Doing computer science and my dad keeps telling me im not going to get a job

[tvdang7]

Can anyone that graduated with a computer science tell me how easy it was to get a job ?
Hear of any lay offs?

The internet has alot of articles saying the job out look is very good. just looking for feedback.

 

[Viperoni]

From what I can see in my area, you've gotta be good, and definetely have indepth knowledge. Not that many IT jobs out there, but definetly lots of developer and those kinds of positions out there.

 

[XZeroII]

As long as you are very good, you should be fine. If you're just looking for a job to slide by in, you won't last long. Companies are always looking for GOOD IT people.

 

[DaveSimmons]

If you're getting Bs and Cs you might spend a long time looking for a job. If you're getting As and enjoy your programming classes you shouldn't need to worry.

Just don't mess up your GPA by slacking off in other classes. GPA -does- matter for internships and your first job or two.

 

[aceO07]

Start looking for internships or part time jobs now. The experience will help you later.

 

[PsiStar]

Define what you mean by comsci. With the alphabet soup of new technologies, cloud, MPI, hardware accelerators (nVidia TESLA), multi-threaded s/w for multi-core CPUs, and network distributed computing of all kinds ... & more ... I think that it would be a bottomless pit for opportunities. Although I am sure that there are probably some more mature technologies that would be limiting, I think it would be intentional bad planning to end up in one of those corners of the industry.

 

[esun]

Should be fine. Lots of software companies are out there and they can always use good people. Heck, even most non-software companies need some programmers to develop things like drivers and applications to interface their hardware.

As others have said, doing well in courses and getting experience in internships will definitely help in landing a position, although this is true of basically all fields.

 

[tvdang7]

man heres the thing, ive been doing prepharm for a long ass time. my gpa went to shit. now i changed to computer science cuz i like computers but its going to take alot of work to get my gpa up.

 

[Argo]

If you are good finding a CS job should be no problem. Heck, I can set you up with an interview at a Fortune 500 company within a week.

 

[Apathetic]

I'm not sure how many Computer Science classes you've taken yet, but just because you like computers doesn't necessarilly mean this is the major for you. Remember Comp Sci is really a specialaized math degree. How well do you like doing abstract math and proofs? Who knows, you may end up loving it. Just be prepared to take at least one class and wonder what the <bleep> is this <bleep> and who would ever need to use this <bleep>?

One additional thought - see if your school offers a Computer Engineering degree. If they do, sit down and have a talk with someone if the department.

Dave

 

[MalVeauX]

Heya,

It depends where you specialize with computers.

Game development? Stop. Do something else. Not a good market.

Networking? YES. Huge market. So many crap jobs though. But huge.

I'll stop there. There's tons more. But the point is, today the internet connects the world in so many ways. Networking is the backbone of it all working. We need more and more and more network folk to keep it all working. It's not just big companies that need network people. Hospitals need them too, big time. Firms. Small businesses. Etc. You are employable if you are a network guru. And you'll have work your whole life, not just a few years.

Very best,

 

[AyashiKaibutsu]

I'm not sure how many Computer Science classes you've taken yet, but just because you like computers doesn't necessarilly mean this is the major for you. Remember Comp Sci is really a specialaized math degree. How well do you like doing abstract math and proofs? Who knows, you may end up loving it. Just be prepared to take at least one class and wonder what the <bleep> is this <bleep> and who would ever need to use this <bleep>?

One additional thought - see if your school offers a Computer Engineering degree. If they do, sit down and have a talk with someone if the department.

Dave

You take a decent amount of math in a comp science degree, but it's hardly a specialized math degree. Computer/electrical/mechanical engineers take more math. Are they specilized math degrees too? Outside of a math class you pretty much never do proofs.

Also, I hope people mentioning IT aren't thinking you take computer science to get into troubleshooting and setting up networks and whatnot. Computer Science is about developing software (either the inner workings of it or the total package depending on your focus). You'll learn almost nothing about setting up a network over the whole course of the degree.

I didn't really care about my GPA. I ended up enlisting in the airforce as a programmer, but I was lazy about even looking for a job to begin with. Make sure you get a good GPA, and try to get an internship; it won't get you a job (well the internship might), but it'll get your resume looked over atleast.

 

[degibson]

Some schools have placement programs for their students, or at least statistics on placement. Its especially common at engineering colleges -- see if your institution has some stats you can look at to gain some confidence.

 

[seepy83]

tvdang7 - What exactly do you want to do after you graduate?

