...acting like you know what you're talking about. Here are some true facts about programmers.
- Fluency in a language can be difficult to determine. Beginner fluency is easy to achieve.
- There is always a new language, new paradigm that no one knows but everyone is learning. Jumping in at any point can put you ahead of the curve.
- Everything you need to know about programming is a Google search away. Try googling "csharp interview questions". I've heard programmer interviewers say, on many occasions, if a candidate answered a question with searching Google or Stack Overflow that they would consider them.
- A decent amount of getting a job is team fit. Meaning that if they like you and you play nice with others your odds are way higher.
- Half of programming has to do with understanding the business domain of the company that you're working for. This is knowledge that generally does not help you when getting another job.
Now you might say "Bryant, how come you no want programmers to be the good?" Well, I actually don't want to have crappy programmers in the work force, BUT THEY ARE ALREADY HERE. These are individuals that have been able to put the right bullet points on resumes, say the right things in interviews, and just hop job to job without actually knowing how to be effective at their job. Good programmers fear being tricked into hiring these phonies but it happens everywhere all the time.
Now if you want to be a programmer and not be a phony I would suggest interning. Most interns are paid a supportable income. Most software companies would gladly take interns. Here's something that no one does but would totally work: Call up a software company, talk to the person in charge of the development team, say you'd really like to intern for them. First of all this never happens. Second, most of what is desired of a good intern is ambition and that approach is pretty ambitious.
If all that sounds like too much work and you don't think programming is for you then I guess there is always this: