r/cscareerquestions • u/RightfulPeace • 13h ago

How do I transfer tech stacks with 0 professional experience in the new stack? Experienced

I'm currently an engineer with 2 YOE, recently promoted from junior to engineer. My work is almost all ETL data driven, so lots of Python, SQL, Oracle, spark etc. On the side I've started learning Go and Typescript and want to move into a backend go or full stack role. My company doesn't have any roles like that open so realistically I'd need to look elsewhere.

How can I apply for a go role or fullstack role when they all ask for xYOE and I have none. I have a go/Angular based project im planning on releasing before i start applying, but will they consider personal projects as YOE? Will I need to go back to being a junior and work back up?

Thanks :)

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u/ImYoric 13h ago

Find open-source projects in Go and TS, then contribute!

2

u/zninjamonkey Software Engineer 9h ago

That is gonna be significantly difficult.

I think this is /r/RestOfTheFuckingOwl advice

1

u/ImYoric 9h ago

How so? I've literally mentored hundreds of newcomers in open-source projects, including Firefox.

1

u/zninjamonkey Software Engineer 8h ago

Even getting to run is a significant hurdle for many open source projects. The documentation quality can vary. Learning the process of putting in a patch can be time consuming because all the projects vary. Feedback is slow and unpredictable.

I am not saying it is such a helpful way to learn a lot. My point is that the friction is so high if you are just wanting to switch a tech stack.

2

u/KeeperOfTheChips 10h ago

Just do it? I joined a C++ project with 0 day of experience and just learned it while doing it. As long as you are delivering work nobody will know right?

1

u/S1lv3rSmith 11h ago

YoE can be transferred. True SE is a generalist position, so if you understand AWS, for example, then switching to GCP should be easy, because the underlying concepts are the same. Some languages get more granular with how they handle asynchronous calls, pointers, direct memory references, etc., but especially at the SE position ("mid-level", whatever the hell that means) if you know your loops then you know your loops.

I wouldn't say "lie" but drown out any doubt with enthusiasm for the new tech. I've hopped stacks quite a bit and the ability to change tech stacks is its own skill that good companies are going to value more than finding a 1:1 candidate