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Computer-science majors graduate into a world of fewer opportunities

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Re: Computer-science majors graduate into a world of fewer opportunities

#41

Post by beaeglebeachedd »

ohthatsnotright wrote: post #32
nine_zeros wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It has to be finance. Finance + CS or Finance + Math just opens up both Wall St and Tech as well as consulting to the individual. But otherwise, trades. It is a serious path to money and ultimately starting your own business.

After 4 years as an apprentice digging ditches by hand, if you got lucky enough to find a company that would hire someone fresh out of school (because none of them hire fresh off the street without some kind of related experience).

Lol if I had a job manually digging ditches id negotiate a per foot rate which would be far cheaper than my manual labor cost then finance a backhoe or trencher and make bank. Having digging jobs lined up is like a money printer win-win if the boss got that many.

Re: Computer-science majors graduate into a world of fewer opportunities

#42

Post by cromka »

lispisok wrote: post #34
dietmtnview wrote: post #4

Has the bubble popped?

Yes it popped with the first big wave of post-covid layoffs but somehow word hasnt gotten out to the general public. When the most common career advice was to find a new job every 6 months and ask for 20% more money and companies were hiring anybody with a pulse a few years ago I dont know how people did not see that bubble. It was so painfully obvious.

Many did see it, especially when 6 months bootcamps started to pop up and weren’t actually totally misleading in promising high salary jobs upon graduation.

Re: Computer-science majors graduate into a world of fewer opportunities

#43

Post by piloto_ciego »

gfourfour wrote: post #21
piloto_ciego wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have a math degree and this has absolutely not been my experience. Nobody gives a shit about a math degree, so I went and got a masters in computer vision (CS + Stats). I’ve been sending out resumes this whole last semester and have heard basically nothing. Now I’m trying to leverage my previous 13 years of experience in aviation, but yeah, I’m not super optimistic. I applied at a robotics company attempting to aut…

The market now is terrible but your math degree isn’t holding you back

What the heck is it then, lol? Is it just the current market?

I’m legit thinking I’ll just do my own thing if I can’t figure out something.

Re: Computer-science majors graduate into a world of fewer opportunities

#44

Post by mbonnet »

porkphish wrote: post #19
mbonnet wrote: post #17

I graduated in 2022 into the final era of zero interest rate job markets. And then got laid off/fired twice in two years. The only thing that keeps me competitive in the job market is that I specialized so heavily so early (got a cert in unmanned vehicles then started writing spacecraft software). Kids who just learn the general fullstack curriculum (and don't do personal projects) are going to find the market very d…

I've been in software development professionally since I was 20. I'm 42 now and feel like I have no specialties. I've done many projects for all kinds of things, but never the things that truly interest me. I'm jealous of you writing software for spacecrafts and now I'm thinking maybe I should get some certs...

Certs are whatever, demonstrated knowledge through projects is king. Go learn embedded C/C++ and start making gizmos and you'll be prime space industry meat.

Re: Computer-science majors graduate into a world of fewer opportunities

#47

Post by gfourfour »

piloto_ciego wrote: post #43
gfourfour wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The market now is terrible but your math degree isn’t holding you back

What the heck is it then, lol? Is it just the current market? I’m legit thinking I’ll just do my own thing if I can’t figure out something.

Yes, it’s the current market. I’m in the same boat.

Re: Computer-science majors graduate into a world of fewer opportunities

#48

Post by gfourfour »

piloto_ciego wrote: post #43
gfourfour wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The market now is terrible but your math degree isn’t holding you back

What the heck is it then, lol? Is it just the current market? I’m legit thinking I’ll just do my own thing if I can’t figure out something.

If you’re interested in doing your own thing send me an email at mhmthrowaway23@gmail.com

I have a BA in philosophy and a MS in CS w/ a focus in computer vision. Similar boat as you. No 13 years of exp in a prior industry though.

I stopped trying to get a job a few months ago and have been plugging away at my own projects. I’ve been (equity compensated) working for a startup for the last month or so in a non-technical role and it’s been really eye opening as to what it takes to get something off the ground. I have a lot of interest in pursuing that route now and if you do too it could be good to connect.

Re: Computer-science majors graduate into a world of fewer opportunities

#49

Post by gfourfour »

zero-sharp wrote: post #14
gfourfour wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Any kind you want. Being smart matters 100000x more than your major.

I disagree. Maybe if you went to a top five school and are good at networking. Otherwise most careers will still require that you show specialization (domain specific knowledge, certifications, etc).

Once you’re in the door somewhere the cream tends to rise, regardless of your background.

Re: Computer-science majors graduate into a world of fewer opportunities

#50

Post by zero-sharp »

gfourfour wrote: post #49
zero-sharp wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I disagree. Maybe if you went to a top five school and are good at networking. Otherwise most careers will still require that you show specialization (domain specific knowledge, certifications, etc).

Once you’re in the door somewhere the cream tends to rise, regardless of your background.

Kinda. Career success isn't strictly based on merit or "smarts."

But I was responding to the claim that a bachelor's in math can get you "any kind of job." That just isn't true. You will always have to compete with the people who have specialized and have experience in that particular domain. Why would any organization hire a math student for a software development job (for example) when they have hundreds of applicants lined up with CS degrees/internships/whathaveyou? Pick any other domain and apply the same thought process. Again, you'd really have to be pulling on your connections or be a standout in some other sense to get that level of consideration. I'm confident that for a lot of hiring managers, success in the long term and "hiring the best" are secondary to "can this person be productive in a reasonable amount of time?".

I remember when I was in school philosophy students used to say the same thing and I thought it was totally absurd. That somehow a philosophy student is on equal footing with someone who just spent four years coding? Just insanity.

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