Ask HN: Job prospects for typical CS graduates

by javanix on 6/9/2009, 6:56 PM with 3 comments

I've noticed most of the stories of recent graduates that come up around here fall into one of two categories: Either you graduated and went immediately into a startup, or you dropped out and went immediately into a startup. I don't really plan on going into either of those camps straight out of school, and am planning on going into industry for at least a few years.

I have actual programming experience (It'll be 3 years of web programming for a research lab by the time I graduate next spring), but there's nothing especially notable about my academics.

Does anyone have any job search tales of graduating with this sort of record?

  • by russell on 6/9/2009, 7:23 PM

    I think experience trumps GPA except at the most arrogant companies. It sounds like you have the equivalent of a year or two of real experience. You didn't say what kind of experience. Pure HTML isn't worth all that much, but if you have JavaScript and CSS, you should be in good shape. You should carry around your portfolio, especially work that you have done by yourself.

    Your location makes a huge difference. I live near San Luis Obispo, CA, 50K people, maybe a few job openings a year. SF and LA, lots more jobs. If I were you I would look at Craigslist for areas that you might be interested in.

    If your experience was learn as you go, you should go back and fill in the holes. Interviewers are great at finding them.

    EDIT: I too looked at your profile. Small city == no jobs. Cubicles or open plan offices are pretty much the way of life. After you have proven your chops, maybe you can work off site, but give it a couple of years.

  • by sidmitra on 6/9/2009, 7:13 PM

    As far as all the stories are concerned, I think you're reading about only a very niche crowd here at HN. You would find more startup guys here(perhaps 'cos of pg), than other forums.

    Most of my friends are not startup kind of people. Infact i'm the only one.. who chose to go this way. The rest are all IBM, Sun... tie wearing, daily meeting, water cooler men.

    EDIT: Ohh, i looked at your HN profile:

    >"and hope to find a cool, small company after college that won't require me to sit in a cubicle."

    Perhaps you need to think a little more on what you mean by industry.

  • by frossie on 6/9/2009, 9:41 PM

    In our hiring procedure experience way trumps academics (in fact I don't ever recall looking at transcripts beyond "this person claims to have a BSc and in fact does so"). Ironically, we are a semi-academic research institution. The fact that we are not hung up on academic performance should tell you how valuable we think that really is.

    The most important thing you need to worry about is whether you can effectively use your programming experience to showcase skills relevant to your future employer.