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Ask HN: How to transition career from one tech to another?

10 points by eanthy ↗ HN
I've been a Java dev for 3 years now and I'm genuinely so sick of it. I want to go into Python but when recruiters see Java on my CV/Profile they wouldn't even consider me for Python. Also no way am I getting a pay cut and playing into recruiter's game for starting a different tech because it's not like I was a barista before that and going into programming... What is the best way to transition my career? I already do Python projects in my spare time and tell recruiters I'm looking for job that has both Java and Python so that I can gain experience while doing what I know.

14 comments

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EnderMB
IMO, this is a problem that very few people like to talk about, because we all subscribe to the (correct) idea that a good developer should be tech agnostic. Sadly, those in charge of hiring don't seem to believe the same thing.

I was in a somewhat similar boat. I was a .NET developer that wanted to try something new, and despite eight years of experience few people wanted to take a chance on someone. I managed to find a role doing Ruby, and I've managed to transition to a new stack and language fairly well.

The only roles where I had any real bite were the ones where I applied directly, and where the person on the other end of the table from me was a developer. To highlight the issue, the second I had Ruby on my CV after taking this role, the same companies that wouldn't hire me for a mid-level role wanted to offer me an interview for senior-level roles...

eanthy
That's a good point and illustrates the hypocrisy of recruiters very well. You are right that applying straight to the companies without a middleman is probably best way to go.
non-entity
Even worse, I want to eventually transition into, not only a different stack, but to a different subfield altogether. The odds are likely stacked against me, but I have a few strategies to try to make myself more appealing to employers.

What I don't understand is, let's say I'm a web developer with say a decade of experience, and want to do something different (ML, embedded, game dev, etc.). Do I need to look for entry level / junior jobs in the field I want to move to, because although my 10 years of previous experience isn't completely useless, it's significantly different.

mad_eye_ai
Same problem here. Web developer with a decade of experience moving into ML. Ended-up getting a mid-level ML job. It makes sense to me - I am not a junior and I can't call myself senior without any commercial experience in this field. Got a pay cut accordingly but I find it fair.
throw51319
Obv you need to fudge your experience a bit on paper, just to get past the tech-illiterate recruiters. Most reasonable managers that have good experience will understand that if you've operated in one language within a paradigm (OOP, etc) then you can easily pick up another during the slow onboarding process anyway.
username90
What happens if you don't mention what languages you used?
probinso
if you know anyone who tries this, I would love to hear their experience.

There are several things I would love to change about resumes, but have had little success with. (like replacing start/end dates with duration)

eanthy
if you do it to older jobs you have and not the current one then it's very possible and no one can tell or try to find out, so just go for it, many people do it
probinso
Without feedback from the submission process, its not usually worth testing. Automatic filters can eliminate you with no feedback, you may never know that your resume has been digitally assessed.
eanthy
assessed against what, not like they have your employment history written in stone somewhere
dlphn___xyz
build something with your desired stack and use that as proof of your expertise- it also serves as a talking point during the interview
swatcoder
Give yourself a few years at a contracting firm that fulfills projects in both your current specialty and the one you want to move into. Or any other growing company that uses both technologies.

Apply based on your ability to contribute to Java projects but communicate you’re intent: that you’re enthusiastic about Python and want to make the transition.

When it comes time for them to staff up on Python projects, you’ll be more of a known quantity than any outside applicant. That’s worth a lot.

There will be a risk that you’ll be stuck in Java work, but you just need to stay clear on what you want and be ready to move on again if they make a habit of ignoring that. You don’t want to stay somewhere that would ignore your career ambitions like that anyway.

probinso
I think this is a weird problem and you may not like my answer. over the past 10 years I've changed tech stacks at nearly every job/project I've done (in order)

Student/Teaching -> Security/Operating Systems -> Programming Languages -> Data Engineering -> Image Processing -> Machine Learning -> Language Processing -> Audio Processing -> Full Stack Development -> ?

(sprinkled part-time teaching positions throughout)

Often this cost me in pay, but usually had good other benefits. I worked for smaller companies, government work/contractors, independent contracting, prototypes whenever possible. Many companies advertise themselves as polyglots (this can help measure the culture you're applying into).

Changing domains dramatically will often result in changing technologies. Signal processing is often done in Matlab, Full stack has a very diverse set of technologies, but different combination at every company. Different applications of statistics have very different preferred technologies.

You have to get real comfortable with being the dumbest person in every room. Eventually you can end up on top, but for your first several opportunities can reset major parts of your market value.

Its a long game. Now my market value is my diversity. It took a lot of resets to get there. There are some recruiters/Hiring managers that don't like this, but there are just as many who do.

dyeje
If you apply directly (not through a recruiter) you should be fine. Many companies speak frankly about their requirements around languages in job ads. I would not make Java + Python a requirement, because it is not a common combination.