DEAR PROFESSIONAL COMPUTER TOUCHERS -- FRIDAY RANT THREAD FOR March 30, 2018 CS Career Questions |
- DEAR PROFESSIONAL COMPUTER TOUCHERS -- FRIDAY RANT THREAD FOR March 30, 2018
- Daily Chat Thread - March 30, 2018
- I had trouble getting bites on my applications. Then I stopped checking "I have or had a disability."
- Decision fatigue - do you experience this?
- As a software developer, what is the single most worst experience in your career?
- Can we discuss your thoughts on the old "Time vs. Quality" axiom?
- What are some conferences worth going to in 2018?
- Where's the disconnect? Job seekers say "The market is oversaturated", recruiters say "There's a huge shortage of developers/<insert tech job title here>"
- Software engineer prerequisites
- I'm interested in hearing opinions about Northwestern's Computer Science Master's program
- Transitioning from embedded systems dev to web dev
- People who interned for NASAs JPL, what was your experience?
- What are your thoughts of this as an entry level job with aspirations to become a data engineer?
- Considering dropping out. Is this a terrible idea?
- Need advice. Too late to get an internship for summer? Options?
- Trying to take winter quarter off and find an internship
- Webcam and Microphone Control
- Is a full CS Major degree required for a quant trader or will a minor suffice?
- If I'm attending more than one conference, should my job count both of them as professional development?
- Is unpaid work experience and shadowing worth putting on a CV?
- 4 years experience as a SWE. Should I still expect coding challenge questions?
- Subreddit for finding mentors and mentees?
- Where should I study computer science? US or EU
- If you could go back in time and tell yourself something when you first started to learn for your career, what would you say?
- Given verbal offer, written offer taking forever with promises of it coming "now"
| DEAR PROFESSIONAL COMPUTER TOUCHERS -- FRIDAY RANT THREAD FOR March 30, 2018 Posted: 30 Mar 2018 12:09 AM PDT AND NOW FOR SOMETHING ENTIRELY DIFFERENT. THE BUILDS I LOVE, THE SCRIPTS I DROP, TO BE PART OF, THE APP, CAN'T STOP THIS IS THE RANT THREAD. IT IS FOR RANTS. CAPS LOCK ON, DOWNVOTES OFF, FEEL FREE TO BREAK RULE 2 IF SOMEONE LIKES SOMETHING THAT YOU DON'T BUT IF YOU POST SOME RACIST/HOMOPHOBIC/SEXIST BULLSHIT IT'LL BE GONE FASTER THAN A NEW MESSAGING APP AT GOOGLE. (RANTING BEGINS AT MIDNIGHT EVERY FRIDAY, BEST COAST TIME. PREVIOUS FRIDAY RANT THREADS CAN BE FOUND HERE.) [link] [comments]  |
| Daily Chat Thread - March 30, 2018 Posted: 30 Mar 2018 12:09 AM PDT Please use this thread to chat, have casual discussions, and ask casual questions. Moderation will be light, but don't be a jerk. This thread is posted every day at midnight PST. Previous Daily Chat Threads can be found here. [link] [comments]  |
| Posted: 30 Mar 2018 08:06 AM PDT This is kind of interesting and disappointing to me. I have a good resume, a 3.93 GPA, a couple of letters of recommendation (one from the editor of one of the biggest CS research publications in the US), and a not-too-shabby portfolio. But out of nearly 70 applications - mostly to local companies, even - I only got two responses. Didn't get either opportunity; they had hired someone else before even scheduling my interview. I've never thought twice about checking, well, any of the boxes for reporting demographics or disability status. Honesty seems important when it comes to things they'll learn anyway in the interview. Plus, they talk all about how they legally can't discriminate, and they make a big ruckus about how that they even get bonuses from the government for taking on disabled workers! My disability is minor - I have a crappy lower back that I take medication for and it doesn't really impact anything that I do, but it was notable enough that I ended up registered as disabled. So if a company wants to use my semi-trivial condition to make stacks off the government, why not! But then I started feeling really down on myself about not getting a single bite on these applications. Threads on this forum always say you need to stop looking at the big companies and go local! Well, I was already doing that; I don't want to move out of state, and certainly not to California or Seattle or anywhere else with outrageous cost of living, so I only applied to the likes of Google if they had openings in the local office. You must have a bad resume, well, apparently it's bad in a way that no career professional could spot, because I had plenty of people look it over. Your portfolio must be underwhelming, but in all of my applications, not a single person even viewed my portfolio. It really sucks to get shot down when you should be at the very top of the candidacy list. So I finally decided on one simple lie on my application. I didn't click "I choose not to disclose my disability." I went all the way over to "I do not have a disability" while applying for 8 positions. I got 5 emails and one phone call that week. One email asked me in the very first exchange what my expected salary would be. They didn't disappear when I gave them a vague range about 10% higher than the local going rate - they called the number I left in my response 2 hours later. I'm kind of overwhelmed now by all of it, really. It feels like being thrown into the deep end. I'm being really skeptical as I approach these interviews I've got lined up because it feels like there has to be some catch here. While it could all just be coincidental, it seems unlikely - and that really makes me angry. I think that's what I'm feeling most right now. I've been told that disability information typically isn't even shown to the hiring folks for the sake of legal liability. But wow. Has anyone else had this experience? Edit: Whoa gold, thanks so much guys! It's both depressing and encouraging to read the replies here. I think what I'm maddest about is the idea that there were some good companies I may have had an opportunity to interview with if I hadn't checked that box - the places I'm talking with now will be good money and okay work, but they're definitely not in fields I'm excited about and are mostly my "bottom picks." So part of me still hopes it's a coincidence or a statistical anomaly. Hopefully experience and networking with these companies will at least get me into CS work that I'm more passionate about! [link] [comments]  |
