CNC machines.

It occurs to me that in some domains, this combination of Python and
the design and production of physical artifacts could be fairly
attractive, even though it may or may not be what you want to focus on
in pursuing a software career. For example, I follow the goings-on in
the various open hardware communities, and there isn't really a
shortage of boards, controllers, components or chipsets which can be
put to use, but taking these things and producing a well-designed case
in order to deliver a readily usable piece of equipment is something
which seems beyond most of the interested parties: people who know one
thing well can be completely oblivious of the ways of another thing.

Sometimes, it seems to pay to be knowledgeable in two different kinds
of endeavour whose practitioners rarely interact, and perhaps there
might be opportunities for you in this regard. Nevertheless, I
obviously wish you success in your employment search.

Paul