funkey_monkey

Hi,

I'm working in software engineering testing life critical software for the aerospace industry and after over 7 years in this position I am feeling weighed down by the monotonous boredom of the tasks I undertake.

I've tried so persuade my bosses to let me try some design work to no avail and now I think I must leave an otherwise okay company to progress.

However, after 7 years of verifying software I feel that I've lost my sharpness for design and code creation. Java, C++ and OOP are foreign to me - hence I'm not a totally marketable employee for the path I want.

I honestly feel as if I have lost a lot technically over the intervening years which will make it had for me to find employment.

I've tried training up in both Java and C++ on my own, but in I am struggling with it - a course costs £1700GBP - which is a lot of money.

I don't know whether the risk of leaving a solid dependable job which provides a reasonable salary, co-workers, and working conditions is worth it for trying to get a career on track.

Would you risk it?


FM

big_k105

What I would actually do is just look around and send your resume to other jobs that are available. There is nothing saying you can't be employed while looking for a new job. That way you still have the salary from your current job but are shopping around for something new that could come up. I think it is really the best way to go, there is no point ever leaving your job without a replacement, unless you really hate your job.

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funkey_monkey

Thanks for the reply. I do have my resumeonline and am sending it out. However, i'm not gettting any responses - which is annoying me.

I know it is because of my lack of commerical skills such as C++ & Java, etc. I am no good at self learning so I'm struggling to pick up the languages.

Grich

What languages do you know. Some companies want some languages that are not main stream.

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SYNTAX ERROR ...

funkey_monkey

They are in house languages although I've got experience of verifying Ada. I done some Java on an MSc course 7 years ago...

mackenga

I'm actually in quite a similar position in some ways. I am currently employed as a software developer but I don't like the politics in the company where I work and anyway am getting tired of working on legacy embedded systems in VB6 (yes, you read that right!). I've been hunting for work and around this neck of the woods it definitely looks like the best technologies from an employability point of view are Java (number 1 around here) and .NET (pains me to say it, but it looks like there's money in this unfortunately).

Your mileage may vary, but as a fellow Ada programmer I can tell you now that's not the way to go unless you fancy a job maintaining legacy systems for the military!

A lot of people would disagree with me on this and sadly they might be right but I'd definitely say go for Java, especially J2EE, and leave .NET to the unimaginative, incompetent, unoriginal kids that (in my limited experience) are its main users...

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"I'm not a genius. Why do I have to suffer?"

Harakim

If you don't see yourself liking your job in the future, then you need to leave. Your productivity will slide and soon you won't be helping anyone. In the meantime, keep your job and look around. If you need to get some skills, then you can do that before you leave your current job. I would recommend Java Enterprise, because I've never heard of someone who knew Java EE who couldn't find a good job.

On the other hand, if you are having a hard time learning on your own, maybe the topics aren't as interesting to you. Why not re-evaluate what your interests are and possibly make the switch out of Computer Science altogether.

It's your life and you need to keep yourself happy. If you are seeing no end to the boredom, do you really want to spend the rest of your life like that?

Jimbo

Ouch...

@OP: Consider the change as it would affect your career. As Harakim mentioned, your attitude will affect your performance and in turn your job as time drags on. If you put off looking for other opportunities now (that includes taking training or necessary, but if you're competent a new employer might throw that in), it'll only get harder to move into the "mainstream" technologies. If you were nearing retirement (sounds like this isn't the case though), then it might be worthwhile to sit it out.

Just my $.02, I'm only at 4 months in the field so far

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Jabo

Not necessarily so. I recently graduated with this knowlege, and sent out at least 20 resumes, not one single reply. I would have to venture a guess on both our parts, poor resume + lack of experience.

scru

Because Java is so much better...