I'm currently a college freshman in Europe, I plan on majoring

Be a corporate drone at an F500 company, enjoy your boring as fuck life.

>>18668400
"Corporate drone" isn't a job.
I don't care if you think it's boring, why do you give a fuck what I want to do with my life?

It's honestly too early for you to worry about it too much. Whatever you have in mind now for the future, it's very likely you will have changed your mind by the time you get closer to graduating.

>>18668408
Why? I've been dead set on studying CS since 9th grade and it's pretty much the only thing that interests me.
I'd just like pointers so that I can get a better idea of what careers are the most lucrative and what it takes to get there.

>>18668404
Lol yes it is, you go to college for CS and you study something that you think will make good money and is kind of interesting to you. You graduate and it's going to be easy for you to use this skill to become a corporate drone where you go to work 9-7 every day and you have standup meetings and scrum, you'll have code reviews and use JIRA, half of your time will be spent writing emails and the other half googling stack overflow trying to get some dependency to install.

Your life will be thoroughly boring because you care about making money more than you care about having an interesting life.

I care because I think you're an idiot for

>my main goal is to make a lot of money?

Among my friends there are many who tread this path and few of them are genuinely happy.
It's a good idea to be happy.

>>18668412
Try to get into finance. If you get a job programming and maintaining things like banking or trading systems, you'll be set to get a nice chunk of money.

>>18668417
I am a high school dropout, I ask for about $100/hr for programming work. I can do this because I spent my free time having fun programming things that I enjoy. Now I'm a domain expert and I can charge a decent amount because I'm better than most people and I can communicate and deliver things on time.

Don't take a top down approach, just become good at something you find interesting and the figure out who's paying a lot of money for that skill. If you achieve mastery in any skill and then don't dogmatically pursue some career you've set your mind on you've got it made.

I do 3D programming, if I worked for game companies I'd make garbage money with my same skillset. Instead I work as a consultant for B2B companies, the skills are almost the same as a game programmer, but there's far fewer people doing it so I get to charge way more.

>>18668428
What kind of an idiot would give important programming work to someone who can't even finish high school?

>>18668417
>yes it is
No, it's not. It's a vague umbrella term you use to shit on a lifestyle you disapprove of.
What you're describing doesn't sound bad, though I can't imagine any well-paid CS job would entail doing jack shit all day.
>Your life will be thoroughly boring
I don't really care about your opinion, and you shouldn't care so much about mine either. It doesn't affect you.
>>18668420
That's what I thought. Don't those jobs often require a PhD in physics or math? I've heard that financial companies tend to hire people based on their mathematical abilities more than their CS background.

>>18668432
PhD is an advantage but not a necessity. Strong math skills are a must so at least have a math minor. It all depends on what kind of position you are looking at. Forget quant jobs, they need physics/math people. But something like progamming backoffice systems is perfectly doable with a CS degree.

>>18668428
Do you have a huge portfolio and an extensive network of people who can hook you up with clients?
>>18668434
>programming backoffice systems
Like developing the trading platforms the firm uses, or efficiently implementing the models the quants come up with, for example?
I don't know much about what kind of positions exist in computational finance.

>>18668436
The whole gamut. If you have a strong math background, then modeling and trading stuff. If less, such as a normal CS graduate, programming general things such as databases, comm systems, so on.

>>18668438
Alright, either way I should look at finance then. I'm assuming the job market won't have turned to shit in a few years.

>>18668444
You never know, but in general it should be fine. Lots of jobs will be created in finance because of Brexit, but those are mostly for lawyers. Still, new systems have to be programmed too.

>>18668451
I see. Thanks anon.

>>18668453
Try to get your foot in the door by doing an internship if you can. Every summer banks offer internships to students. It will be mostly shit work and underpaid, but it makes your future chances much better.

>>18668454
Yeah, my university has a mandatory internship in second or third year I think.

>>18668458
Give it a try then. You obviously won't be let near anything important, and mostly it will be grunt work, but it's good for your future job search.

>>18668431
Literally everyone in Silicon Valley.
>>18668436
Yes I have an extensive network of people, also co-working spaces and tech-startup parties are great places to find clients. Networking matters SO much more than anything else, if you've already meet people with decision making powers and they think you're impressive you're basically skipping the interview process.
>>18668454
This is good advice, I got my first programming job before I knew how to program by cold-emailing the CTO of a small startup and asking for a job. It was basically the well worded version of "Hey, I'm smart and hungry, what can I help with."
>>18668432
Practically all of my friends work at tech companies in SV, most of them do boring work that involves doing jack shit all day. A very small minority work at super early stage startups or places like Google X where you get to do interesting things. Even then the ratio of boredom/stupid to actual work is astounding.
>>18668434
Jokes! One of my buddies has a GED and is pulling down $200k/yr at Google. Another one has a PhD in CS and makes like $45k/yr doing research because she doesn't have the practical skills to get a more lucrative job. (Not that she couldn't manage it if she set her mind to it, but she has strong mental blocks) Kids out of college are woefully unprepared for much of the "real world" of tech work.
>>18668392
The company I work for right now has freelancers all over Europe, making very good money, a couple of them are self taught. Often we try to hire people who speak at conferences about the different tools we use. e.x. if you write a Ruby gem that's useful enough that people will give you a speaking spot at a conference you're guaranteed people cold emailing you with job offers.

