Best Learning Path for Programming Skills Before a New Job
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TechieTurtle92
Hey everyone! I just had an awesome interview for a new engineering role at my company that's going to require a lot more programming skills than my current position. Most of my coding experience has been in R over the last decade, but this new job focuses on electrical tests written in C. I've also heard they have a big Perl library they might replace, and Linux was mentioned in the interview, though I'm not sure how much I'll need to use it. They also brought up C++ and Java.
I've got around three months to prepare before starting, and I want to jump in ready to go. I was thinking of starting with Linux, then brushing up on Perl, and finally diving into C. What do you all think? Any advice on how to approach this learning journey?
Answers
Honestly, why worry about brushing up on Perl if they're looking to replace that library? Focus your energy on C and Linux to get up to speed. If you feel comfortable later, you can suggest rewriting those old Perl scripts in something newer, like Python. Perl feels pretty outdated now anyway.
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I think it's best to keep it simple—start with C since that's what you'll be using most for your tests. You can learn the basics of Linux at the same time. Don't stress too much about Perl for now; it sounds like they want to move away from it. Just aim to be comfortable reading and writing C, and understanding the Linux environment.
TechieTurtle92: Thanks! That's exactly the plan.
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I’d suggest starting with C and basic Linux commands. You can always pick up Perl or even C++/Java later if you need to. Being adept at C and navigating a Linux environment should be your priority right now!
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You didn't provide a lot of details, but it sounds messy! Choose C as your main focus since that’s crucial for the job. Perl is on its way out, so don’t worry too much about it unless they specify you’ll be working on that. You have a few months, so you can definitely get familiar with the basics of C. Just don't expect to become an expert too quickly.
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TechieTurtle92: Sounds like a better path! thanks!