| Decision fatigue - do you experience this? Posted: 30 Mar 2018 11:44 AM PDT I work as a junior software developer at a mid-stage tech company in the Bay Area. I'm one of the younger (if not youngest) hires at the company, and I've worked here now for around a year and a half. The majority of my coworkers have had at least 5+ years experience in the industry, with many being pretty experienced/senior developers that have created some product you have used before or know in the past. One of the things I've recently really struggled with is making design decisions. This has been something pointed out to me by my manager, in that I should focus more of my time on designing a good solution before coding it. He encouraged me to work with senior developers to design the solution first prior to coding it. I've been applying this lesson broadly, trying to come up with a solution myself first, and then talking to a senior developer while getting critique on my design prior to coding. This seems to have worked, and I started developing a bit more confidence with regards to my code. Unfortunately, whenever it comes to the PR phase, other more senior developers try to chime in. I appreciate their feedback, and I desire to learn how to get better, but I just struggle a lot when the PR usually isn't about the syntax/code/style (which are easy fixes), but they are critiquing the fundamental design of my solution. I did it in the X way, but they think X isn't good, and suggests the Y and Z way. Not to add, different senior developers have their ideas on how the code should flow, how it should be designed, and I just feel ping ponged by this. While I may work with one senior developer on a design, and it's OK'd by them, during the code review phase, someone would come in and say their mind on why something shouldn't be done this way. I try to communicate the decisions that came to this decision, whether it's a product/security/engineering specification, but because of my relatively much lower experience compared to these really experienced senior developers, I usually am convinced by their reasoning, or just don't understand enough to argue why my solution is better. Fortunately, all these developers are very friendly and kind. So I am stressed not at the way they communicate to me, but just the part about coming to a consensus. My confidence in my own designs and coding hasn't been this low in awhile. It makes me feel so frustrated when I seemingly come up with what I thought is a fair design, talk with it with someone, only to implement it, go through review, and have to back to the drawing board. Every time I see the Github notification light up, I get slight chills because I am anticipating someone making some sort of design suggestion after the implementation has been done. I also have major concerns because this waste so much time, and it means not meeting deadlines. My confidence in my designs right now are so low, and I am genuinely reconsidering if I should be a developer. I am curious if you have any advice or thoughts on this matter? [link] [comments]  |
| As a software developer, what is the single most worst experience in your career? Posted: 30 Mar 2018 08:09 AM PDT |
| Can we discuss your thoughts on the old "Time vs. Quality" axiom? Posted: 30 Mar 2018 10:41 AM PDT After receiving an enraging email from my boss about another project that's off of his fantasized timeline, I searched for some outside perspectives. I found this article: 7 Things Your Boss Doesn't Understand About Software Development. It was very reassuring, but I'm wary of confirmation bias. Can we discuss both sides of the coin here? Many of us are familiar with the kinds of conflicts and typical responses the author writes about. Does anyone disagree with some of his points? Do you have any, "Well yeah that's true, but on the other hand..."? NinjEdit: There are several cs/software engineering subreddits. If any of you kind souls know a better sub for this question, please let me know. [link] [comments]  |
| What are some conferences worth going to in 2018? Posted: 30 Mar 2018 07:48 AM PDT I want to attend a conference or two this year, but I have never been to one nor am familiar with what conferences are happening this year. Does anyone have any conferences they would recommend/suggest? I personally prefer topics that can be applied anywhere regardless of the tech stack such as software architecture, design patterns, coding standards, etc or anything cool, but I am open to whatever. Does not have to be limited to any country; can be anywhere in the world. If there is a better subreddit for this, let me know. [link] [comments]  |
| Posted: 29 Mar 2018 11:49 PM PDT Just an observation, but I thought the discussion would be worth having. When I was looking for my first software development job, I must have applied to about 100 job postings. Did a few phone/skype interviews, a couple coding challenges for some recruiters, and only got one single in-person interview. Every recruiter I dealt with said that there was a huge demand, and large gaps in the market, and it was a perfect time to be looking for work in a software field. From the other side of the fence, I'm on a team that currently has 2 vacancies, and we can't find anyone qualified for an entry-level developer position, even despite not requiring any college degree or prior work experience. I switched careers because I love programming, and I absolutely love my job, but I've been able to hear arguments from both sides of the aisle, and it seems that there is some disconnect between the job seekers and employers. Anyone have any insights as to why this is? Was my experience simply because I was new to the field? Will things be different the next time I search for a job? [link] [comments]  |
