12 years ago I got a Bachelor degree in Computer Science from a University. The degree consisted of advanced programming because it was aimed at research. 80% was programming and 20% was reading theory. This was just after the dotcom bubble. All the layoffs and bankruptcies I heard about in the news over several years discouraged me from continuing the developer / coding career path. So I changed to economics and eventually did a master degree in economics. Half of the subjects in the master degree are Computer Science (distributed systems, parallel programming etc). I know (or more accurately knew) C, C++, C#, Java and Python. And assembler.
Since then I have worked in project management and business development. I have done little coding over the last 12 years although it’s there in the back of my mind. Maybe 4 years of intense programming is not easily forgotten? I think I could pick it back up.
In management jobs, I have seen more “elbows” than in SW teams that I’ve managed. Sometimes I’d like to concentrate on problem solving in the office rather than flying in meetings all day. It takes quite a lot of energy dealing with people. Project Management is mostly about dealing with people.
What started the thought process of going back to coding from management was a SW conference I recently attended. There I learned that 50% of people working as programmers don’t have formal academic degrees in CS or IT
Which made me realize that I have a chance to switch because of the Computer Science degree. What keeps me back is lack of actual programming experience for the last 12 years. On the plus side I have developed soft skills and people skills. I understand what is value adding and I’ve been an interpreter between users/clients and the developer teams.
What are your opinions? Is it too late to brush the dust off of programming and go back to coding from a management position? What would be the best course of action to demonstrate that I really can still do coding?
I have actually thought about doing a 2nd masters degree (in CS, Machine Learning, Big Data or similar) but maybe this is overkill.
Thanks for reading and cheers!