1) Try software areas where your previous background is an asset. Actual programming is only part of the job. Thinking is the most important part. Extremely successful developers understand how the users want to use the software. Come in with that knowledge, and you'll have advantage over some others.
For example, if you were in finance, try a company that proposes software for par to the industry you worked in. If you were in art, try some sort of graphic software company.
2) Write some software tools for the field you are trying to enter. Make it freely available (with source) on the internet and include a link to it as part of your resume. Put lots (and lots) of effort into it and make it great software and well written code (!). They need to look at it and be impressed by it enough to take a chance on you.
BTW Large open source projects are NOT valuable to demonstrate your individual skills as they are group efforts. The prospective employer won't know what part of the project demonstrates your work. For all they know, all you did is work on the readme file. In order to know what you worked on, they would have to trawl through the change logs -- no prospective employer is willing to do that.
3) Apply to small companies. They value diverse backgrounds more as employees frequently perform multiple roles. They are usually more willing to take a risk as it is easier for them to fire you if it doesn't work out.
The downside is that small companies will expect you to work hard and cheap until you've proven yourself. 40 hr weeks probably won't enough to keep you from being fired until you're very productive (and that will be years away). So you better be willing to work your a** off.
From personal experience, I know that the US government has Double Taxation Agreements (DTA) with several countries. (The UK in my case.)
In a covered country, it usually prevents someone from being double-taxed.
It also can protect the foreign country (eg the UK) from continuing to want to tax you when you return. (The DTA saved my bacon.)
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1) Try software areas where your previous background is an asset. Actual programming is only part of the job. Thinking is the most important part. Extremely successful developers understand how the users want to use the software. Come in with that knowledge, and you'll have advantage over some others.
For example, if you were in finance, try a company that proposes software for par to the industry you worked in. If you were in art, try some sort of graphic software company.
2) Write some software tools for the field you are trying to enter. Make it freely available (with source) on the internet and include a link to it as part of your resume. Put lots (and lots) of effort into it and make it great software and well written code (!). They need to look at it and be impressed by it enough to take a chance on you.
BTW Large open source projects are NOT valuable to demonstrate your individual skills as they are group efforts. The prospective employer won't know what part of the project demonstrates your work. For all they know, all you did is work on the readme file. In order to know what you worked on, they would have to trawl through the change logs -- no prospective employer is willing to do that.
3) Apply to small companies. They value diverse backgrounds more as employees frequently perform multiple roles. They are usually more willing to take a risk as it is easier for them to fire you if it doesn't work out.
The downside is that small companies will expect you to work hard and cheap until you've proven yourself. 40 hr weeks probably won't enough to keep you from being fired until you're very productive (and that will be years away). So you better be willing to work your a** off.
From personal experience, I know that the US government has Double Taxation Agreements (DTA) with several countries. (The UK in my case.) In a covered country, it usually prevents someone from being double-taxed. It also can protect the foreign country (eg the UK) from continuing to want to tax you when you return. (The DTA saved my bacon.)