What to do as a new CS grad?
With a looming recession, new CS grads are flooding the market hoping to strike a deal of their lifetime.
New CS grads will be entering the market in the summer of 2023 and with the news of banks defaulting every week and layoffs from Big Tech, things look gloomy for these young padawans.
I recently gave a talk to undergrads on how to make their leap into tech and software engineering and I was bombarded with questions on if “X field has scope or not?”. As if I am a soothsayer who possesses hidden knowledge about economics and shit.
Honestly, it’s a mess.
Without ranting too much, I will share some general advice and suggestions for the frustrated CS graduates of 2023.
Understand your most difficult obstacle will be getting experience
Nobody is going to hand it to you right after you finish your last semester. There are thousands of people entering the market and it’s going to be tough to get a job in the first few months so prepare yourself that you would have to grind your way in. Be smart and take the first opportunity that comes your way.
Make sure your code is visible to potential employers.
Have a fucking GitHub profile. I don’t care if you wrote 10 lines or 100. Just put it out there. Refactor it. Make it better every day. Invest time in organizing your portfolio and document where the code is not self-documented. Your GitHub profile alone is going to act as a resume.
Your worth != what you’ll be paid
Nobody cares how smart you are when you are looking for your first job because nobody knows you and your skill set. It’s going to take your employer at least a year to get to know you and help develop that brain of yours. Your salary will not be equal to what you are worth as a professional. Not for a year at least. Experience equals what you will be paid at the end of the day.
Interview often
The best way to get over the interview anxiety is to interview often. Prove to yourself and that sore interviewer that you are the man or woman! You are there to give your best and nothing else. The more you do this exercise, the better will be your chances of scoring good marks and eventually getting that job. Grind Leetcode problems and write your pitches beforehand to save yourself the headache of thinking on the spot.
You and your family are always going to be #1
I might sound rude or this email might be hard to read but at the end of the day, your health and family should be your number 1 priority. When I took a break after working with a start-up and being gaslighted at work, I became close to my family and recovered quickly. It was tough at first but it was for the better. Your health is not something that will fix itself. The time you spend with your family will not come again.
So, after reading the above points one thing should be clear the only investment that matters is your health and skills. Nothing else comes close. I hope this email helped my readers and at the end of the day, I share it in good faith. Thank you and I will see you at the next one.