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NEED HELP in computing career choice

U

UzairH

Senior member
This question is for all the people working in computer and IT related fields. I am going to go for MS in a computer related field, and there seem to be two broad study and then career choices:

- a more 'hardcore' computer scientist/programmer in such fields as operating systems, compilers, high-performance computing, graphics etc.

- a more 'business-oriented' developer in Information Technology, focusing on stuff such as e-commerce, inter-enterprise computing, knowledge-management, databases etc.

From a purely financial viewpoint, which field do you think is better? Does a core computer scientist/programmer have a better future in industy, or does the IT professional fare better? Which has better chances of good employment, and long-term success?

I have to decide which course to apply for in university quickly so please give me advice, I'll be grateful.
 
Avoid retail..especially chinesse operated ones like the plague! very low pay,have to put up with lots of BS and very rarely get paid for overtime.
 
You should not go into either one of those just for the money. You'll be kicking yourself when you realize you hate it, and it's too tough for the money.
 
From a purely financial standpoint, healthcare is the most guaranteed income at this time and will be for a while to come.

It has leveled out and salaries are geting to be more modest. I think the more marketable person is the one who takes the IT route and has a good balance of IT exposure and business knowledge. Knowing how one can help the other puts yourself in the drivers seat for a far larger number of positions and increases your marketability. You just don't pigeon hole yourself into specialization and limit your job posibilities.

Just my $.02. The CE's here can choose to disagree with me 😉
 
Thanks guys for the advice... 'preciate it! Big3 you say the money's not that good and maybe you're right... so I should do MBA then? I've got bachelors in Software Engg. so I'm stuck in CS/IT. Management jobs are better for money/effort?
 
Originally posted by: UzairH
Thanks guys for the advice... 'preciate it! Big3 you say the money's not that good and maybe you're right... so I should do MBA then? I've got bachelors in Software Engg. so I'm stuck in CS/IT. Management jobs are better for money/effort?
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I'm not saying the money isn't good, it is if you find the right job, but these are not career fields that you want to go into unless you're very serious about doing them. You should never go into a field or job just for the money.

Since you do have a BS in SE, I suggest you go into whatever you think you'll be happier in. Life is not all about money, although it seems that way sometimes.
 
scientists and engineers will always be needed - thats a way of thinking

other IT stuff is mostly just SKILLS, which are good, but fickle. i say go for the MS CS
 
From a purely financial viewpoint, which field do you think is better?
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That's the wrong way to decide.

If you pick a career path you don't enjoy, you'll have a hard time being very good at your work. You won't be highly valued by your company, and could find it much harder to find your next job after they let you go.

If you enjoy your work you have a better chance to excel. If you're good at your job (all parts, not just the job description) you're more likely to be considered indispensible and because of your good resume (filled with interesting projects rather than punching the clock) you'll probably find it easier to find the next job when / if you ever need to.
 
Yup... I like CS, just worried that as a core programmer/scientist I'll have to work my a@@ off and not get paid as highly as in other professions. So maybe being in IT instead of core CS will be easier. Dunno.
 
Originally posted by: UzairH
Yup... I like CS, just worried that as a core programmer/scientist I'll have to work my a@@ off and not get paid as highly as in other professions. So maybe being in IT instead of core CS will be easier. Dunno.
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Someone is always going to have/earn more than you, especially someone in another profession. Only one person can be on top.

If you spend all your efforts chasing the almighty dollar, you will likely find that you did not spend enough time chasing satisfaction, comfort and happiness.

I know there are people making a lot more than me, even people in my field.
But I like my job and I'm not losing any sleep over finances, so I count myself among the successful.

Bottom line is that there is no guaranteed way to get rich quick. If there was a job that was easy, fun, and paid $250k/year, we would all be doing it. The trick is to find a job that pays enough, but is fun enough that it doesn't feel so much like work.
 
I have BS Comp Sci and MBA Finance. I passed on academic route, passed on Defense industry jobs, and focused on business. I am now consultant in Finance/IT.

Money is very good and the work is easy!

I would say get out of IT now while you are young. The trend is that companies are outsouring most of their IT work because the cost advantages are so huge. Thats bad news for IT people in US. We want big salaries and great jobs but companies are looking to reduce their overhead costs. IT is overhead in most companies.

Get your MBA, JD if money is important. If you like the work then you will need a PHD>
 
Originally posted by: BigJ
You should not go into either one of those just for the money. You'll be kicking yourself when you realize you hate it, and it's too tough for the money.
Click to expand...

I hated it big time. I'm good with customers and I'm good at what I do, so of course anywhere I'd go I would become the "go to guy." My email isn't working, my computer is slow, where's my internet explorer icon? I had lots of skills, but I didn't want to put the effort into adding useless acronyms to my resume.

Going to Navy nuke school this fall.
 
Dunno what you mean by IT, it's a little vague, but if you mean MIS type stuff, I'd go that route. Anything to do with business. I don't think a masters in purely technical computer stuff is going to help you much at all careerwise. A masters in managerial type stuff like MIS will... though admittedly a lot of it is still purely technical mumbo jumbo.
 
There are of course exceptions to the rule, but on average I can't shake the feeling that IT positions are much more replaceable than scientists with a more solid foundation in theoreticals.
 
frankie38, you're right... outsourcing means lots of development and MIS jobs go abroad. And yllus I get the feeling I agree for this reason... MIS (as torpid clarified) jobs are uncertain, but a computer scientist with maybe a PhD... that might mean at least becoming a teacher in a good univ if nothing else; but being a well-paid researcher in industry might be good.
 
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