Am 04.08.2012 20:44, schrieb waggy:
> clipka <ano### [at] anonymousorg> wrote:
>> Let people know that you're not afraid of taking on new challenges, and
>> that you have what it /really/ takes for that: The will and ability to
>> learn.
> I've always wondered about this.  I would think that most every applicant for an
> IT position, especially those with limited formal training or experience in the
> specific technologies required for the job, will make this claim. How do you
> provide evidence that, in your case, you're not wildly exaggerating or outright
> lying about having this skill?

Step #1: Make them invite you for a job interview. This is admittedly 
not always easy.

Step #2: In the interview, be open, don't wear a mask; let them feel 
that you're not hiding anything and that your word can be trusted. Be 
active, don't just sit there answering their questions - proactively 
shove your relevant skills into their face (figuratively speaking :-)). 
Don't hesitate to talk about stuff you did for fun, and how it relates 
to the job you're applying for. Let them feel that you'd be eager to get 
/this/ particular job.


> For example, I have no formal training in any programming language.  I could
> list URLs to a few web applications I've written for my own amusement using PHP,
> JavaScript, SVG, and CSS (the last three now known collectively as HTML5),
> provide a research-quality Octave/MatLab engineering application, and provide a
> (beta version) production-quality Fortran 95 plugin for a commercial
> application.  I could even show them a patch to add some functions to POV-Ray in
> C, and a whole lot more, attempting to demonstrate that I can program in just
> about anything, despite having held down only one "real job" for about two of
> the past twenty-five years.
>
> How does one work this into the process without coming off as a lying jerk?

Turn your problem (not having had many "real jobs") to your advantage: 
You've done a hell lot of stuff for fun, which proves that (A) you're 
very good at teaching yourself new things, and that (B) you /love/ to 
program. And having cranked out research- or even production-quality 
stuff along the way obviously shows that (C) you're very good at drawing 
long-term motivation out of this type of pastime.

If you want them to take notice of - and believe - all this, why not 
proactively offer to show them what you've done?

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