I need to learn a programming language, which one is easiest out of this list ?

[T3X4S]

I have a really important job interview coming up in 10 days.
This company contacted me about a year ago, but I had just accepted an offer for a 1 year contract and couldn't back out.
So, I contacted them back, and they are interested still woohoo !

Only problem is, the position they want me for requires some coding - I dont know any.

Which would be easiest for me to submerge in a crash course for the next 10 days?  ( I once heard python is pretty easy)

Java
.NET
Node.js
PHP
Python
Ruby

And I need familiarity in 1 of these:

Git, Perforce, SVN, TFVC

Obviously this job is out of my comfort zone, and I am taking a slight risk, but I am wanting a change -

Thanks Everyone

[Kelxin]

 

troll level 8999, i see you there ;-)

 

Are ya positive? /wink

[Shiranui]

10 days is enough to do every course on this site:

https://www.codecademy.com/

 

[DevTech]

Im not required per se to write any of it - just know enough so it isnt complete gibberish if I have to debug it.



The company is Amazon

Just in case you missed this:

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/16/technology/inside-amazon-wrestling-big-ideas-in-a-bruising-workplace.html?_r=0

Doubt you did but just in case. A lot of the stories turn out to be true and the resulting discussion centered around whether that kind of trial by fire environment has any justification or not...

It was funny to hear Microsoft condemn the practice when they themselves just recently terminated (a few years ago) a long running experiment with the same type of brutal environment.

 

 

[Kelxin]

If he's really serious about learning a programming language, this site has much better tutorials and burn through systems that will get him programming much faster than codeacademy.com  >> http://www.lynda.com/ 

 

[T3X4S]

Just in case you missed this:

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/16/technology/inside-amazon-wrestling-big-ideas-in-a-bruising-workplace.html?_r=0

Doubt you did but just in case. A lot of the stories turn out to be true and the resulting discussion centered around whether that kind of trial by fire environment has any justification or not...

It was funny to hear Microsoft condemn the practice when they themselves just recently terminated (a few years ago) a long running experiment with the same type of brutal environment.

 

 

Oh definitely.  Whenever I have decided to test the job market - I love going to www.glassdoor.com  -  I will mention it in the interview too.  One company, a large luxury home builder in Dallas, had a horrible rating - all about the megalomaniacal CEO who demanded everyone called him Mr Brooks.  The interviewers said, "thats completely untrue.  You should have known that people are only going to go on that sight if they have a axe to grind.."  I replied, "well thats not true, because there are ratings across the boards for companies, its not just negative, leading one to believe they are spot on."   Well, I took the job, and 1 month later - I was out of there - that CEO was a freaking nightmare.

I have read the reviews about Amazon working people  like crazy, and peope getting burnt out.  I havent seen any of those comments from the dept. I would be in - so I am naively holding on to the notion that Cloud Support Engineer is all warm and fuzzy

[DevTech]

Oh definitely.  Whenever I have decided to test the job market - I love going to www.glassdoor.com  -  I will mention it in the interview too.  One company, a large luxury home builder in Dallas, had a horrible rating - all about the megalomaniacal CEO who demanded everyone called him Mr Brooks.  The interviewers said, "thats completely untrue.  You should have known that people are only going to go on that sight if they have a axe to grind.."  I replied, "well thats not true, because there are ratings across the boards for companies, its not just negative, leading one to believe they are spot on."   Well, I took the job, and 1 month later - I was out of there - that CEO was a freaking nightmare.

I have read the reviews about Amazon working people  like crazy, and peope getting burnt out.  I havent seen any of those comments from the dept. I would be in - so I am naively holding on to the notion that Cloud Support Engineer is all warm and fuzzy

Well I have had a few horrible experiences I would never want to repeat, yet at the same time even as an "Anti-Pattern" they were instructional.. so nothing is ever lost. Maybe a "Conservation of Experience Law" to mimic the Conservation of Energy Law in Physics...

If you have a chance, it would be fun to know what you learned 10 days from now!

Trendy cloud stuff is Big Data, Machine Learning and Containers. First two are impossible in 10 days, but if you haven't looked into it yet, reading some overviews on Docker and CoreOS (Docker clone) will probably help. Plus Git. Plus programming. Sleep is optional!

 

[adrynalyne]

 

well then its a no brainier, if Python is on the job spec then learn that.

If they listed all of those you mentioned in the original post, then i would skip this company.

jack of all, master of none. For me just leads to $hitty programming... or you were only required to write 10 lines which i that case it wouldn't matter.

Best of luck.

You do know some companies use multiple languages, right?Being language limited makes you and the company a one trick pony...

[Eric Veteran]

If you have any experience with Pascal I would actually say yes, look at Python.

[adrynalyne]

 

Well I have had a few horrible experiences I would never want to repeat, yet at the same time even as an "Anti-Pattern" they were instructional.. so nothing is ever lost. Maybe a "Conservation of Experience Law" to mimic the Conservation of Energy Law in Physics...

If you have a chance, it would be fun to know what you learned 10 days from now!

Trendy cloud stuff is Big Data, Machine Learning and Containers. First two are impossible in 10 days, but if you haven't looked into it yet, reading some overviews on Docker and CoreOS (Docker clone) will probably help. Plus Git. Plus programming. Sleep is optional!

 

For a 10 day crash course.... No, sleep is not an option LOL.

[T3X4S]

Well so far its been going pretty smooth - Python is pretty easy to pick up the basics.

I think I just wanted to know a little, so, if asked, I could say "Yes I know a little Python - I'd like to be more fluent in Python and other programming languages."  or something diplomatic like that.

