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Ask HN: Got a CS degree, but I’m unable to be programmer. What can I do?

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Re: Ask HN: Got a CS degree, but I’m unable to be programmer. What can I do?

#171

Post by AstralStorm »

trcollinson wrote: post #47
jokh wrote: post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's why I said "pay reasonably well". It seems to me that most places that don't interview and filter candidates by asking algorithmic problems don't pay as well as those that do. That's just been my experience as a student that's interviewed for internships and is going to start interviewing for new grad positions in the fall. Also > (They do exist, even if they're not as common as they should be.) I'm curious wh…

You’re thinking rather short sided here. There are a lot of ways to find out if someone can think critically and also has the appropriate level of skill at programming. I prefer to give them a set of much more real world type scenarios to see how they will handle things. Often I do this in a paired programming scenario. We both sit down. I drive they navigate and we spend 20 - 30 minutes trying to build something. Th…

The other good test is to toss some intentionally cleverly buggy or incomplete piece of code to analyze and debug, since a third of the job is debugging.

And by bug I do not mean super hidden tricky language feature you get to look up on language standard to not misuse.

Re: Ask HN: Got a CS degree, but I’m unable to be programmer. What can I do?

#172

Post by phonebucket »

> I put all my eggs in the “being a programmer” basket and it’s clearly not for me

If you are sure you don’t want to be a programmer, then don’t be one.

Your degree shouldn’t pigeonhole you. If you are a recent graduate, you have plenty of eggs for whichever basket you choose.

Edit: what about data science? There are plenty of jobs available. Some might be based on coding, but others are based on maths, and others based on having a good business sense. It’s a diverse field which is in vogue and could allow you to pivot your career.

Re: Ask HN: Got a CS degree, but I’m unable to be programmer. What can I do?

#174

Post by pure-awesome »

ewiewi wrote: post #166
abledon wrote: post #103

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah like I said in another thread, CTCI is for more of a software __engineering__ role. There are lots of really easy software developement jobs where you ain’t doing algorithmic/dataatructures, just chilling with other code monkeys , humming Katy perry tunes and stackoverflow searching 4 hrs a day, the rest is breaks and hn reading

"Code monkeys" feels pretty derogatory when talking about people just doing the job they are paid for. It's especially unnecessary in a thread like this one where OP is doubting his skills and choices, and looking for help/direction.

I think the way that abledon used it here is fine. He wasn't saying "everyone else is a code monkey", he was saying "we are all code monkeys" himself included.

In this context, it might actually help OP to relax a bit - the message is "Don't worry, you don't have to be a programming contest winner in order to work as a programmer. Many programming jobs are much lower stress and lower cognitive load than that", and abledon's description certainly matches my own programming job more than, e.g. what was described in the other "What was it like to be a software engineer at NeXT?" post on HN.

Re: Ask HN: Got a CS degree, but I’m unable to be programmer. What can I do?

#175

Post by jinfiesto »

whack wrote: post #101

> I experience PTSD like symptoms from the constant barrage of negative thoughts the difficulty and stress of doing these problems are causing me. A lot of the other posters have given some great advice from a technical perspective. I'd suggest taking some time to evaluate and improve your mental health as well. If you're putting yourself under so much pressure, that pressure alone will hold you back to a great exten…

This. If you can move in with your parents, or don't need to start making money immediately, I'd prioritize dealing with your mental health issues. See a therapist or do some meditation. Whatever you need to do to get centered again. If things are that bad for you, even if you get a job, you're either going to have trouble keeping it or make yourself miserable doing it.

Re: Ask HN: Got a CS degree, but I’m unable to be programmer. What can I do?

