Ask HN: How did you specialise on a domain without prior experience?

2 points by hemling 8 years ago | 1 comment

I'm a freelance java/scala backend dev with 10+ experience. I'm tired of being a generalist but so far never managed to get into a niche.

I'm especially interested in supply chain and logistics but having a hard time getting a foot in the door. I have no previous experience in that area, and as a complete outsider, I have to go far outside my comfort zone when trying to make contacts.

So far I tried cold emailing people in that industry and asking them to help me understand their business. It hasn't been very fruitful yet.

Did anyone try to move into a domain without any prior experience? How did you do this?

Any help very much appreciated.

brudgers 8 years ago |

Cold emailing may require a lot of effort for a particular individual in a particular case. However, it is unlikely to create the impression in the receiver that the sender has engaged in much effort.

The StackOverflow analogy of "What code have you tried?" might not be a bad way to think about the receiver's reaction to requests for their time. People are more likely to be generous with their time when there is a specific problem that a person is in the midst of actually solving. The captain of a ship does not worry about losing five life preservers trying to save a person overboard, but the captain does not hand out life preservers to passing pleasure craft on request.

So my random advice from the internet is just start doing it. Study supply and logistics. Write some software. Write some blogs. Tweet. Get a job in the industry. Attend conferences. Get a degree. Do whatever it takes to break into the industry.

Or don't. It may not be worth that much effort.

Good luck.