I like computers too...but you couldn't pay me to get a Comp Sci degree. I'm not a programmer and never will be, and that is typically what Comp Sci is all about.

If you just "like computers", you have other options (CIS, MIS, etc) depending on what you want to do.

My personal route was B.S. in MIS/Business Administration, then got a job doing desktop support, quickly impressed my employer and took on Server Admin responsibilities, did some training and got an MCSE, did some more training and got an IT security cert through GIAC, and now I'm managing a small IT Department. All of that happened within 3.5 years of finishing my Bachelors.

Decide what type of job will make you happy, and then pick a degree program to go with it. Don't just get a comp sci degree because you like computers.

 

[dinkumthinkum]

You take a decent amount of math in a comp science degree, but it's hardly a specialized math degree. Computer/electrical/mechanical engineers take more math. Are they specilized math degrees too? Outside of a math class you pretty much never do proofs.

There are two sides to Computer Science: theoretical and experimental. If you do theoretical CS, which you will as part of any reputable CS degree, then you will do nearly zero programming. Theoretical CS is pretty much a branch of mathematics, that is how it evolved, and it existed before electronic computers did. Interest in the meaning of computation is usually traced back to Hilbert's turn of the 20th century lecture, addressing the society of mathematicians. Of course it is debatable about the historical origins---for example you could point to the work of logicians and linguists from the early 20th century as well---and the intentions of the various people, but it is clear that you do not need electronic computers to practice Computer Science.

Then there is experimental CS which covers Systems, Software Engineering, HCI, and various areas. That is more along the lines of what you are talking about.

I didn't really care about my GPA. I ended up enlisting in the airforce as a programmer, but I was lazy about even looking for a job to begin with. Make sure you get a good GPA, and try to get an internship; it won't get you a job (well the internship might), but it'll get your resume looked over atleast.

Good recommendations are important. Try to get in working relationships with people who can give you recommendations. Do independent research, or studies, or just participate to be noticed. Of course internships are one way to get recommendations.

 

[Cogman]

There are two sides to Computer Science: theoretical and experimental. If you do theoretical CS, which you will as part of any reputable CS degree, then you will do nearly zero programming. Theoretical CS is pretty much a branch of mathematics, that is how it evolved, and it existed before electronic computers did. Interest in the meaning of computation is usually traced back to Hilbert's turn of the 20th century lecture, addressing the society of mathematicians. Of course it is debatable about the historical origins---for example you could point to the work of logicians and linguists from the early 20th century as well---and the intentions of the various people, but it is clear that you do not need electronic computers to practice Computer Science.

Then there is experimental CS which covers Systems, Software Engineering, HCI, and various areas. That is more along the lines of what you are talking about.



Good recommendations are important. Try to get in working relationships with people who can give you recommendations. Do independent research, or studies, or just participate to be noticed. Of course internships are one way to get recommendations.

The "Math" in a CS degree is hardly relevant, or worth it. The only place it is used is in determining algorithm efficiency classes. You could seriously get away with 1 semester of calc and be just fine in your CS classes (or even less then that).

CompE or EE, those are degrees that require and use math. You can still be a pretty dang good programmer and struggle with basic algebra, but when it comes to EE, you need to know your stuff.

Saying that CS is NOT applied math. Perhaps applied logic, but definitely not applied math.

 

[degibson]

My 2c on the math vs. not-math debate:
CS is its own major, for a reason. CS is its own discipline, apart from Math. It has lots of its own sub-areas: Language/Compilers, Systems, Architecture, Computer Vision, HCI, Graphics, Numerical Analysis, Databases, and others.

OP -- seepy83's question is right on the money:

What exactly do you want to do after you graduate?

Figure this out. If you want to write code, continue in CS and don't worry so much about the pessimism of others. Read the rest of seepy83's post for a summary of your other computer-related options, too, if writing code isn't your cup of tea.

 

[LumbergTech]

The "Math" in a CS degree is hardly relevant, or worth it. The only place it is used is in determining algorithm efficiency classes. You could seriously get away with 1 semester of calc and be just fine in your CS classes (or even less then that).

CompE or EE, those are degrees that require and use math. You can still be a pretty dang good programmer and struggle with basic algebra, but when it comes to EE, you need to know your stuff.

Saying that CS is NOT applied math. Perhaps applied logic, but definitely not applied math.

True, but math is still a good tool set to have. Most of the stuff is already written (math functions). Sometimes you have to understand it just enough to use it.

