Hey, dumb question. 3.4 GPA with no experience or internships in computer science, graduating this August. I'd like to work in the NYC/NJ/PA area but if I have to go elsewhere in the country I will cope.
Am I too stupid/unambitious to work in software? Kind of want to sort these feelings out, because browsing LinkedIn and seeing all these experience requirements make me feel pretty miserable.
@ikea_femme 3.4 GPA is fine.
No internships is a slightly tougher hurdle. The hiring process in tech is 10,000% easier if you have existing connections, and internships are one of the best way to build them from scratch.
One way to get yourself out of slush piles, when you don't know somebody at your prospective employer, is to list open source contributions. And definitely put any school projects you did onto your resume.
@tobascodagama So, do they expect a high level of polish on school projects? I've never really found a github issue I could fix yet, TBH. But I could probably if I searched long enough.
@tobascodagama I'm sort of a doormat and bad at getting in good groups, so a lot of my stuff on github is me rushing to finish a five person project all by my self because nobody else wanted to install git or python and mess up their gaming laptops.
UGH college boys.
@ikea_femme They don't expect a whole lot of polish, no. But having them listed and being able to discuss implementation will help you stand out from other applicants. Especially if you can say stuff like "I learned Maven while working on X" or whatever.
@ikea_femme Interviewers just want some kind of assurance that you aren't bullshitting about your skills, and having some concrete accomplishment to discuss is really, really helpful for that, even if the accomplishment in itself isn't that impressive.
@tobascodagama Thanks, that's a big load off my shoulders.
@ikea_femme Glad I could help a bit!
@ikea_femme BTW, if Boston isn't too far afield, I might be able to hook you up with some leads and/or a reference in the fall.
@ikea_femme @tobascodagama +1 to this. I never did internships or work experience short of a tiny bit of web dev contract work. Job postings are notorious for overstating the experience requirements. There are definitely entry level positions that need filling. Personal projects and school projects can be listed on a resume, it's development experience you can talk about in an interview. At my first job, I got more cred out of a goofy tool-assisted-speedrun tool than any of my more serious work.
I just feel like I only ever hear about people in comp sci who are super ambitious, graduate on time, never have a damn problem in their life, and here I am, a 28 yo trans woman who only recently got enough comfort and executive function to even think about job searching and internships because detachment and self loathing and depression bogged me down.
If I need to focus on getting ahead in retail supervising positions, I just want to know now.