My new job has been a challenge – transitioning from a backend business systems developer to a customer applications developer is not as easy as I thought. New technologies, a different focus, a different work environment.

Software engineering is so much like guitar playing – it’s not even funny. When you are not practicing it daily – and facing new challenges regularly – your skill atrophies in the worst way. It’s great to be doing something new – I need to shake off my rust – and that is why my posts have slowed down recently.

Russell Beattie has been commenting recently on the effect his weblog had on his job search. I’ve had a similar experience, for those that have actually read my site and got to know me in advance thru it. For the most part however – I’d have to say it had little direct influence over their hiring decision.