I'm not so great at math, but I still try to take it as seriously as I can because it helps with other areas of life and thinking in general.

 

[Red Squirrel]

I took a 3 year comp sci college course and got a job within months. I was not even actively looking as I decided to take a summer break to recoop from the stress of college, and ended up getting a job before, for the company I wanted to work for. (phone company, decent job security and advancement).

Started off at help desk for about 2 years, now I'm almost on my 1st year as server tech. It does not really matter what course you take, the school itself is nothing but a time waster. Just do good, get your diploma, and that's all the work place really cares about. Certs can be important depending on where you want to go though.

If you don't make it at an IT company there's plenty of jobs, or even self employed jobs you can do like web design, fixing PCs etc... not that much money in fixing computers, but it's a start.

 

[Apathetic]

You take a decent amount of math in a comp science degree, but it's hardly a specialized math degree.

You're simply wrong here. You're probably just counting the number of calculus classes you take in Comp Sci and stopping there. All the theory classes you take in Comp Sci (and, depending upon where you go to school, there can be a lot of them) are all essentially math classes. Read up on some of these topic and then you'll see what I'm talking about:

theory of computation
np complete and np hard
analysis of algorithms
lambda calculus
logic and set theory
finite state machines

Dave

 

[Cogman]

You're simply wrong here. You're probably just counting the number of calculus classes you take in Comp Sci and stopping there. All the theory classes you take in Comp Sci (and, depending upon where you go to school, there can be a lot of them) are all essentially math classes. Read up on some of these topic and then you'll see what I'm talking about:

theory of computation
np complete and np hard
analysis of algorithms
lambda calculus
logic and set theory
finite state machines

Dave

Um.. yeah. That list you just gave, it is basically all covered in discrete math and algorithms. It is definitely not the focus of the degree (and shouldn't be IMO). Unless you are doing something like video compression or AI work, the amount of math you need to know is next to nothing.

That is, of course, speaking as an undergrad. I could see that graduates have to practice more math, however, for an undergrad in CS, it is close to nothing.

 

[Apathetic]

Um.. yeah. That list you just gave, it is basically all covered in discrete math and algorithms. It is definitely not the focus of the degree (and shouldn't be IMO). Unless you are doing something like video compression or AI work, the amount of math you need to know is next to nothing.

That is, of course, speaking as an undergrad. I could see that graduates have to practice more math, however, for an undergrad in CS, it is close to nothing.

Really? For me, Discrete Math was logic, set theory, induction, and a couple of other random things thrown in (it was a freshman level course). Theory of computation and analysis of algorithms were seperate junior/senior level courses which were heavy on formal proofs. I had two different algorithm classes: one was practical applications (i.e. a programming class) and the other was another proof based theory class where we went over a bunch of stuff like finite state machines, np complete, etc.

Dave

 

[dinkumthinkum]

Um.. yeah. That list you just gave, it is basically all covered in discrete math and algorithms. It is definitely not the focus of the degree (and shouldn't be IMO). Unless you are doing something like video compression or AI work, the amount of math you need to know is next to nothing.

I'm not meaning to pick on you, but your statement here essentially demonstrates a poor understanding of what computer science is.

I think that you are coming from the position of "math means doing fancy things with numbers". This is an incorrect view of mathematics. The work of a mathematician is, by and large, the creation, communication, and verification of proofs. This also is often the work of a computer scientist, and there is a great deal of shared interest in areas like computability, complexity, logic, formal languages, etc that does not touch on numerics. In addition, the tools of discrete mathematics are the tools of the computer scientist, regardless of whether he or she is working on theory or systems areas.

You are correct that an undergraduate can mostly ignore mathematics and still squeak by with a computer science degree. That is a testament mostly to the lack of rigor in the typical curriculum, not the lack of necessity for mathematics. In that case, you are not really practicing computer science, you are just hacking code (which can be fun and useful too, but different).

 

[Fox5]

Most CS related jobs are networking and web development related. Which to be honest, my CS curriculum barely offered any courses on, especially in terms of practical skill development beyond theory.
As for CS in the more traditional, scientist sense of the word, there are far less jobs and those available require you to excel in the field.

I'm a CS grad from last May and I've yet to find a job. Well, technically I'm waiting on a job since May, so I'm not technically a failure yet.

 

[Soulkeeper]

No matter what field you choose, there is always room at the top.
Just a matter of how much you want it I suppose.
Good luck