I'm 23, have a degree in molecular biology, and work as a full time PHP scripter and SysAdmin. I have been in the market to switch jobs for a while, and trust me, degrees help. I was told recently that I was more than qualified for a postion, but since I did not have a CS degree, I could not be hired. As EvilCoder stated, competition for computer jobs is getting fierce. The more education & qualifications you have, the better your odds of getting hired.
However, age is really unimportant. My coder friends range in age from about 14 on up. One of the guys I work with just got his degree in CS and he is 33. Actually, going to/back to school when you are older tends to work in your favor. It shows that you have drive and are willing to work for what you want.
--Just so you know, I am the head of the web-department and manager of the BioTech department at my company, and have had to interview several people over the past few months, so I do know what I am talking about.
How old is your average computer programmer?
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fractalvibes
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OK - I am an ancient 45, and do have a BA in computer science. Get the degree - it is worth something. Experience is very important too. The degree will likely open more doors and opportunites, plus there is no substitute for having a broad education encompasing many subjects. There are many competent technical people out there who have a startling ignorance of things I take for granted as common knowledge, especially such topics as history, english. math. science...and the list goes on. Not that I am by any means a genius in any of these areas, but a broad education will lead to a greater appreciation of the world and what's happening around you.
Off the soapbox now.
Phil J.
Off the soapbox now.
Phil J.
lol..I started the post about age
. I'm 25 now and am about to start my degree. My fear was investing time in the study of something that I would be too old to do by the time i finished. I agree with the massess on the fact that a degree is not required by highly recommended. It may not land u the job, but it will definately place more emphasis on you. Not so much as "educated" per say, but more as dedicated to learning. I know several people who have degree's that can't name 10 of the 50 us sates. How a can-opener works? Forget it. Employeers know that a degree doesn't make you smart, and experience doesn't make you valuable, your dedication and initiative, who you are, where you started, and where you want to go, says more than 40 compuneded years of experience and 20 degrees, IMO. A man who desires knowledge, and who gets all tingly about making something work is more likely to learn any and everything he can to make your fine pressed wheel roll. Experience ranks up there as well, as most companies don't want to invest much time in training. If we all trained at the job, there'd be no competition. Good discussion. Keep it going...
Don't put obstacles in your own path: get out there and do it. I'll be 40 in a few weeks and I've just started learning php. I've worked a bit in the past as a freelance web designer and I hope that php is really going to unlock the door to all kinds of new projects.
What constantly amazes me is that the internet is itself a University. I've downloaded an apache server, php, and all kinds of goodies. There are countless tutorials and very helpful forums - like this one - and it's all for free. It's a fantastic resource for anyone with a bit of initiative.
And that's maybe the key: if you plan a career path within a company, OK, degrees etc are the way to satisfy unimaginative recruitment people; but if you plan to work freelance you can make your own rules - so long as you can do the job and are full of bright ideas. Before you know it, you'll have your own company, and you'll be giving graduate interviewees a hard time yourself
Also, freelance is much more about who you know. You have to be good at networking - putting yourself about, sniffing out leads. Social skills are a much better predictor of professional attainment than academic intelligence.
For all you kiddies out there wondering what it's like to be 40 don't worry: you're only 40 from the outside; inside you'll still feel 25 - provided you always follow your interests and don't fall into line on the company payroll
.
What constantly amazes me is that the internet is itself a University. I've downloaded an apache server, php, and all kinds of goodies. There are countless tutorials and very helpful forums - like this one - and it's all for free. It's a fantastic resource for anyone with a bit of initiative.
And that's maybe the key: if you plan a career path within a company, OK, degrees etc are the way to satisfy unimaginative recruitment people; but if you plan to work freelance you can make your own rules - so long as you can do the job and are full of bright ideas. Before you know it, you'll have your own company, and you'll be giving graduate interviewees a hard time yourself
Also, freelance is much more about who you know. You have to be good at networking - putting yourself about, sniffing out leads. Social skills are a much better predictor of professional attainment than academic intelligence.
For all you kiddies out there wondering what it's like to be 40 don't worry: you're only 40 from the outside; inside you'll still feel 25 - provided you always follow your interests and don't fall into line on the company payroll
This is a tough one. I have to say that experience wins out here, but it depends on what step of the process you are in. Head hunters like seeing people with degrees, but even they sometimes know that that degree means nothing.
It seems that if one can demonstrate knowledge, he's ahead of the game. If I come into a place and say...
1) I'm a Kernel Hacker
2) I maintain my own 3d engine written in ObjC
3) I also maintain a module for PHP or Python
4) I distribute my own lightweight db abstraction libs
... I'm going to get a serious look at. If i can prove that I've done those things in some way, how then do you think I'm going to rate against a wet behind the ears fresh out of college Joe that's done none, or only a portion of these things?
And nothing hardens a person like time in the fire!
Now I'll say that a degree is great, but don't rest on it. DO THINGS! Even if they've been done before, or done in some other way, or whatever.
I'm 35. Will be 36 in April. Still work out. Still play Basketball two nights a week (nothing like driving the hoop with your shoulder pressed into a defenders chest!). Still play guitar (since I was 9). Still play Quake. Who wants to grow up?
Cheers,
BDKR
It seems that if one can demonstrate knowledge, he's ahead of the game. If I come into a place and say...
1) I'm a Kernel Hacker
2) I maintain my own 3d engine written in ObjC
3) I also maintain a module for PHP or Python
4) I distribute my own lightweight db abstraction libs
... I'm going to get a serious look at. If i can prove that I've done those things in some way, how then do you think I'm going to rate against a wet behind the ears fresh out of college Joe that's done none, or only a portion of these things?
And nothing hardens a person like time in the fire!
Now I'll say that a degree is great, but don't rest on it. DO THINGS! Even if they've been done before, or done in some other way, or whatever.
I'm 35. Will be 36 in April. Still work out. Still play Basketball two nights a week (nothing like driving the hoop with your shoulder pressed into a defenders chest!). Still play guitar (since I was 9). Still play Quake. Who wants to grow up?
Cheers,
BDKR