I'd definitely go for the Cambridge experience as well. You can always find work at a FAANG when you get back, and most likely it will be easier with your new pedigree. It will also open you doors to join the research groups within those tech companies. Without your degree, these would be close to impossible to get in.
Ask HN: Should I do a CS masters at Cambridge or start as a new grad at Amazon?
71–80 of 103 posts
Re: Ask HN: Should I do a CS masters at Cambridge or start as a new grad at Amazon?
#72Masters', taken as a different kind of employment - you don't work for the benefit of others but for your own development.
In other words, take the experience that maximizes your growth, intelligently taken. For example: master the theoretics, yet allocate time to get practical technical experience ("can you do this and that"), and meanwhile build a network with the most worthwhile people you meet...
Don't waste time. Maximize experience in view of what will be useful later. You correctly identified "flexibility".
Re: Ask HN: Should I do a CS masters at Cambridge or start as a new grad at Amazon?
#73I’d go with Cambridge for the experience alone. Letting this AI stuff shake out some more is also a bonus. Amazon could leave you laid off in 6 months. Once you get the masters, you have that for life, and a lot more options. There will be corporations waiting to employ people the rest of your life. Going back to school later if you change your mind is a lot harder once you’ve started to build a life. Solidify that f…
> I’d go with Cambridge for the experience alone He didn't ask which experience is better. He said his goal is flexibility and money in the long term. > Letting this AI stuff shake out some more is also a bonus... There will be corporations waiting to employ people the rest of your life These two are contradictory. No one knows how this AI stuff will play out. Putting things on hold for 2-3 years right now is incredi…
Masters degree in the UK are one year.
Re: Ask HN: Should I do a CS masters at Cambridge or start as a new grad at Amazon?
#74Neither?
Amazon sounds like an absolutely terrible place to work, and I'm not convinced it's going to be stable or long-term lucrative for someone just entering the job market now.
I don't think a masters in CS is going to buy you flexibility and money in the long term. Specializing further is the opposite of flexibility. Staying in school longer carries an opportunity cost, and a masters doesn't increase your salary much when it comes to software.
(And if you're aiming to be a Big Deal at an AI lab eventually, a PhD would probably be what you want.)
Do the masters if you think you'd enjoy that particular experience. Go out and find a job of you think you'd enjoy that more.
Re: Ask HN: Should I do a CS masters at Cambridge or start as a new grad at Amazon?
#75It is depends ob your ability to pursue either of paths later in life. If you choose Amazon you would be earning money while at Cambridge you would be spending money. BUT on the long term after Cambridge you would earn more money.
So, if you see yourself starting at amazon, working a couple years, going to Cambridge later - you will join it with a much better background and experience, you will get more from the education. If you cant do that, go for Cambridge. Amazon wont get you enough experience to sustain on a long term
Re: Ask HN: Should I do a CS masters at Cambridge or start as a new grad at Amazon?
#76Don't join amazon, especially as a first job. The reason being, there is usually a shit ton of political stuff going on which you won't see as a new grad. The general way companies like amazon work, they try to bring in non-jaded people like you who have no clue what the fuck they're walking into.
For example, if your TL or manager doesn't like you and is deliberately setting you up to fail, you might not catch it early enough to be prepared. They won't tell you in the open either. They'll deliberately try to hide it and trick you into thinking that you're safe. Once you're in that position, they'll try to force you to work as much as possible and leaving is more difficult.
If you go the Cambridge route, you're getting domain knowledge which could let you get specialist roles (and likely a better support structure) at better companies. It's a no-brainer really. Amazon is desperate for practically any warm body they can get because no one with options wants to work there. If you're ever at a point in your career where you have to join amazon, it means that you played the game wrong and got blindsided by a layoff or something. (Ditto for all the other shitty amazon-like sweatshop companies, Elon companies, etc. Don't forget this: company reputation matters)
Re: Ask HN: Should I do a CS masters at Cambridge or start as a new grad at Amazon?
#77Get the masters. Jobs at Amazon are not immune from layoffs.
Re: Ask HN: Should I do a CS masters at Cambridge or start as a new grad at Amazon?
#781. Don't restrict yourself to two options.
2. Don't chase perceived prestige. In a few years nobody will care
3. I don't know, but I'm assuming you're young. If you already have a BSc or similar and have been accepted by Cambridge then there are many places you could go. The people you meet and get to know could unlock future flexibility.
4. Don't work for Amazon. Maybe they made you a good offer but, even more so than other corporations, they don't care about you. They'll run you hot and then stick a fork in you without a moment's hesitation.
Re: Ask HN: Should I do a CS masters at Cambridge or start as a new grad at Amazon?
#79I believe Master at Cambridge is harder to get accepted again than at Amazon.
There are plenty of opportunities other than Amazon, I am not sure if the same could be said for Cambridge.
That is assuming you have no financial burden.
Re: Ask HN: Should I do a CS masters at Cambridge or start as a new grad at Amazon?
#80Earlier quoted context omitted.
> I’d go with Cambridge for the experience alone He didn't ask which experience is better. He said his goal is flexibility and money in the long term. > Letting this AI stuff shake out some more is also a bonus... There will be corporations waiting to employ people the rest of your life These two are contradictory. No one knows how this AI stuff will play out. Putting things on hold for 2-3 years right now is incredi…
Masters degree in the UK are one year.
No they are not.