| Software engineer prerequisites Posted: 30 Mar 2018 10:51 AM PDT What are some prerequisites of software engineering? What are some things that every software engineer should know to be successful at their jobs? [link] [comments]  |
| I'm interested in hearing opinions about Northwestern's Computer Science Master's program Posted: 30 Mar 2018 02:30 PM PDT I am considering attending the Master's program in Computer Science at Northwestern University and am looking to hear from people that have experience with Northwestern as a graduate institution. I have heard that there are a lot of resources available to graduate students, and was excited to see the number of cool courses in artificial intelligence that the school offers (this page has some of their past projects) Has anyone here completed a master's degree at Northwestern? Is it worth the cost of attendance? I couldn't find any data on outcomes and job placement after the program, though it does look promising based on my linkedin searches lol. Thanks! [link] [comments]  |
| Transitioning from embedded systems dev to web dev Posted: 30 Mar 2018 11:20 AM PDT So I got two competing offers from two very different companies: one in web dev, and another in embedded systems. I'm planning on taking the offer from the embedded systems company since it's better overall and the location is near the university where I plan on taking up my Master's degree. However if embedded systems dev doesn't work out for me, how hard would it be to transition from embedded systems dev to web dev? How will it affect my prospects of getting hired as a web dev should I choose to transition from embedded systems dev to web development after working for, let's say, three years? EDIT: Extra info [link] [comments]  |
| People who interned for NASAs JPL, what was your experience? Posted: 30 Mar 2018 07:49 PM PDT Obviously it looks good on the resume, but did you feel like you learned much compared to say interning at a private company? Also what was your pay range? [link] [comments]  |
| What are your thoughts of this as an entry level job with aspirations to become a data engineer? Posted: 30 Mar 2018 06:30 AM PDT Global Data – Technical Operations Analyst You'll be joining a team responsible for using and developing cutting-edge technology and project management techniques to enhance our acquisition, data flow and automation processes. As an individual contributor, you will be responsible for developing technical solutions that improve internal processes and produce unique client-facing content. We are hiring for a couple different areas within our Technical Operations team including data engineering, workflow engineering, and acquisition. During the interview process, our TechOps experts will see which team is the best fit for you. However before we get there, here's a breakdown of the areas so you can see how your skills will align: Acquisition – Manage and streamline the use of automated data acquisition tools and processes for ingesting content from around the world. Data Engineering – Focused effort in NLP and content classification, anomaly detection/predictive modeling and ETL processes that allow us to deliver high impact data for our clients. Workflow Engineering – Lead the design, development and implementation of workflows that facilitate the data management process from beginning to end for our internal Global Data clients. After classroom style training, you will be prepared to hit the ground running and put your STEM background to use. We'll trust you to: Apply problem-solving skills to identify innovative work-flow efficiencies and use cutting-edge technology solutions to enhance our processes and software Assist in monitoring and communicating progress throughout each project's development lifecycle Collaborate with data analysts and managers to devise creative solutions to technical issues they face in their businesses Develop systems and methods for acquiring content from external sources to support the Global Data and News businesses Liaise with stakeholders to gather requirements, scope projects, and develop project plans Troubleshoot technical issues relating to the automated systems we employ You need to have: 0-2 years previous work/internship experience in information technology, engineering, business management, data analysis or research Demonstrated experience using one or more programming languages (e.g. Python, JavaScript, etc.) Prior coursework or involvement within a field like Informatics, Mathematics, Economics or other applied sciences We'd also like to see: Project management and organizational skills Proven ability to adapt to a fluid environment Effective written and verbal communication skills Strong aptitude for problem solving, plus the drive to think creatively You need to be able to: [link] [comments]  |
| Considering dropping out. Is this a terrible idea? Posted: 30 Mar 2018 12:53 PM PDT First some context: I'm a junior in computer science at a upper-mid tier school, but my grades have been dropping and will be removed from the major next semester. My issue with school has less to do with the course content, but more with anxiety and other personal issues. I am confident in my ability to perform in the real world as I've had a successful co-op last year at a well known bay area company and am in the process of choosing my internship for this summer. Note that I DO want to eventually finish school, just maybe after a break or some maturing.