I get offers just based on my GitHub, it's not even a particularly strong one, it's mostly full of half finished personal projects. People don't sit down and actually do their due diligence, they're just pattern matching and I match.

>>18669151
>extensive network of people
That you acquired in college? I don't have the faintest clue how I'm supposed to network.
>cold-emailing the CTO of a small startup
It worked because it was a small startup though, right? If you had sent that to some manager at a big company he probably wouldn't have responded.
>she doesn't have the practical skills to get a more lucrative jobs
I thought people with strong academic backgrounds thrived in fintech though, and that it's not about practical skills but more about how good you are at research.

Does your company exclusively do 3D programming, or is it some sort of consulting firm that deals in various things?
>if you write a Ruby gem that's useful
>I get offers just based on my GitHub
I didn't expect that your portfolio could be that important. So if I work on interesting projects even while in college, that can actually be a factor in my attractiveness to employers?
Does it depend on your field?

>>18669255

>That you acquired in college? I don't have the faintest clue how I'm supposed to network.
No, that I acquired by going to parties and hacker spaces, person to person connections. Friends introducing me to friends. It's not something that happens overnight. The most valuable advice I got was when you're invited to do something always say YES even if it seems boring af. Don't waste your time hating on the idiots at an event, or wishing you were at home playing Overwatch. Just be friendly and follow up with people. Invite people out to events too.
>It worked because it was a small startup though, right?
Correct, but now bigger places will give me a second look because I have experience/pedigree.
>people with strong academic backgrounds thrived in fintech though
Probably, if she got over herself (and moved to NY) she'd do fine. But from what I can tell (far from an expert here) you need to have a particular kind of personality to work in finance, and she doesn't.
>Does your company exclusively do 3D programming
I do solo freelance mostly doing 3D graphics, some front-end. Right now I'm building a packaging design preview tool for a packaging company.

>I didn't expect that your portfolio could be that important.
>work on interesting projects even while in college
Yes. So much yes. Even a mediocre showing of interesting projects that show competence in your field put you in the top 20% of applicants.

> can actually be a factor in my attractiveness to employers?
I wouldn't say it's a factor, I think it's a MAJOR deciding point. I definitely self select for jobs where the hiring decisions are made by nerds (engineers) rather than HR people. If you get the person doing your interview stoked about some side project you did and you spend half the time geeking out about it your foot is in the door.

>Does it depend on your field?
Probably, here in SV though this sort of thing is valued very highly. Especially among smaller companies.

>>18669675
>you need to have a particular kind of personality
What kind of personality is that?
>I do solo freelance
Isn't it stressful to be self-employed? Why did you choose that instead of working full time for a company?
>a mediocre showing of interesting projects
Every major project I'll be asked to work on in college is going to end up on my github anyway, so that's a start.

>>18669255
Tech networking is different than other fields. Much of your resume is going to be from things that have nothing to do with formal schooling.

If you have the capacity to code well, a startup will hire you regardless of whether or not you have a degree. Having a degree just makes it easier to be noticed.

>>18670121
I don't necessarily want to work for a startup. Actually, bigger companies seem more attractive, especially in the long term.

>>18670100

>What kind of personality is that?
Not really sure, the kind that doesn't want to kill themselves doing fintech work? The kind where wearing a suit to work every day won't make you hate yourself.

>Isn't it stressful to be self-employed?
Yeah It used to be pretty bad, now I hold down a shitty part time job that I'm stupidly over qualified for. It pays about $20/hr and I usually come into work for ~8 hours a week. It doesn't even cover rent but when I'm between contracts I can work up to 29hrs a week, which just about covers rent, food and insurance. It means when I'm in between contracts my burn rate is extremely minimal so I don't feel stressed looking for more work, and I can negotiate much harder because landing a contract isn't as important.
>Why did you choose that instead of working full time for a company?
I found out from experience working full time makes me want to kill myself. I REALLY value freedom. I average about 20-30 hours a week working total. Most of that from home. I can take a week off anytime I want with a few days notice, I can not show up for work or miss a meeting and as long as I tell people what's up it's not a problem. I have tons of free time to work on projects or play video games or go places.

