re: need to choose job path. hardware? or software?

[WindBoy2000]

i love hardware and networking and stuff. and also programming.
now the question is what you guys think pays better.
the MSCE certification and go into networking and hardware.
or stick with programming?
i currently am a programmer and wondering how good are the opportunities are
as a MSCE certified technitian.

 

[Biggs]

Well, if you just like to sit in a chair all day and program stuff, take the programming route.
However, if you want a more dynamic job like going from places to places trying to network servers, hubs, routers, and the like, take the hardware route.

 

[Quaggoth]

I MUCH prefer the hardware jobs. I get to drive around town pretty much at my leasure, and the scenery keeps changing. Programming jobs usualy pay better though, but in the company I work for, that is changing quickly because the B.O.S. has finally realised that the programmers just program. The techs make everything work right, including the F'd up programs that the programmers write

Either way though, just look at every PC/Program as a puzzle. Keeps the job fresh. Try not to get into a job that is too repetitive, they get REALLY boring. You will lose interest and the boss will see it. You will have a new job soon after. If this happens too often of course, people will think twice about hiring you in the first place.

 

[Motero]

I prefer hardware jobs. However, I heard from several people that their MCSE cerfication did nothing for them. They paid a lot of money for it, and it didn't pay off. Maybe it's just the area I live in.

 

[stonythug]

What kind of programming degree are you going to get. I would say it really depends on what you want to do, it sounds like you are partial to hardware. I think that there are more and higher paying positions in programming(in general, I know there are some phat hardware jobs out there as well). I was kindof having the same dillema you were until I went and did a 6 month coop at a mainly hardware company. There was a lot of software being done to run the hardware, but I was in a mainly hardware group. I learned I didn't like it at all, give me my nice computer screen anyday over trying to find a stupid trace in a 6 layer PCB. Also I think there is more job security in software. For example at the company I was working at(their name is Teradyne, in the semiconductor business) had suffered due to the whole slowdown of the computer market and had a hiring freeze in every department. The one exception is that they will still hire programmers, just cause whenever they find a good one, it's their belief that it's worth it to hire him and pay him even if he isn't needed for a little while. Another consideration is competition. Electrical Engineering and hardware has been around for a long time now. There are a ton of people out there trained in it with years of experience and hardware doesn't tend to change nearly as much as software. On the other hand with software it is still relatively new and always changing so even if you're new to the workplace, your schooling would be more recent and possibly valuable compared with someone whose been in the industry for 5 or 10 years. I don't know, it's a lot to think about and when it comes down to it, if you're good at either you'll succeed. However getting the MSCE is almost limiting yourself to technical work, so you should be aware of that. Usually the technical work isn't the fun stuff(atleast in my opinion). No matter what you should pick the job you want more. I don't think any amount of money is worth going to a job you despise. I happen to enjoy programming, but if you don't I could see how it would drive you absolutely crazy. I think some people are meant to be programmers and some people are forced to by their parents. Alright enough babbling for me.