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Thank you. I'm not really looking for a job at the moment, I'm just having what is maybe an irrational fear of being made obsolete. I've hit the point of no return. I've been out of the automotive game for a while now, and I think I might rather die than go back to that.

Maybe I've done too much doomscrolling on Linked In.

by tibbar12 hours ago|

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As with most things in life, small iterative improvements are usually the most reliable path. You've already got contract work, so try to get more of that, maybe you can get a fulltime job with one of those clients, now you have a resume item, etc. It's the same for most everyone - we get a little experience, a bit of a resume, and one day we get another step on the ladder, and one day another.

Actually doing a whole degree program is just so much freakin' work and money for a single line on your resume that I can think of a lot of equally time consuming things that would have a better payoff. I've done night classes too and - whew. Never again.

by platevoltage12 hours ago|

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Yeah. So far the iterative approach has been working out. I haven't really tested the waters in a while.

I just wish that "single line" wasn't such a deal breaker.

by tibbar12 hours ago|

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It is indeed unfortunate, and for what it's worth I think you are not the person people are generally trying to filter out by requiring a degree, given your skills and track record. So you probably would benefit from meeting more people in the industry in person. It also sounds like you've made good choices so far in getting your new career started. I hope you get everything you're going for.

by platevoltage12 hours ago|

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Yeah you're probably right. Maybe I'll do what I'm doing for the time being, and start spending time applying once when or if the market gets better. I was in a much different spot last time I sent out an application. I've learned a lot since then.

by RainyDayTmrw12 hours ago|

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That seems a lot like "draw the rest of the owl"[1] unfortunately. How will an otherwise relative newcomer know what would be considered challenging, how to go about making it happening, and that they can make it happen?

[1]: https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/how-to-draw-an-owl

by tibbar11 hours ago|

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If I were in this situation, and the goal is to draw an owl, and I can spend a year on it, then I'm going to spend an hour tonight looking at owls and maybe doodling a bit. I'm not going to worry about getting the owl perfect right away. Maybe next week I'll get super into owl feet, and the week after into learning good drawing posture. At some point I'll definitely be attending some meetup of nature-drawing enthusiasts.

I'm going to combine a general direction with a lot of time and horsepower and exploration and I will end up with a great owl drawing at the end. The odds are that I end up drawing the owl after only a few weeks because it's not as hard as I thought, but I discover some other really cool goals with a better payoff by then.

There's a lot of alpha in spending an unreasonable amount of time on interesting goals.

To answer your questions directly:

> How will an otherwise relative newcomer know what would be considered challenging

Just pick something that sounds challenging to you! You will learn a lot about what the scene considers challenging/interesting as you go. You can always update the goal.

> how to go about making it happening

Research. Start with stupid questions about the parts that are initially apparent. Keep a list of things that you don't know how to even begin to tackle, and over time, deep dive into items on the list. You will find that the resources/tricks/approaches you have grows as you go.

> and that they can make it happen?

You just have to really, really believe in yourself and in what you're trying to do. If you keep your health, that is all you really need.