#176

Post by IshKebab »

simonbarker87 wrote: post #144
godot wrote: post #119

I don't know if this helps, but I personally find coding interview practice sites/problems to be extremely boring, difficult, not fun, and frustrating to work on. I'm saying this as a 13-years-of-experience software engineer; I've been called a rock star or ninja or something similar in almost every company and team I've worked in (big and small), and throughout my entire career and the numerous times I've job-hunted…

> “really easy interview and we just talked about my experience and projects“ This is what interviewing is like in 99% of other sectors, even engineering. You might be asked some competency based questions at a larger organisation but the whole “dance like a monkey in a high pressure environment while we watch” whiteboard/coding test feels like cruel and unusual punishment to me that is nothing like the job of actual…

That's not true. I've interviewed for many engineering jobs and lots of them involved solving puzzle-like problems on a whiteboard.

Re: Ask HN: Got a CS degree, but I’m unable to be programmer. What can I do?

#177

Post by chris_wot »

thomasfedb wrote: post #151
whack wrote: post #101

> I experience PTSD like symptoms from the constant barrage of negative thoughts the difficulty and stress of doing these problems are causing me. A lot of the other posters have given some great advice from a technical perspective. I'd suggest taking some time to evaluate and improve your mental health as well. If you're putting yourself under so much pressure, that pressure alone will hold you back to a great exten…

As a medical student who also happens to have a CS degree, might I suggest that a councillor is an excellent idea, and a psychologist or psychiatrist might also be worthwhile.

As someone with dreadful experiences of the metal health system, I think the very last thing you want to do is see a psychiatrist. Psychiatrists are expensive and look at brain chemistry, more than likely you’ll end up on some sort of medication which you likely don’t need.

By all means see a counsellor or a psychologist, but unless you have deep psychological issues where you are getting to an unbelievably unbearable point where medication might help you, see a psychologist first and leave the psychiatrist out of it.

And, in case anyone thinks I hate psychiatrists - I don’t. I just feel they aren’t that helpful in the sort of situations you describe here.

Re: Ask HN: Got a CS degree, but I’m unable to be programmer. What can I do?

#179

Post by isodude »

In my experience, the negative thoughts and stress is associated with pressure to complete the task. This is relateable with most larger tasks (i.e. essay writing). I think it's two fold, first off, in engineering, nobody wants you to complete a problem 100%, rather solve it 25% but that solution is quite clear. Then you solve 25% again which was way easier after you solved the first 25%. This way it's easier for people around you to chime in with hints or to get an overview of the task / gain insight that the problem is not defined correctly. It's an iterative process! Second, the negative thoughts you face is not that uncommon, doing something you have no clue how to solve is difficult. Instead of trying to solve the problem, think about what strategy you should have solving the problem, in your CS degree you have lot's of tools for that if you look back. Avoiding the fear of not completing is a good way to actually complete, that's my motto anyway.

A good way to get on your feet(motivation wise) is to do easier things for a while, also something that really motivate. Maybe there's someone you know that have a problem that you can solve. If you feel that problems are too tough to do, pick something easier to get the flow going again.

The most important thing is to feel good! Like the most upvoted answer said, chill out. Increasing the pressure is not the answer. If it's anywhere near what my SO had, Yoga/structured days(doing something 1h, taking a walk, doing something 1h...)/dark rooms. The stress is real and should not be ignored. Getting a job that's completely off the field is not a bad thing either, you got yourself a CS degree, which you always will have in your back pocket. Doing something else will make you able to combine that degree with other work experience. And everyone else will think about you as a super human that actually get's computers ;)

Re: Ask HN: Got a CS degree, but I’m unable to be programmer. What can I do?

#180

Post by [deleted] »

simonbarker87 wrote: post #144
godot wrote: post #119

I don't know if this helps, but I personally find coding interview practice sites/problems to be extremely boring, difficult, not fun, and frustrating to work on. I'm saying this as a 13-years-of-experience software engineer; I've been called a rock star or ninja or something similar in almost every company and team I've worked in (big and small), and throughout my entire career and the numerous times I've job-hunted…

> “really easy interview and we just talked about my experience and projects“ This is what interviewing is like in 99% of other sectors, even engineering. You might be asked some competency based questions at a larger organisation but the whole “dance like a monkey in a high pressure environment while we watch” whiteboard/coding test feels like cruel and unusual punishment to me that is nothing like the job of actual…

[deleted]
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