Transitioning from developing to architecture

Question

Im currently a senior software engineer at a large, well respected (in our field) software house.

Unfortunately I've hit a ceiling. The next logical step in my career is to move from designing individual components to what may be described as system engineering/architecture. The problem is that where I work there is a pretty much fixed pool of those positions - they dont need any more, and none of the current incumbents are likely to move soon.

So I look elsewhere, but I'm stymied that my CV doesnt show any direct experience, even though I spend a large part of my time assisting the guys who do the job here...and in many cases practically doing their job for them...

So its the all too common problem - dont have experience, cant get a job, cant get a job, dont get experience. In an entry level situation the answer is simple - learn a load of languages, take on some hobby projects etc etc etc. But how to do this at my level? Are there any industry-wide certifications I could do?

(My core skills are Java, PL/SQL, Oracle)#

Thanks

Answer 1

my CV doesnt show any direct experience, even though I spend a large part of my time assisting the guys who do the job here...and in many cases practically doing their job for them

It sounds to me like your CV is wrong. It should reflect what you have done, not just a title or a some sort role description. If you have skills and experience as a Senior developer then show those on your CV, and show how they make you a great candidate for whatever role you applying for.

Answer 2

Yes, a polished CV can bring you more chances. I second the point of Steve Haigh. Another point is to extend your influence. I don't mean leadership thing. Just let more people know you. For example, writing blogs on what you have done and what you are interested. Of course there are tons of things to learn for an architect, maybe from hardware to software, from business to technology. It is a process of experience accumulation. It doesn't mean you can't do it now. You just have to convince others you are proficient, that usually means you are familiar with software development life cycle, software process like RUP and full understanding of one or many technology architectures.

Answer 3

I'm lucky enough to be an architect.

I don't see why learning a load of languages, technologies and architectures on hobby projects won't work for you. By being exposed to these you'll learn the pros and cons of different types of system and you'll be able to position yourself as an expert. An architect is just an uber programmer that can think at a high level and connect the dots - right?

Learning Ruby on Rails has made me a much better J2EE developer, building lots of small DBs with MySQL has honed my Oracle skills and getting to grips with a host of JavaScript libraries has made by UIs a lot better.

If you know your stuff then you'll find your way into the right jobs.

Go for it!