>>18670132
My experience has been that when I get a raise it's like maybe 5-15%, when I get a new job it's like 30-50% increase. My first "tech" job I got paid $500/mo. That was 6 years ago. Now I can ask for $80-100/hr. What seems attractive about larger companies to you?

>>18668392
The key question is this: Do you enjoy CS and math? If the answer is yes you need to work hard and find a way to become self-employed. This will be the best way to achieve financial success AND happiness.
Good luck to you. You can do it.

Database administration

>>18669151
This guy is making shit up to try to imply high school dropouts are better skilled and better paid than PhDs. I hope no one is dumb enough to fall for his memeing.

>>18670241
>doesn't want to kill themselves doing fintech work?
It doesn't sound like boring work to me.
And who the hell would rather be paid like shit than have to wear a suit?
>part time job
What kind? Most part time jobs seem to have shitty conditions and high stress.
>I REALLY value freedom
I guess that's understandable. Most companies don't seem to be very coercive as long as you do your job correctly though.
>What seems attractive about larger companies
More stability, and I prefer "corporate culture" I guess.

>>18671287
Isn't that boring as shit and barely has anything to do with CS?

>>18671312
I'm not making shit up, I'm providing anecdotal evidence which should be treated only a bit more seriously that making shit up.

>>18671964
>rather be paid like shit than have to wear a suit?
Why not get paid well and have lots of freedom?
>part time job, What kind?
I used to do graphic design at an ad agency part time, now I do low volume manufacturing of custom hardware for an ISP. It's basically soldering, drilling holes, flashing firmware. I've automated away a lot of my job. I'm almost 7x faster than what is expected of me. I spend much of my time posting on 4chan and watching youtube. My boss thinks I'm 3x as good as the previous guy, his boss thinks i'm 2x as good, etc. Everyone is happy. I have a reputation for being competent and quick so the engineers often come to me to build prototypes or modifiy things. I have extremely high job security because of how overqualified I am.
>Most companies don't seem to be very coercive as long as you do your job correctly though.
Depends on threshold for coercion, showing up on time 5 days a week is a couple steps past my limits. It's not that I haven't tried it, I worked full time for a year or so. I'm just not that kind of person. I hate getting home and being tired. It's soul draining for me not to have the energy to pursue art or personal projects. My life is made satisfying by independent exploration, if you take that away I become depressed.
>More stability, and I prefer "corporate culture" I guess.
Hey, to each their own! I hate corporate culture, and to some extent stability.

>>18672642
>lots of freedom
Being in an environment where everyone is required to wear a suit isn't that bad, at least everyone dresses the same so people don't get judged for dressing like shit, I suppose.
>low volume manufacturing of custom hardware for an ISP
That actually sounds pretty interesting. Was it easy to get the job? Did you acquire the soldering/hardware skills while on the job, or were you already proficient?
>I hate getting home and being tired
Even if you've worked on something that interests you?

>>18672984
>required to wear a suit
DESU this is totally moot for me anyway, I live in the SF bay area. Wearing a suit to work is social suicide here. It's actually a negative thing. People care about "culture fit" which is just another type of stupid signalling. In this case it's fake "fuck the system". I'm just fortunate that it's what I want to do anyway.
>Was it easy to get the job? Did you acquire the soldering/hardware skills while on the job, or were you already proficient?
Yeah getting the job was easy, it was off a Craigslist ad, and I'm super over-qualified for it. I didn't learn on the job, lol. I TEACH on the job. My dad is an EE, he taught me how to solder when I was like 6 years old and I've been doing random μelectornics projects my whole life. I was also on the robotics team in high school and I took some trade school classes so I know how to work a mill/lathe etc, pretty good with CAD too. Being an HS dropout and not going to college gives you a ton of free time, while I did spend 5000hours of that playing DotA and CS, i probably spent another 5000 teaching myself enough to essentially be able to perform any entry level EE, ME or SE job. Sure nobody will hire me over someone with a degree in the relevant profession, but my skillset has a lot of good value, especially at smaller companies. I also owe a lot to my friends who DO have degrees in these professions, I often come to them with questions I can't answer.
>Even if you've worked on something that interests you?
It's so hard to find this in the real world. I think I know maybe one person who legitimately enjoys the work they do at their day job, and they work for Google X. For everyone else there's some of that, but mostly it's meetings and design reviews and spec changes because someone higher up the food chain needs to justify their existence. I know a few MEs and EEs as well as a bunch of software folks and the story is pretty much the same across the board.

>>18671287
No.
>>18672541
Yes.