#BackToSchool #CareerChange #CSDegree #JobHunting #CareerAdvice
📚 Go back to school? Or wait it out? 🤔
Hey there! I’m sorry to hear about your job situation, but it sounds like you’ve got some really valuable experience under your belt. It’s natural to feel uncertain about your next steps, especially with the current job market being so unpredictable. Let’s break down your dilemma and explore some options to help you make an informed decision.
### Is a CS degree the right move for you?
1. **Assess your career goals:** Consider what you ultimately want to achieve in your career. Do you see yourself advancing in a technical role? Are there certain positions or companies you aspire to work for? A CS degree can open doors to a wider range of opportunities in the tech industry, but it’s important to align this decision with your long-term career aspirations.
2. **Research the job market:** Look into the demand for CS professionals in your area or the areas you’re interested in. Are there plenty of job opportunities for individuals with a CS degree? Will the investment in further education provide a substantial return in terms of job prospects and earning potential?
3. **Evaluate your current skills:** Take stock of the skills and experience you’ve gained from your coding bootcamp and previous roles. Are there any knowledge gaps that a CS degree could fill? Consider how a formal education in computer science could complement and enhance your existing expertise.
### Pros and cons of going back to school
#### Pros:
– A CS degree can enhance your technical knowledge and credentials, making you more competitive in the job market.
– Access to networking opportunities and career resources at the university level.
– The potential for higher earning potential in the long run.
#### Cons:
– Tuition costs and potential student loan debt.
– Time commitment to complete the degree program, potentially delaying your re-entry into the workforce.
– The possibility of missing out on career opportunities that may arise in the interim.
### Alternatives to a full-time CS degree
1. **Online courses and certifications:** Consider enrolling in online courses or pursuing industry certifications to further develop your skills while maintaining flexibility in your job search.
2. **Part-time or evening classes:** Some universities offer part-time or evening programs for working professionals, allowing you to continue gaining experience while pursuing your degree.
### Seeking advice from those with similar experiences
It’s always valuable to seek insights from individuals who have navigated similar career crossroads. Connect with professionals who have transitioned into tech roles or pursued higher education later in their careers. Their experiences and perspectives can provide valuable guidance as you weigh your options.
### In conclusion
Ultimately, the decision to go back to school for a CS degree is a personal one that should be based on a thorough assessment of your career goals, the job market, and your current skill set. While further education can undoubtedly be advantageous, it’s not the only path to success in the tech industry. Be sure to weigh the pros and cons, explore alternative options, and seek advice from those who have walked a similar path. Best of luck in your decision-making process, and remember that whichever path you choose, your hard work and dedication will carry you forward. Good things are on the horizon! 🌟
I generally advocate for school over bootcamps, but personally, If I were in your position with 2 years of experience, I would not go back to school. There’s probably not a lot of practical knowledge that you’re gonna learn that you don’t already know, and real experience trumps education. The degree probably isn’t as important as avoiding substantial gaps in your resume, plus you’d be taking on avoidable debt to get back to somewhere you’ve already been.
Even though the job market is super rough, I really don’t know that the degree is gonna make a huge difference in your likeliness to get hired at this point. The job search is gonna be rough regardless, but you’d probably be better off putting a full time effort into applications, interviews, leetcode etc
Yeah i’m in a very similar situation, been hard to get interviews even with a comp sci degree and 3 years experience. Kind of looking into doing a trades program as a backup in case software dev is dead
Ask yourself….
What will make an HR person say yes to your resume?
What will make a hiring manager decide to call you over the next resume?
These aren’t questions I can answer. It depends a ton on your situation etc.
If the team match is at Meta, I think they pay while all that is happening. I don’t think they want their employee to be to land on the street. You can also negotiate for a signing bonus if needed.
If you do go back to school you don’t have to commit to getting a degree. You could go to one of the state universities and take a data structures and algorithms course and or just a couple CS fundamentals courses. (*Most state uni’s have pretty relaxed application reqs)
I keep saying this. School Accreditation is HUGE for employers, and if you have no real recognizable name on your resume, aside you getting ATSed for education requirements, a recruiter will also automatically put you in a maybe pile against similar candidates.
You could do both. Online Masters that are designed for full time workers are becoming more popular. Apply to these programs and keep looking for a job.
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Read this and learn young grug.
I’ve been tempted to go back to school too, thing is for me it’s been like a decade, if your 20’s it seems like an easier option. Eat the student loan(probably one of the better interest rate loans right now) camp out a year or two see what happens.
I don’t think many of those dudes who laying off where actually laying off programmers though. check layoff.fyi the actual job titles, it’ll be hundreds of ancillaries for each actual dev. I think it’s a wave of genz comp sci grads and more of them got the comp sci degree than any prior generation by a lot. So the market has enough of those they’re unwilling to compromise on guy who is capable of doing the job right now.
If you’re not getting interviews though rule 1 of that is something is wrong with your resume.