Code Is the New Resume: How to Get an IT Job in Today's Economy

Linux and open source as a career path

Here are a few ways you can move into a new career path in Linux and open-source development:

1. Join an open-source project and contribute code, documentation, your time, etc. While this may seem overwhelming at first, stick with it and you will learn more than you expect. Plus, you will make important connections.

2. Register for in-person or online Linux Foundation training courses. The Linux Foundation's Training Program is in direct response to the trend that's been outlined in this article. Courses are taught by many of the community developers. They provide broad, foundational knowledge and networking needed to thrive in these careers today. These courses on your resume will position you ahead of your peers.

3. Contribute to the burgeoning Linux.com community. This doesn't just have to be code. For instance, Sys Admins or operations pros can participate on Linux.com, which is the destination for Linux users to share best practices and have a voice in the ongoing advancement of the platform. They can submit a tutorial featuring their favorite script or tool and then use that with potential employers.

While things can begin to look bleak out there, there is no better time than during a downturn to work on building new skills. Building expertise in Linux and open source is a long-term investment that translates across companies, organizations, geographic boundaries, languages, tough economic times—as well as good times. Code is the new resume.

Amanda McPherson is VP of Marketing and Developer Programs at the Linux Foundation. She is responsible for content, Web strategy, events, public relations and developer programs, including the Linux Developer Network. She also helped create the Linux Foundation Collaboration Summit. Amanda has been involved in open source for the past eight years. Most recently, she was director of marketing for the Free Standards Group, the certification and standardization authority for Linux. Prior to that, she was director of marketing for Covalent Technologies, the leading provider of Apache Web server software. She was also a core member of the marketing team responsible for the launch of the Java programming language in 1995.

Amanda graduated magna cum laude, with a B.A. in English from the University of California at Berkeley. She also holds an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Arizona. Her work blog can be found at http://www.linux-foundation.org/weblogs/amanda/. She can also be reached at amanda@linux-foundation.org.