Is it easy or hard to be a entry level java developer, entry level software developer

programmer24

how did everyone start in those careers like what was the interview like and did everyone has experience as a software developer, java developer or database administrator? how would I get a start since I graduated with a bachelor degree in CIS and what was it like for everyone who actually works as a software developer or database admin

paul78

Easy or hard is pretty relative and would depend on your background and what type of entry level job you actually get.

As for comparison of software developer, java developer, web developer, COBOL developer, software engineer, etc. - I don't recommend looking at it in that manner if you are just starting out. Every one of those jobs roll up to being a role where software is designed and implemented.

I did start my career as a software engineer/developer but I that's not what I do today. I have a very positive experience and I truly enjoyed the experience.

I got my start when doing part-time work. Basically, while I was in school, I worked on developing graphics libraries which were then used by other programmers to write software. My real full-time programming job was writing system and operating system tools that were used by the system administrators and I also did a fair amount of porting of software to new operating systems. From there, I worked on financial applications (usually back-end systems) and also worked on some early embedded systems.

So basically, my own interest are in lower-level programming and a little bit closer to OS level. I have always preferred doing software development on tools and applications which were then used by system and network administrators or other programmers.

My own background in software development and software engineering is just one example.

My suggestion to you is to just start someplace - apply for some jobs and get some experience. You will hopefully be able to then get a better understanding and find the niche that excites you. Or if you are still in school, just start writing some code and see what you find interesting.

Good luck.

BTW - you may want to consider consolidating your similar questions about demand for programmers to this thread instead of starting lots of similar threads on the same topic.

To your question about which type of software developer is in demand - I would suggest that if you are still early in your career - you don't worry too much about it. Stick with Microsoft .NET tools or Java - just pick one.

programmer24

well I graduated from college paul and basically I haven't written a code yet and I also went to teksystems I don't know if you heard the name of the company but I was talking to a recuiter and she suggests to maybe create a program in java and sql and also to suggest that maybe I should get into java/j2ee development

paul78

That seems like a reasonable suggestion by the recruiter. If you have a computer and you don't have a lot of money to spend on development tools. Java is a lot more reachable since you can just download Java SDK and grab a bunch of open-source tools like mySQL as a database.

If you have never written any software, you are not likely to be hired for any software development role.

programmer24

well I am in a process of writing software using java and sql like I want to do like a management system or a collection and I found couple of project ideas on the web like dream in code. Also I knew java and sql more than web programming languages that is because I had a teacher who taught java and sql very well while I was in college

NetworkVeteran

If you have never written any software, you are not likely to be hired for any software development role.

+1. There are two key skills to learn. First, is programming. Second, is a language. Most experienced programmers will agree the first is more important than the second, although it seems counter-intuitive to newbies. Deitel & Deitel, "How to Program" is a great intro to programming and it also happens to be taught in Java. That may be enough to qualify you for basic work at a small company. Another positive step would be to complete a Java certification. You'd be surprised how many small companies are willing to take a risk on someone based on a strong demo or completing a non-trivial challenge project.

programmer24

so basically my title would be a software developer but it would be specializing in java

programmer24

I know how to program its just trying to find which language is in more demand and I just need to create java programs on my own to show potential employers I know java/j2ee