I know that in almost any case, if given the opportunity to obtain a degree, it's the best course of action. However, if that degree is not in computer science I'm not sure it is worth it. My counselor says the closest major I can switch to is Geographic Information Systems and I'll need to tack on 2 years to finish that degree.
Some other things for consideration are that my scholarship ends with my removal from the program and I will have to start taking out loans (right now I have 0 debt and really don't want to rely on my parents). My work experience is in front end web development and I'm aiming for a full-stack position this summer so it may be relatively easy for me to find a job compared to other specialties. Also, from what I understand, even if I return to school after dropping out, I still won't be able to get into the CS major unless they change the requirements and if I switch schools I'll most likely have to start from scratch.
So my two options are: 1) become a GIS major and then work after I graduate: Pros: Cons: 2) Drop out and return to school in the future: Pros: Cons:
Even after listing out the pros and cons I don't have any clue which is the better choice. Part of me is leaning towards dropping out just to escape school, but my gut tells me I shouldn't make a decision on that. Does anyone have any advice to share?
edit: formatting [link] [comments]  |
| Need advice. Too late to get an internship for summer? Options? Posted: 30 Mar 2018 06:50 PM PDT I really need to be able to get an internship for the summer so I can pay for school, I was planning to do a semester of summer school but life happened and I'm in need of more finances, so I ended up applying late. I went to a local job fair recently and most companies have told me that they're filled for the summer. I have a decent amount of experience and a lot of the recruiters were pretty impressed with my resume, it just seems I was late on the application. What else can I do to either get an internship for the summer or use my skillset to gain some income so I can pay for school? Any advice would be welcome! All else fails I plan to do summer school and a part-time job at min wage and try again for the fall semester but that would be less than optimal since it will be my last year and I have to do my honours project over two semesters (fall and winter). [link] [comments]  |
| Trying to take winter quarter off and find an internship Posted: 30 Mar 2018 11:15 AM PDT I realized that I'm behind my peers in terms of experience and I want to take 3 months off school and thus complete a 4 month internship. I'm not sure where to begin though, as it seems from online posting that it's still all summer internships or one month long winter internships. Where do I get started? [link] [comments]  |
| Posted: 30 Mar 2018 06:34 PM PDT How do you feel about coding assessments that control your webcam and microphone? I think Amazon has one for it's interns and full-time applicants. Is this an acceptable sacrifice for an opportunity to interview? [link] [comments]  |
| Is a full CS Major degree required for a quant trader or will a minor suffice? Posted: 30 Mar 2018 06:25 PM PDT Right now I'm planning to major in math for undergrad but am unsure whether to double major in CS, get a minor, or just self study. Or would it be better to get a masters in CS instead? [link] [comments]  |
| Posted: 30 Mar 2018 02:37 PM PDT So, long story short. I was interested in an upcoming conference in a few months and I got my company to pay for a conference ticket, hotel and flight. My manager told me since it's a big expense then that would be it for the year but he said I should still be able to go to free/discount/cheap training events. I recently found out about other awesome conference and exactly, the work I'm doing now but it's a new framework I haven't used before, so going to the conference and doing the training workshops they have would be highly beneficial for me to go. They had a limited set of discount tickets, so I got one and I'm going to go to that conference as well. My question is, is it awkward to tell my manager if it would be alright to take that whole week off as professional development and go? The company doesn't have to pay for the conference but just count the days off as professional development instead of my vacation days. Would I be rude in asking? Thanks! [link] [comments]  |
