#Moving from low level development to Full Stack

10 messages · Page 1 of 1 (latest)

lime sage
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Hi all,

I'm trying to move from Low Level development that includes stuff like:

  • Linux Kernel Development
  • Makefiles
  • Bash scripting

to Full Stack Web Dev doing things like:

  • Backend (Not picky on what stack)
  • Frontend (React, Vue or Angular)
  • Dev Ops (Not picky what tech)
  • Integrating Low Level Electronics/Embedded Software with Web Applications

Bit of educational background:

Electronics & CS (Bachelors Degree) - Have 6 years experience as an Electronics Design Engineer, designing PCB's, Schematics, Embedded Software (C) with various microcontrollers Linux kernel objects, Technical Documentation, Customer Support with products.

Software Eng (Masters Degree) - Have 2 years experience since graduating, but I've only used C, and C++ professionally. I completed modules during my masters using all the skills that I want to move into, and have a few personal projects that achieve what I've wrote above too.

Every time I reach out to employers they seem to concentrate on the low level experience, and suggest that I'd have to take a significant pay cut. Is there any way of minimising the pay cut? And is moving my career that way going to be worth it? What would your strategy be in my scenario?

Thanks for any support/replies!

small yarrow
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It's possible you will just have to take somewhat of a pay cut, especially in this market, but you'll see as you go through the process

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I have hired folks like this into SRE. In fact, I fought to get one onto my team instead of other parts of the org because I found them so useful. They're a great way to fill out the deep systems knowledge in an SRE team

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When I'm hiring there, I'm generally not looking for much in the way of knowledge of specific tools. What I want is:

  1. At least basic competence in programming.
  2. An interest in the job (after I've ensured they understand what it is)
  3. A desire to learn
    We basically never get people who know everything already, because that's impossible, and so I'm focusing much more on their comfort taking on new things and what knowledge they have that fills a gap on my team
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Now, caveat of course that this is not how everyone hires for SRE. And I am not hiring currently, so I can't recruit you 🙂

velvet sphinx
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Is your tc so high that you'd actually take a pay cut?

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The nice thing about applying to big companies is you can just do lc and system design and join as a generalist

lime sage
lime sage
velvet sphinx
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oh you already have an offer? that's a bit different, you have to weigh the risk not getting another offer if you pass this one