College is going to start in a few days. But seeing the job market, I'm a little scared.
What do you all recommend that i should focus on so i can be employable and actually have a job by the time college ends?
Ask HN: Any tips for a college freshman enrolled in computer science?
1–10 of 69 posts
Re: Ask HN: Any tips for a college freshman enrolled in computer science?
#2Fear is normal. Jump in.
Learn how to learn. Get really good at that. That is the essence of your college experience. Perhaps consider a minor in a life science, hard technology, or other field that has good employment prospects.
Everything is software these days--it's going to be about applying software rather than pure programming skills.
Take a physics class or two. Learn how and why things work.
If your school has co-op work--do it. It raises your employment prospects at graduation.
Expect to have to consider multiple options/tracks in your career ahead. Adaptation and flexibility will be important. The world is changing quickly.
You can't study everything in college, but you will need to be ready to study and adapt in the years ahead. Good luck and do well in school.
One more thing: be social. Your network of friends will be extremely valuable to you.
Re: Ask HN: Any tips for a college freshman enrolled in computer science?
#3Knowing how the software development lifecycle really works and how to write reliable, shippable code _without using AI as a crutch_ will put you ahead of your fellow students when you graduate. Don't neglect learning it, even if it's not taught in your classes.
Knowing the CS theory that college is trying to teach you well enough to apply it will put you ahead of your fellow co-workers when you are a senior developer. Don't neglect learning it. The people who say "I never needed to use CS for my entire career, lol" are the people most easily replaced by AI.
Don't neglect understanding how to use AI to create code but don't become dependent on it either.
Don't neglect your writing courses. Reading and writing clearly is how you interact with your fellow developers and, of course, AI. Too many developers are lousy writers and wind up stuck in the lower ranks because of it.
Re: Ask HN: Any tips for a college freshman enrolled in computer science?
#4Focus learning well the fundamentals of the field as they will underpin everything else. Try to keep your finger on the pulse of industry in some way beyond whatever they are teaching in your classes (industry conferences, trade orgs, etc.). Try for internships during the summer break to get an idea of what people's day to day is like today and where it may be headed. Have a backup plan (e.g. pre-med).
Re: Ask HN: Any tips for a college freshman enrolled in computer science?
#5If you want a developer's career, make sure you study something other than CS in uni. If you have some basis in an engineering or scientific field, speciality fields can open that can't be easily filled. It also helps to actually learn how to create something from blank paper: come up with an idea, spec it, make a prototype, cycle through revisions. This "muscle memory" is the basis of the software development. And it provides an opportunity to learn debugging - perhaps the single skill that will carry over into the AI sunny uplands.
And as others have said - do it yourself, put off using crutches such as AI until you understand the process.
Re: Ask HN: Any tips for a college freshman enrolled in computer science?
#6If you want a developer's career, make sure you study something other than CS in uni. If you have some basis in an engineering or scientific field, speciality fields can open that can't be easily filled. It also helps to actually learn how to create something from blank paper: come up with an idea, spec it, make a prototype, cycle through revisions. This "muscle memory" is the basis of the software development. And i…
> If you want a developer's career, make sure you study something other than CS in uni.
You mean in addition to, I hope.
If you want a developer’s career, studying CS in college is the best way to get there. Full stop.
If you have the time, financial, and emotional resources (school isn't stress free!) then having a minor or double major in a specialized field will (obviously) make you more attractive as a candidate for a development role in that field.
Re: Ask HN: Any tips for a college freshman enrolled in computer science?
#7Find something you're passionate about.
- If you don't like programming, try to switch to a degree in something else
- If you genuinely enjoy programming, do not try to switch
- Explore specialty fields, if you're interested in one get a combined degree
Re: Ask HN: Any tips for a college freshman enrolled in computer science?
#8If you want a developer's career, make sure you study something other than CS in uni. If you have some basis in an engineering or scientific field, speciality fields can open that can't be easily filled. It also helps to actually learn how to create something from blank paper: come up with an idea, spec it, make a prototype, cycle through revisions. This "muscle memory" is the basis of the software development. And i…
I've mixed feelings about this post
I have had a rocky but reasonably successful software dev career built off a CS degree, it's definitely possible
That said I don't think anyone should try and be "just a developer" anymore. The skills are too easy to learn for anyone who is motivated. The most successful dude I ever met in software was a tradesman that thought up a way to automate a lot of the work that went into providing estimates for his clients as a sales tool, taught himself C# and built it.
The code was garbage, it was buggy and messy and half the calculations were probably wrong in the end, but he still sold it to a competitor for millions. :)
I think a lack of experience outside of CS and Software really holds a lot of software devs back from building great and/or valuable things, because you can't have great ideas if you don't have a variety of experiences to draw from
Re: Ask HN: Any tips for a college freshman enrolled in computer science?
#9It's a time of great change right now and fear is a natural response. The world is going to be a very different place in 4 years time. Try not to let the fear of an unknown future affect your experience in college. College is a great time to learn who you are, to learn what you like and what you dislike, make friends, understand people, pick up new skills and hobbies and drop old ones. I don't know you and where you're headed, but I know you're going to have a great time. Enjoy it and let the future come to you.
Re: Ask HN: Any tips for a college freshman enrolled in computer science?
#10Use college to make connections, it's pretty much the only reason to go as you can teach yourself anything now for free. Connections with students, professors, and industry.
Grades are important but in today's AI-driven job application processes having a 4.0 is less important than knowing somebody at the company.