Re:Started in Finance (Score 1)

Key to this were the oppotunities I was given by the head of the software development team. She let me take on responsibilities the Systems Analysts were traditionally not allowed to touch. We had an agreement: as long as I was fulfilling all the Systems Analyst reqs, I could additionally work on development items. I started on simple maintenance (html code checking, actuate form building), and then a small Java/Silverstream project. Once I received my Sun Java Programmer certification, I had a 3rd-party assessment of my skills that allowed me to migrate to the software consulting company. To learn Java, I read 2 books and wrote my own simple game. When I arrived in IT, I knew how to model data, build databases, and perform sophisticated SQL queries, as well as the normal financial analyst skills (excel models, etc, etc). I did not know anything about programming or computer science - so I read voraciously, and I mean voraciously.