I’m trying to get a job in IT that will (hopefully) pay more than a usual 9 to 5. I’m been daily driving Linux exclusively for about 2 1/2 years now and I’m trying to improve my skills to the point that I could be considered a so-called “power user.” My question is this: will this increase my hiring chances significantly or marginally?

  • utopiah
    4·
    4 months ago

    Yes if

    • the environment you would work on is Linux based, obviously (which it often is when servers are involved, even with Microsoft due to Azure cloud and containers)
    • you master the command line, i.e you know a bit of e.g bash, can write your own scripts that do basic functions
    • you understand how the OS works, i.e permissions, services, package managers, etc

    but not really if you are mostly clicking through buttons of the window manager and/or would work in a Microsoft environment with its own set of tools, conventions, etc.

    Which brings up obvious suggestions :

    • do improve your mastery of the command line
    • apply to jobs that put Linux forward (but that might bias to a sysadmin position, which might not be what you prefer)
    • massive_bereavement@fedia.io
      2·
      4 months ago

      I had a job offered based on the fact that if you know bash, you can translate that to powershell, as translating knowledge is easier than learning from scratch.

      • utopiah
        3·
        4 months ago

        Makes sense to me. I would also assume that if one can program in bash they can program in pretty much anything. Yes it will take some time to adapt but a lot less than somebody who can’t program in any language in any environment.

        That being said, I would advise against starting in an environment that is possibly alienating and exclusive. Microsoft does everything it can in order to lock-in users but also developers. They find bridge, like PowerShell or WSL, then IT relies on certifications specific to their ecosystem. So if OP is fine with such practices they could start there but I’d suggest to keep that only if more direct alternatives are not available.

      • DigitalDilemmaEnglish
        2·
        4 months ago

        True. Learning your first programming language (or scripting language) is usually the hardest.