I read where one applicant @ Amazon was asked, "In what areas are you lacking ?  Can you give an example where your skillset was lacking and how you handled the situation?"

The applicant said he froze up and couldn't think of anything - they passed on hiring him because, "Nobody knows everything - everyone has a weak spot or area where the could learn more"


And my 10 day crash course - just got shortened - alot.   My interview is now on Monday @ 10:30    no pressure

[DevTech]

Well so far its been going pretty smooth - Python is pretty easy to pick up the basics.

I think I just wanted to know a little, so, if asked, I could say "Yes I know a little Python - I'd like to be more fluent in Python and other programming languages."  or something diplomatic like that.

I read where one applicant @ Amazon was asked, "In what areas are you lacking ?  Can you give an example where your skillset was lacking and how you handled the situation?"

The applicant said he froze up and couldn't think of anything - they passed on hiring him because, "Nobody knows everything - everyone has a weak spot or area where the could learn more"


And my 10 day crash course - just got shortened - alot.   My interview is now on Monday @ 10:30    no pressure

Thanks for the update. Good luck.

 

[T3X4S]

Thanks for the update. Good luck.

 

Thank You - and Thanks again for all the ProTips

[DevTech]

Thank You - and Thanks again for all the ProTips

Ah well... I'll just hit on you for some discount Cloud after you get the job.

 

[Andre S. Veteran]

ProTip: stop browsing Neowin

[T3X4S]

ProTip: stop browsing Neowin

LOL - I know - just need a break - the tutorials are too slow.

[binaryzero]

Yeahhhh, not sure how this going to pan out for you mate. Interested to hear how you go..

So what are you going to do if you're hired, and they blomp some work in front of you, and you have no idea what to do? They didn't hire, or pay you to learn, they do it so you produce work so the company can profit. 

My suggestion would be to apply for jobs that you have the skills for already. Usually employers can see through people who do crash courses. Plus remember, usually you're on a 6 month probation when you start. If you don't meet the KPIs, you could get the can. 

Good luck!  :) 

Edited October 30, 2015 by Jared-

[FloatingFatMan]

Those are the most fun though!

10,000 years of torture in hell aren't even close to enough to repay Eich for Javascript!

[adrynalyne]

 

10,000 years of torture in hell aren't even close to enough to repay Eich for Javascript!

I have a soft place in my heart for JavaScript. Mind you, its only viewable with a microscope

It is nice when it occasionally works the first time you write it.

 

[FloatingFatMan]

 

well then its a no brainier, if Python is on the job spec then learn that.

If they listed all of those you mentioned in the original post, then i would skip this company.

jack of all, master of none. For me just leads to $hitty programming... or you were only required to write 10 lines which i that case it wouldn't matter.

Best of luck.

Any half decent programmer will be able to work his magic in multiple languages, so the "jack of all, master of none" saying doesn't really apply here. What's important are the logic and problem solving skills, not what syntax you're working in.  That's the easy part and can be picked up in just a couple of days by anyone experienced.

[FloatingFatMan]

And my 10 day crash course - just got shortened - alot.   My interview is now on Monday @ 10:30    no pressure

Best of luck, Tex! One thing though.. If you get the job, and you're in Cloud Support... Well, we might just be crossing paths, professionally, at some point.

 

[Active.]

 My role would be to know enough of the language to be able to look at a part of the code, and possibly find the error as a root cause.

My position is a Cloud Support Engineer [at Amazon], so I would be working with Engineers of other large companies when there are problems - identifying problems, and solving them.  Part of a team [...] My role would be to know enough of the language to be able to look at a part of the code, and possibly find the error as a root cause.

the position they want me for requires some coding - I dont know any.  [...] out of my comfort zone, and I am taking a slight risk

Assuming you're serious, the good news is: It sounds like what you lack in coding skills you're able to make up for in self-confidence.

[T3X4S]

Yeahhhh, not sure how this going to pan out for you mate. Interested to hear how you go..

So what are you going to do if you're hired, and they blomp some work in front of you, and you have no idea what to do? They didn't hire, or pay you to learn, they do it so you produce work so the company can profit. 

My suggestion would be to apply for jobs that you have the skills for already. Usually employers can see through people who do crash courses. Plus remember, usually you're on a 6 month probation when you start. If you don't meet the KPIs, you could get the can. 

Good luck!   

Well, I dont want to bore everyone to death and go into great details about the job descrip.  But the reading a little code is 1 small aspect of a large role.
Well, for some reason they want me for this role.. doesnt make a lot of sense to me either - but maybe this one aspect is not a big deal - possible can be trained/learned on the fly.

Thanks
 

Assuming you're serious, the good news is: It sounds like what you lack in coding skills you're able to make up for in self-confidence.

I am serious.  As I mentioned above, it doesnt require me to be an expert coder.  It is one little part of a large array of things I will be responsible for.

We'll see

 

 

Best of luck, Tex! One thing though.. If you get the job, and you're in Cloud Support... Well, we might just be crossing paths, professionally, at some point.

 

Thanks FFM.. wouldn't that be something ?  hehe

[FloatingFatMan]

Thanks FFM.. wouldn't that be something ?  hehe

I certainly wouldn't mind getting sent to Texas once in a while... It'd make a nice change from soggy Ireland (where head office is).

 

[Seahorsepip Veteran]

Logo

 

Oh wait it's not on the list

[Active.]

I am serious.  As I mentioned above, it doesnt require me to be an expert coder.  It is one little part of a large array of things I will be responsible for.

We'll see

Good luck! I guess you can only win, whatever may come of it.