Always Be Coding – How to Land an Engineering Job

Re:Always Be Coding – How to Land an Engineering Job by 31reasons on Wednesday May 22, 2013 @01:08AM (#5749017)

I feel exactly the same. I can master any and all graph algorithms under the sun if I want to but why? Just for a job? I would rather be building things.

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Re:Always Be Coding – How to Land an Engineering Job by kamaal on Wednesday May 22, 2013 @01:51AM (#5749137)

Adding to that its not ever worth that much trouble.

    1. Master algorithms.
    2. Get a job at <insert a big famous web company>.
    3. ???
    4. Get rich.

What exactly is 3) ???.

Really if you are joining a big company. Whatever that company is. Way to financial safety is not mastering algorithms and data structures. Its more like knowing how to do politics, being your manager yes men etc.

And very rarely are you ever going to get some work where its going to demand some algorithms mastery.

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Re:Always Be Coding – How to Land an Engineering Job by rdtsc on Wednesday May 22, 2013 @02:31AM (#5749232)

For CS graduates from some big name colleges that go to work on Wall Street or other "finance" it is:

   1. Master algorithms
   2. Get a job at <...X...> & Co.
   3. Use Excel all day everyday
   4. Get rich.

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Re:Always Be Coding – How to Land an Engineering Job by taude on Wednesday May 22, 2013 @10:24AM (#5751013)

I interviewed at 7 investment banks on Wall Street after college. Never took any of the jobs, however, I had friends who worked on Excel spreadsheets that managed 100s millions in capital. This always amazed me.

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Re:Always Be Coding – How to Land an Engineering Job by rdtsc on Wednesday May 22, 2013 @11:28AM (#5751480)

They just want smart people in general. CS or not doesn't matter. It still baffles me that they ask algorithms and CS questions then sit in you front to Excel.

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Re:Always Be Coding – How to Land an Engineering Job by davidbyttow on Wednesday May 22, 2013 @01:26AM (#5749066)

The idea is to get in the door. Unfortunately, the bouncer is extremely flawed and often gets it wrong. But once you're in, you should refocus on building things.

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Re:Always Be Coding – How to Land an Engineering Job by 31reasons on Wednesday May 22, 2013 @01:38AM (#5749098)

I just don't have that much drive to get a job. Maybe I underestimate getting a job at google or similar company.

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Re:Always Be Coding – How to Land an Engineering Job by kamaal on Wednesday May 22, 2013 @02:02AM (#5749162)

The only problem with big companies is, no matter who they are on an average large set ups are almost the same. There are some minor variations here and there. But your net experience will converge or move around the same point.

I don't know much about Google. But from whatever I've heard. The awesome projects where all this nirvana level work happens are very difficult to get into and bulk of the work is really maintaining legacy system.

Or in other words, its your usual large company. There is a possibility that the experience is marginally better. But as I said will on a average converge to any large corporate experience.

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Re:Always Be Coding – How to Land an Engineering Job by thewarrior on Wednesday May 22, 2013 @04:51AM (#5749562)

But they pay way more right ? That has to count for something .

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Re:Always Be Coding – How to Land an Engineering Job by stonemetal on Wednesday May 22, 2013 @07:45AM (#5750101)

http://jacquesmattheij.com/Programmers+Salaries+at+google+25...

Claims 130 is about average engineer salary at the big G.

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Re:Always Be Coding – How to Land an Engineering Job by base698 on Wednesday May 22, 2013 @09:56AM (#5750825)

I think with equity and bonuses it ends up being much, much higher with million/year being possible.

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Re:Always Be Coding – How to Land an Engineering Job by 31reasons on Wednesday May 22, 2013 @12:27PM (#5751929)

million/year ? where did you get that number ? perhaps its possible in the sales department.

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Re:Always Be Coding – How to Land an Engineering Job by alberich on Wednesday May 22, 2013 @07:28AM (#5750049)

Do they? I've heard (I must confess it was years ago) that google paid less. People went there because it was cool and all that hype.

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Re:Always Be Coding – How to Land an Engineering Job by kamaal on Wednesday May 22, 2013 @07:06AM (#5749978)

That is why you must contribute what they deserve and nothing extra.

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Re:Always Be Coding – How to Land an Engineering Job by WalterBright on Wednesday May 22, 2013 @06:11PM (#5754138)

For an entry level job fresh out of college, I'd be interested in seeing a person implement algorithms. For a more experienced job, I'd look for a person who knows that these algorithms exist and can quickly look up the details. For a top level person, I'd look for skills at organizing and dealing with large code bases using best practices.

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