How do you learn new stuff?

[ShadyG]

I've been in development for about 20 years now, and I've recently been forced to take a years break from professional life. During this absence I tried to keep up with all the trends, but now I'm back as a free lance developer I find it impossible to spare the time to keep up with all the latest technologies. For example, I would really like to try Silverlight as a web project, but it wouldn't be fair on my client to have to wait for me to learn how to use it, when I can do the job with what I know already. On the other hand, I could probably produce a better end result if I learnt how to use it. I'd be grateful for any suggestions.

Shady

 

[NESWalt]

Perhaps just get the jobs that you do know well... learn the other stuff on the side as a comparison. If you get a web development gig that uses C# w/ AJAX then great, do it. You can always spend a little time afterward or in your free time seeing if you can do it better in Silverlight.

I don't fret much over this stuff too much. The field changes so quickly, that if I did, I'd be nuts by now... well, I'm already nuts, but I'd make myself nuttier. Do what you need to do, and learn as you can. I'm a .Net developer right now that isn't doing .Net Development, but instead PowerBuilder because that's what the client needs/wants. <Shrug/> It's all good.

Walt
IT Consulting for Robert Half

http://roberthalftechnology.com

 

[ShadyG]

I agree 100% Walt, that's what I've been doing. All of my projects have been new starts, for clients that just want an outcome, they don't really care about how it get's there, so I just use what I know best (C#/ASP.net) - even AJAX is a learning curve. I can't help feeling that I'm short changing them somehow.

Don't force it, use a bigger hammer.
Shady.

 

[AdamRicko]

I find the best way to learn new skills is from other people that are competent in said areas.

For example i work in a small IT department (3 Full time staff, 3 sites) and we outsource a lot including network support. We have network guys in quite regularly but sometimes they need help when doing remote support. So i can get hands on with Cisco programming while being talked through it.

This is obviously not going to happen for everybody, but i find it amazing how much i pick up of them even if im just watching.(Not allowed to leave contractors on there own because "They might steal trade secrets"

IT Support

Comptia A+
Comptia Network +

 

[tcsbiz]

I learn something when I need to. It can take the form of the classroom, online webinar, internet search...

Until five years ago I never knew anything about SQL Server. I took a job where they sent me to a one week session with a vendor's staff. I learned there but some of it was bad. They taught me to write T-SQL using cursors. By visiting this site and others, I found later that cursors are bad. But, that was my introduction and I have just picked it up as I went along.

I have always looked for employers who ubderstood that one can't know it all. They may have to allow you some time to train. I think those employers are becoming fewer unfortunately.

AdamRicko is right. I, too learn better from someone who has done it. But, beware that they may have some bad habits.

I keep trying to do something about my procrastination but I keep putting it off until tomorrow.

 

[FredWagner]

If the situation with the customer allows it, explain that you'd like to explore doing their project with the new technology, but you'll build and bill the basic app for them using what you already know best, then do it with the new tech 'off the clock'. If they like the newer tech, you can switch them over to that version, and do future enhancements in the newer technology. In my admittedly outdated experience, clients appreciated seeing some Zero-billed hours on their invoice (which I did if I occasionally went up a blind alley while working their project).

Fred Wagner

 

[ShadyG]

That's just what I do Fred, although time gets a bit tight when I've got other people breathing down my neck. I gather you bill on an hourly rate?
George

Don't force it, use a bigger hammer.
Shady.

 

[FredWagner]

back in the day" I was billing hourly, working out of a Computer Store/LAN VAR - started out doing support, wound up doing App Dev in Revelation G2b, and then picked up a couple of projects in QuickBasic. After a couple of years of that, I would up as a one-man IT shop doing Revelation on Netware, on salary. Been salaried ever since.

Fred Wagner

 

[ShadyG]

Thanks for that Fred, that was one of the reasons I asked. I'm trying to get back to being salaried again. This freelance stuff is a bit too patchy, but I'm having some trouble because it appears like a gap in my work history, and I feel as though I might have been left behind.

Don't force it, use a bigger hammer.
Shady.

 

[FredWagner]

From the one-man shop, my next step was a law firm, running Netware and Revelation, and WordPerfect. The Rev app belonged to an out of state programmer, but I was able to work well with him because of my previous experience with the product. Stayed with the firm for 7 + years, through the huge changes of the 1990's, and have been with city goverbment since. Started out doing legal support, but wound up with Content Management - first Filenet and Kofax products, more recently Kofax. With lots of people retiring from various levels of government, there are slots to fill with people who want to keep working. The scope of opportunities is determined by where you live, and if you would consider moving or not. Also consider local non-profits, take on a one-man-shop or Non-Goverment Non-profit type of challenge, work up from there.

Fred Wagner

 

[ShadyG]

Thanks Fred, sounds like the way to go.

Don't force it, use a bigger hammer.
Shady.

 

[FredWagner]

On my two most recent new environments, both with my current employer, there was vendor-supplied training - a week each on FileNet and Kofax when I took them over, and since we went with Laserfiche, I've been to three of their 3-day training conferences.
With an extensive background, you could show a potential employer that with the vendor specific training, you could apply your years of experience very quickly to their specific environment. If you're on LinkedIn, be sure to explore possibilities there....

Fred Wagner

 

[FredWagner]

Shady - analyzing my job moves - support experience got me with the VAR, where I picked up Rev. Rev experience got me into the one-man IT shop, where I picked up Netware. Netware and Rev got me into the Law firm, where I picked up Wordperfect, Legal-specific Apps, and more Netware. those three got me with the city, where I used all three for a while, then transitioned into the content management type environment. Use what you know already to get into an environment where it needs to be supported, even if it's slated to be phased out. As you help them transition to the replacement, become proficient on the replacement, etc. Rise/repeat!

Fred Wagner

 

[gbaughma]

I keep tech magazines in the bathroom.
Not a minute wasted.


Just my 2¢

"What the captain doesn't realize is that we've secretly replaced his Dilithium Crystals with new Folger's Crystals."

--Greg

http://parallel.tzo.com

 

[mmorancbt]

I think you can, in good conscience, learn to adopt new technologies while your client is paying you. I would, in those cases, recommend you discount some of the time.

However, part of what makes you valuable to a client is your knowledge of them - in fact a big part of it. Also, are a great at providing solutions for them?

If so, they'll foot the bill - at least part of it - and it will be valuable if the technology is something they will continue to use.

Of course, the first question is whether the technology in question provides for a better solution now or down the road. If so, learn it while you are billing - just be gentle and fair-minded.

Matthew Moran
The IT Career Builder's Toolkit

http://www.cbtoolkit.com

http://it.toolbox.com/blogs/matthewmoran/

The Matt Moran Band

http://www.MatthewMoranOnline.com

 

[ShadyG]

Thanks Matt, I think that sounds the most logical and fair way to approach the problem. For example, I'm writing a web site/management application in ASP.Net, for a beauty salon, into which I have incorporated the strands of AJAX that I know and understand well, but on the side, I am also preparing an all-singing all-dancing version using a lot of AJAX and JQuery that I have just copied from books and periodicals, without bothering to understand what I'm doing. That will come later I hope. Later on , when the initial setup is working, I may introduce the experimental version as an 'update', when I understand what's happening and I'm sure I can support it properly.

Don't force it, use a bigger hammer.
Shady.