Hey everyone! I'm currently working in a solid company where I've spent 4 years honing my skills with Spring Boot, PostgreSQL, MongoDB, and Angular in a microservices environment. I'm based in Europe (not in the EU yet, but I'll have my EU papers soon). While my workplace culture is fantastic, the salary is pretty average and the workload varies between low to medium depending on the project. I've been feeling pretty bored lately and am looking to shake things up.
I'm thinking about trying contracting for the first time, but I'm finding it tough to locate job postings that match my tech stack. I've scoured Hacker News, LinkedIn, and various job boards without much luck. Now, I'm wondering if it would be worth it to switch to a different programming language or even a new domain. With my experience level, I feel I could adapt to another language pretty easily. What languages or skills are currently in demand? Based on my background, where might my chances of finding a job be the highest? Any advice on how to move forward in this current job market would be super helpful!
4 Answers
Honestly, Python and JavaScript devs are always in demand, and switching to C# could be a smooth transition for you. It might open up some more opportunities that are a bit of a step away from Java but still familiar enough to make something good out of it.
You might want to keep in mind that by the time you master a new skill, the 'in-demand' landscape could shift again. Instead of completely leaving Java behind, why not consider roles that use similar technologies? Having that experience in a versatile tech stack can really open doors for you.
It's a good idea to check out the TIOBE index for trends. Just a heads-up, though, it can be a bit misleading. Personally, I pivoted from Java to Scala a while back, but I found that most Scala jobs were tied to Big Data, which might not be what you're looking for.
Right now, Python is really booming, especially in Data Science and Machine Learning. However, if you're more interested in backend development, you might want to explore C#. It's pretty similar to Java and offers a great ecosystem with .NET, plus it's now open-source and cross-platform. Switching languages can be tricky, but sometimes just looking for positions related to your current stack with slight variations can yield better results!
Honestly, if I were you, I'd just stand outside with a sign saying, 'Help! I need a software job!' Might just catch the attention of some aliens looking for a developer! Just kidding, but job searching can feel pretty out there sometimes!
Thanks for your insights! I feel you on Python's dominance, but it doesn't really interest me much. C# might be worth a shot, especially considering how popular it is lately. I'm also looking into database roles—seems like there's demand there!