need help getting experience

[savager1]

Hello,

Sorry if this is the wrong place to post, but I thought this would be an ok place to post.

OK, so a couple of years ago (say 6plus) I used Filemaker in my then new job. I was blown away then by the things that were possible in FM. Anyway, I have recently decided to start trying to develop some databases (have had a bad motorcycle accident) so whilst not working full time on my real job, I thought I would try to learn FM more and see if I could eventually become a freelance developer or even just develop in my spare time.

So, my question is what's the best way to get experience. It's hard coming up with solutions without a real need. So, for example is it advisable to approach a small business and see if they have a need and I develop a database for them at no cost? any ideas? or any idea where to help businesses on the net? (is there some kind of solutions request site or something?).

From some of the stuff I have seen recently by getting back into it I am once again blown away and makes me understand that my level of FM experience is beginner...but I know my way around FM etc. Oh and I am in Australia.

Thanks In Advance

Edited December 12, 2006 by Guest

[Genx]

Hmmm,

Firstly, welcome to the forums ) ...

Before you go approaching any businesses, I suggest you build a few first (only because you will save yourself a very big headache later if you don't). As for learning... take some real world application -- anything you can think of. Hell, build yourself a client management, invoicing etc. database from scratch so that by the time you approach businesses you've already got an app set up to manage them

In terms of best way to get experience, books are useful, but in reality it's just building the things and hanging around here that will get you somewhere .. I do it all the time to save my self effort, e.g. when i'm studying for exams, i make myself databases for notes... Point is for now just try and think of how a database might help you in every day life, what your most arduous and repetitive tasks are -- Build yourself some apps for this and you'll get into the mindset of brainstorming, deconstructing etc. and then being able to make a database to fit a real world app.