| Is unpaid work experience and shadowing worth putting on a CV? Posted: 30 Mar 2018 06:23 PM PDT So i've been in contact with a company in my local area for around 3 years. I've been asking for work shadowing/internships. They've always been too busy or it's just not been the right time, however, a few weeks ago they invited me in to have a chat with the head of their HR and tech lead (both of whom i have had conversations with on Linkedin). Things went really well and it was suggested an internship was pretty much guaranteed but it's looking like now that they'll be unable to offer me one. I know this because they wanted to apply to this scheme through my university that basically pays for my wags (they're a small company so it makes sense to get help with my wages), and i know that the university scheme has had all their funding allocated. Which sucks, i love the company and would love to have an internship there. I'm already doing an unpaid app development thing for a charity and may have interviews lined up, But do you think it would be a good idea to offer myself to work there for a couple of weeks unpaid? The tech lead offered me a chance when i got back home from the chat to apply for the junior web dev role (i had to build a login system but haven't heard anything back about it) so i figured it might be a good idea to try and keep myself in the company's good book so i can try and land a role their after my degree. I would love to see what it's actually like to work within a team of other developers and since i've only been a chef in the past i have little idea what's it like in a software dev company. If i did this unpaid work, would it be worth putting it down on my CV? tldr:unpaid work, is it worth a place on the CV, [link] [comments]  |
| 4 years experience as a SWE. Should I still expect coding challenge questions? Posted: 30 Mar 2018 08:30 AM PDT I've been working at a Fortune 100 company quite happily for the last 4 years (started as a grad). I work with a cool tech stack and I have few major complaints about my working conditions, but I feel like I'm not recognised and compensated for the level of work and value that I've been bringing. I didn't need to solve any coding challenges for this position, and would be quite under-prepared to do so if I had to do so today. I'm not in a big hurry, and I'm more than willing to put in a couple of months of textbook reading and leetcode grinding to get myself in a position for anything out there, but looking at this sub, it seems that the vast majority of posters are preparing for intern/grad roles. If my time is better spent creating GitHub projects for showcasing my skills, it would be good to know sooner rather than later. Anyone that has changed to another experienced role have any comments on their experiences? Located in Sydney if that makes much of a difference. [link] [comments]  |
| Subreddit for finding mentors and mentees? Posted: 30 Mar 2018 07:19 AM PDT I was considering making a csmentors subreddit for people to post mentor/mentee requests but was curious if this already exists? [link] [comments]  |
| Where should I study computer science? US or EU Posted: 30 Mar 2018 02:06 PM PDT Hello, I am 17 years old and trying to decide where I should study computer science so I can focus on applying and getting a scholarship. I am still trying to figure out if I want to focus on artificial intelligence research or penetration testing so I would appreciate answers for both options. I am fluent in Spanish and English but I would love and can dedicate 1 year to learn a new language. Budget: 12k USD/year including housing. [link] [comments]  |
| Posted: 30 Mar 2018 05:49 PM PDT I'm a first year Computer Science major emphasizing in Information Security and Software Engineering, and I've done a little programming in high school, but nothing major (Only HTML, CSS, and JavaScript). I'm just really interested to hear (as someone beginning to seriously learn and prepare for a career in computer science) what you would tell your younger self. [link] [comments]  |
| Given verbal offer, written offer taking forever with promises of it coming "now" Posted: 30 Mar 2018 11:45 AM PDT I accepted a verbal offer a few days ago and the hr person informed me the day that I accepted, that he would provide the official offer letter "now" in an email. However, I didn't receive anything that day. The next day, I asked for an update and he said it got approved late at night during the previous day and that he was going to send it "now" again. Again, I didn't receive anything that day. I'm aware that there is a process of approvals that is needed until an offer letter is sent out. However, the strange thing about this hr person is that he keeps promising to "email the letter now" every time instead of just saying I should expect one in a few days. I am obviously still interviewing at other places and not taking this as an offer set in stone, but is this a red flag or something I should be really nervous about for this offer? Edit: I should add this is an internal recruiter within the company's HR dept. not some external recruiting agency. [link] [comments]  |
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