A Computer Science Degree Does Not Imply a Career Path

The world of computing employment is complex and a career requires planning, continual education, may require multiple job changes, and is stressful. Here's experience about what to expect and what to think about in managing your computing career.

When I went to college to get my Bachelor of Science in Computer Science, all I really knew was I didn't want to make decals at the Boeing Company for the rest of my life. A large company like Boeing has many ups and downs where people get laid off and sometimes rehired. I took advantage of one downturn to go to college on my savings from working there and with an approved, up to two year leave of absence that guaranteed me an interview on my return. That was the start of planning my computing career.

Stay and Get a Master's Degree or Go to Work?

One item I missed was that many times now days a Masters degree bumps up your entry level and pay and is based on your GPA. Many people that attempted to get a Masters degree later in life had a much more difficult time getting accepted into their program. If you get a scholarship or otherwise afford it, get your Master's degree (See discussion later for why).

After Graduation Entry Level Jobs

Interviews pre-graduation at the career fair when companies came to the Western Washington University, focused on a key split in entry level jobs-engineering support versus business support. Employers wanted to see a list of specific skills on the resume-what languages could I program, what operating systems had I used, what elective skills I had including tool use like MS Word. Prior work experience including jobs like grading or summer time internships went over well, and with the latter often resulted in a job offer.

Once I was hired, I found out our group dealt with hardware, something I had no experience with from college including benchmark testing printers, writing device controllers, and programming with hardware specific graphics languages.

It also required maintenance programming skills-documentation, customer support, teaching courses, answering technical calls, commenting old code and putting it under configuration management.

Upgrade to Professional Status

The main difference between programmer and system analyst is you are deemed a professional, which means you lose some overtime and you become responsible for tracking your own time against assigned jobs. This is a big deal especially with government contracts because you may later be subject to government investigations about the use of your time. It can also mean that you must respond to more than one boss and more than one customer.

First Job Change

I opted to move to a different job once, had my entire organization get cut and had to find a new job, had a job with a absentee boss, and went through downsizing so much I wasn't sure I was there or not.

When deciding to change position, one thing to know is that if you stay within the same company under the same job, your pay will increase faster. If you leave the company, you are subject to "non-compete" laws that with an octopus company like Boeing might mean you aren't qualified to work at most surrounding area jobs i.e. that have a subcontractor relationship. Get the job before you leave or say you're considering it, even within the same company. If you leave, look at skills you are lacking and apply to jobs where you might gain them.

Embedded versus Data Modeler versus Developer versus Project Management versus Process Modeler

These specific jobs: data modeler, new development especially with artificial intelligence or advanced technology, project management and business process modeler often are ones that having a Master's degree is a requirement and sometimes a doctorate is required.

I took the on-the-job track instead of the Master's degree, first by moving to an organization that supported government embedded systems and required project management skills and the use of systems modeling tools. I also took after-hour company training in business systems analysis and artificial intelligence languages like LISP.

When this job dissolved, I worked on the development team for a new worldwide system that supported FAA-monitored engineering problem tracking.

Systems Support Versus Architecture Support

In a large company like Boeing, the company is divided into many organizations, all of which have many computerized systems. Architecture jobs looked at systems work across and between organizations and systems. Example jobs in this arena included Standards work with multiple corporations, monitoring of system projects against company standards, testing methods and interface work between systems. A primary skill was business process modeling, which meant you understood the goals of your customer and looked at how tools could automate their needs.

Contractor or Employee

Contractors have to manage their own benefits or pay a job-shopping company to do the same for you. Many choose the contractor route early on in their career to gain flexibility over their time. I didn't believe in it since a minimum contract was full time and for a minimum of 6 months, which is less flexible than many long term employees.

Management or Technical Track

Both of these require additional education beyond the Bachelor's degree. Both require effectiveness - ability to produce against a target. At Boeing, the technical track required that you work outside the company, required social networking skills, required outside of the company impact, required significant in company impact.