Programming Career change

Question

I have been working in C#/ASP.NET/ Microsoft for a few years now but I am now starting to enjoy Linux/Rails development. At this point, it is still a hobby. Would it be too difficult get a job doing Rails professionally without taking a huge step backwards?

Answer 1

It's always a step forward if you're enjoying the work more. As to whether you'll be able to make the same money... well, that's probably going to depend a lot on the position you find, and the premium they place on development, and how you do in interviews, as well as what you're making now. That is to say, it's nearly impossible to say.

Answer 2

You're probably going to have a hard time making the switch without taking some kind of step backwards in your position.

The best shot you're going to have is applying and, if you get the interview, make sure you have a rails project you've developed (or reference some open source rails work you may do in the mean time). That proves you know what you're doing in the language...and you've got the work experience to prove the rest.

Answer 3

I jumped from PHP to C#/ASP.NET. The only step backward was learning a new language (easy as pie) and a new framework (that's the killer).

The algorithms, the strategies, the modes of thinking, etc. are all pretty much the same.

HTTP, HTML, CSS, JS, XML, web security, XML, authentication, etc. don't change, just the implementation of how to use/invoke them.

Answer 4

Find a way to bring some Linux/Rails development into your job, or if they're not open enough for that, look for a job that has both, so you can get some experience. If you don't want to change jobs just yet, find or start an opensource project that you can get more experience on.

Answer 5

If you want to make the jump without taking a big cut in salary, the best tactic is to find a job where you use your old skills, but will have a chance to use the new ones too.

The trouble is that your negotiating position is often determined by experience on the particular technology that they use, so you would be competing with more junior Rails programmers and not be able to leverage your value (experience in C#).

On the other hand, Rails is new enough that you aren't going to have to compete with people having 10 years of experience in it, so if you are going to make the jump, better sooner than later.