I'm currently undertaking a Masters course in "Information Technology", with a curriculum focus on programming and software development. My previous education was not in the sciences at all - it was actually in sociolinguistics - so I am what some people might describe a "late starter" in the industry. I'm starting to put together a resume, so it's ready whenever I have an opportunity to give it to someone, but I'm having difficulty (read: obsessing) about how exactly to present my skills, and also how to develop them beyond where I am currently.
The way I see it, I have two options: I can stress the competency I have achieved already, even though I won't be at the level that some other applicants would be at. With this approach, I would focus on my core competencies (currently Java) both in my learning (e.g. do all my personal projects in Java), and on my resume. While a focused approach would obviously allow me to develop faster as a Java programmer, I have two reservations: One, that I am not as yet a 'fervent believer' in Java, and two, that I wouldn't be developing/displaying flexibility.
The alternative approach I feel would be continue down the path I'm currently on - which is learning a lot of different things that interest me. I do all the online courses I can find the time to complete, and read any book that catches my eye - so taking this approach, my resume would describe me as "competent" at Java, plus intermediate-beginner at HTML/CSS, Lua, Python and Javascript, plus an 'enthusiastic beginner' at Scala and Swift. The advantage to this approach, I hope, is that I'd be showing how much I love to code, and also displaying adaptability and ability to learn new skills (quickly and independently). The perceived downside is, I'd be scared of looking like an undisciplined dilettante in an industry that is growing more competitive every day.
If it's relevant, the most popular languages in job advertisements in my city seem to be for Javascript flavours, followed by Java, followed by a few contenders I can't accurately rank (Ruby, Python, Scala). My learning so far has been guided partially by what I perceive to be in demand in the workforce (why I'm learning JS and its extended family), and partly by what I perceive to be popular in the community (why I feel compelled to wrap my head around the functional paradigm). At the end of the day, I really just love to code - my goal is to be able to support myself financially by doing so. If you were hiring a junior developer, would you prefer one who was 'all business', focused on just getting things done in one language that they've concentrated on? Or would you be more interested in someone who might be less 'ready to go', but who has displayed more independence and passion for what they do? I also understand that university is only the beginning of my education, and that I'm going to learn a lot more in the workforce once I've got my foot in the door - so yes, part of me is aware that I might be worrying about this issue prematurely.
Huge thanks to anybody willing to take the time to help me out.