On Wednesday 08 August 2001 09:50 am, you wrote:
> Ned,
>
>    You are misleading (unintentionally) about
> Smalltalk
> job prospects or job prospects in general. While it
> would be a good exercise for
> Daniel to write something substantial, I seriously
> doubt it will get him a job. Unless he lies (I don't
> advocate lying) on his resume about Smalltalk (or
> other
> programming experience), he will not find a job. I
> have
> found that many/most companies agonize over a very
> specific wish list for a particular position. They
> don't look at a candidates overall experience. Instead
> they are frequently looking "exact" fit!

That's probably the case in many places. I don't know anything about the "IT" 
world (DP? databases'n'web? don't know what they call themselves nowadays). 
I've been exclusively involved in embedded systems and commercial software. I 
guess I've been in the situation when I've been involved in hiring decisions 
where we couldn't find an exact fit, and were willing to consider people who 
could learn the specific domain we wanted them to work in.

After all, how many Smalltalk embedded systems people are out there looking 
for jobs? We'd rather have someone who'd done embedded systems in C++ or Java 
(using objects, especially) than someone who'd done banking or insurance 
software in Smalltalk. We can teach Smalltalk easier than embedded systems 
development.

>From our point of view, someone who'd demonstrated intelligence, ability to 
learn, and enthusiasm by designing and finishing their own project and then 
making it available for others to use would be preferable to someone who'd 
gone to college to get a computer degree because he'd heard there was "good 
money in computers".

Daniel sounds like he's got experience in IT. With luck and some connections, 
he can get past the buzzword-matching HR departments and get to the people 
who are actually interested in getting someone who can do the job. These 
people will be more likely to be interested in his personal projects and 
enthusiasm for Smalltalk.

Daniel, I didn't mean to mislead you. If you have or can get connections to 
technical people in places that use Smalltalk (network with other 
professionals!), and can show them your enthusiasm and competence, you'll be 
a long ways ahead.

This is why I suggested doing a personal project.


-- 
Ned Konz
currently: Stanwood, WA
email:     ned at bike-nomad.com
homepage:  http://bike-nomad.com