Re: ADA experienced software engineer - great employment opp...

[mmandel@mail.gwtc.net (marc mandel)]

On 12 Jul 2000 02:45:18 GMT, rlove@antispam.neosoft.com (Robert B.
Love ) wrote:

>Well, besides the issue of domain knowledge that a software engineer
>may lack, my current employer finds another disturbing trend.  That
>CS grads don't want to do avionics programming.  They want to do whatever
>is cool and in at the moment.  Web/E-commerce or game programming. Java.  
>We've traditionally found that EE's who program are better at this. 
>This certainly is NOT an iron clad rule, just something that's been
>observed enough that some managers are weary of hiring CS grads for
>Avionics type work.

Robert (and others),

Then perhaps you can tell me what I am doing wrong...

I _am_ very interested in avionics / real-time / distributed computing
/ defense industry type work.

I went to a job fair in Santa Clara this last March and saw 200+
booths that had 'Pre-IPO" and "Web/E-commerce" banners.  These booths
were swamped with people, although I had no interest in them.  I
concentrated on the defense companies (Raytheon, Lockheed-Martin,
Aerospace, Boeing, etc.)  The initial responses that I got was
positive, although there has been almost no follow-up interest.

The representative at one of the above companies recognized my resume
by name ("Hi, Marc.  We're still looking at you."), although I have
heard very little since then.  The only news that I have gotten is
that there is a opening in which the hiring manager is considering new
grads.  That was six weeks ago.

I stopped at another booth where I happened to mention that I have a
SECRET security clearance and was given a very warm response.  I have
not heard _anything_ from that company, although I have contacted them
repeatedly.

My first class in structured programming was Ada.  Unlike most of my
peers, I liked the language.  Unfortunately, that has been a few years
and only one of my other courses made any use of that the language and
that also has been a few years.

I am currently finishing my master's degree in computer science.  I
have one more graduate-level computer science class to finish.  I have
been trying to find employment now, since it is rather difficult to
support myself while I'm taking only one class without a full-time
job.  (I recently completed a resident 5 month course that was
required for my military career.)

I'm guessing that my biggest problem is that I have no full-time
software development experience in the area that I want to work.
Databases are an area in which I am willing to start, although I have
no interest in doing exclusively database work for the rest of my
life.  On the other hand, I do have computer work experience (5 years
technical support) and I did 2 years part-time software development
while working on my master's degree.  It was database related using
Visual FoxPro.  I also have been a commissioned officer in the Army
National Guard (Field Artillery) for the past 10 years.  I think that
says something about my ability / responsibility / maturity.

Is there something that I am doing wrong?  Is there something else
that I should be doing?  I would really appreciate some candid
answers.

Regards,
Marc Mandel