I'm a freelance java/scala backend dev with 10+ experience. I'm tired of being a generalist but so far never managed to get into a niche.<p>I'm especially interested in supply chain and logistics but having a hard time getting a foot in the door. I have no previous experience in that area, and as a complete outsider, I have to go far outside my comfort zone when trying to make contacts.<p>So far I tried cold emailing people in that industry and asking them to help me understand their business. It hasn't been very fruitful yet.<p>Did anyone try to move into a domain without any prior experience? How did you do this?<p>Any help very much appreciated.
Cold emailing may require a lot of effort for a particular individual in a particular case. However, it is unlikely to create the impression in the receiver that the sender has engaged in much effort.<p>The StackOverflow analogy of "What code have you tried?" might not be a bad way to think about the receiver's reaction to requests for their time. People are more likely to be generous with their time when there is a specific problem that a person is in the midst of actually solving. The captain of a ship does not worry about losing five life preservers trying to save a person overboard, but the captain does not hand out life preservers to passing pleasure craft on request.<p>So my random advice from the internet is just start doing it. Study supply and logistics. Write some software. Write some blogs. Tweet. Get a job in the industry. Attend conferences. Get a degree. Do whatever it takes to break into the industry.<p>Or don't. It may not be worth that much effort.<p>Good luck.