There is more than meets the eye with me. On my resume it is majority Microsoft skills. Microsoft is used more than open source because that is what my work and customers demand from me. Can I do more? Yes! I have experience in a lot of open technologies such as PHP, MySQL, Python and more. I do use these technologies, but not often
Microsoft VRS The World
Do not let me resume define who I am, as I am more and can do more. I know people look at my resume and see not a lot of PHP and therefore my resume is often set aside.
Admittedly I am more skilled in the realm of Microsoft products. Microsoft has been good to me in the past and appears to continue the trend. At the end of the day I do what pays the bills. Majority of my customers and employers have requested Microsoft to be used. At the end of the day, I can produce a highly appealing product full of features using Microsoft.
As often as I can, I present open technologies to my clients and employers. A senior developer should be able to pick up and run with any technology handed to them with little run time. Can I do PHP? Yes, but very limited. Could I pick up PHP quickly? Yes, and why? I am a developer who is always trying to expand and I know the basics of software and web development. All languages are structured similarly and programming logic is the same from language to language.
The advantages of PHP and other open languages are easily summed up; Cost reduction, highly supported and can often yield better results with a smaller footprint.
The advantages of Microsoft are also easy; Very scale-able, highly supported and I can often produce results faster.
Disadvantages of using Microsoft is even easier to sum up; Cost of development and deployment is very expensive and you have larger footprint in terms of drive space, memory and CPU usage.
So why do people use Microsoft? Simply put; it is what they know! The common man will not have heard PHP or MySQL as often as they have heard of Microsoft. Since the dawn of computers Microsoft has been drilled in our heads.
Hire me as a PHP Programmer and I will not let you down. Hire me as a Microsoft Developer and I will do a great job.
Why I do not have a portfolio?
My work is not mine to display. Majority of my work is used behind close doors and is for private use. Most of my work has disclaimers preventing me from showing what I have produced. For this reason, I collect stories from people I have worked for and worked with. Can I produce good work? Yes! Am I a designer? No; but I work well with designers and I am good at implementing designs. I am also decent with providing input and feed back into designs.
Most Noticeably; I am good with customers. I have the ability to talk to customers in a non-technical manner. I am good at discovering what customers need for their projects and defining the scope. At the end of the day, I can work with all levels or professionals, trades and clerical type people. This is not something you can show in your portfolio!