After publishing my article “Another Brick in the Wall ” ( see http://java.sys-con.com/read/83056.htm)

I’ve received an e-mail from a Java
programmer (let’s call him Joe). He’s
facing a typical challenge: how to become more marketable on the Java job
market. Here’s our correspondence…

Dear Mr. Fain:

I recently read your article in the Java Developer’s
Journal’s May 2005 issue about the brick in the wall. I am one of those junior
java developer who, as I am feeling right now, made a mistake of choosing to go
with Java instead of C# and .Net, about 2.5 years back at the start of my
professional career. I am currently
employed with a small firm. The
technology we use is basically JSP and Servlets in an MVC kind of architecture
identical to Struts.

I recently had a couple of interviews at financial giants and the interviewers made me realize that
though I am the best java programmer at my current job I am far from what
people expect me to know. I was asked questions about deadlocks (application
deadlocking a database etc.), serialization, EJBs, some Database design
questions, some design pattern questions. I have an MS in computer science and
am a SCJP for Java 2 and SCWCD as well, but do not have had any practical
experience with these designing issues.

At my current job, we do not even use any specific design
patterns or design principles. The architecture we have right now is an MVC as
I discovered. It was not intended to be, but became one. Same thing happens for
database connectivity kind of issues. We have a DAO (again, I realized this
thru my reading of design patterns) that accesses Weblogic connection pools.
So, we never really have to do any connection management.

Now, my issue is that if I am going to work in such an
environment, what is the best way for me to learn and keep up with what is
happening around me in terms of J2EE? I was thinking of developing an
application on my own but then I was not able to figure out what to develop.
Can you please suggest me some way to go further in my learning?

Your help is greatly appreciated in advance.

Thank you very much.

Regards,

Joe

Hi Joe,

I hear you, but you did not make a mistake by selecting Java over C#. Your problems are not specific to any language. First, spend more time with the books. How many Java books did you read during the last year? If you are a junior developer, you need to purchase an read at least 5 technical books every year. Speaking of design patterns… Head First Design Patterns book should help. Go over my sample interview questions at: http://java.sys-con.com/read/48839.htm

Periodically, I teach Java Sunday classes (www.smartdataprocessing.com ) that usually include design and work on a sample project. Try to find a similar class in your geographical area.

Keep studying, the Java market is good!

Regards,

Yakov Fain

Dear Mr Fain:

Thank you very much for taking time to respond to my email.

I understand the point you are making on reading more Java books.

In fact, I do keep up with the latest technologies by
reading several magazines and articles. I agree, though, that I have not been
reading as many Java books as you are suggesting I should. But, the bigger
hindrance is the practical aspect to that learning. Unless I will implement
something, all that reading is going to get washed out in a couple of months.

And as I mentioned in my previous email, I am unable to get
where to start – should I just work with the examples in books and be satisfied
or should I take my knowledge to a next level?

Regards,

Joe

Hi Joe,

Read the books (find the ones that have sample case studies), go through multiple choice tests and…constant interviewing. You need to get a new job on a new project. Do not get disappointed after failing yet another interview. Take good notes of what you have not answered, and do your homework. These interviews for you are like free Java lessons!The market is good and you’ll get another interview soon. Every rejection just brings you closer to your goal. Read my upcoming article in July’s JDJ on preparing for the Java technical interviews.

Good luck,

Yakov