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Starting salaries in Silicon Valley for fresh-out-of-engineering-school, no-work-experience people are well north of $100K. Many north of $120K.
You do understand that quoting Silicon Valley pay is completely distorting the picture vs much of the rest of the country because of the cost of living around there. I spent four miserable years stationed there drawing a decent, middle class, salary for most of the country, that was barely above poverty level out there.
Most prospective college students aren't informed that colleges sell credentials, not an education. If your particular career path needs credentials, by all means, graduate from college with the required credentials.
Otherwise, you can learn anything, anywhere, anytime, and work in your desired field.
For good advice, read "What Color is Your Parachute." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/What_C...r_Parachute%3F
The book recommends networking to find "the person with the authority to hire you", rather than sending out resumes in bulk, shotgun fashion. It also recommends carefully figuring out what one is best at and what one enjoys most, which (the author says) tend to coincide.
. . . .
IMHO, getting a referral from a trusted friend of the target company owner / president is far more influential than GPAs and resumes.
Those in power to hire are looking for folks who (a) will be loyal, (b) increase profitability, and (c) solve problems.
Thus it is very helpful to be able to show evidence of your character, frugality, and problem solving capability.
You definitely don't want to be a 'clock watcher' punching out and leaving ASAP if you're looking to advance.
. . . .
Alternately, one can be 'creative.'
To illustrate, if you'd like to enter the entertainment field, particularly television production, you might inquire of your local 'cable access' studio to volunteer. You may get experience as a sound engineer, technical director, camera operator, lighting engineer, etc, etc. I had a blast as a T.D. on a 3-camera "talking head" show and an impromptu comedy show.
Often, these folks are part of a larger pool of skilled workers who get called for part time work doing television ads. Once you are "in", you're "in". And if you're willing and able, you might snag location work, wherever the crew is shipped to. I knew a 'young lass' who worked as a cosmetologist, taking off for six months out of each year, or working for only six months out of each year, depending on how you look at it. She'd get a call from a producer and be off for a month or three in some exotic location. Talk about a 'paid vacation' complete with catered food. She owned a big house, and relied on her friends / tenants to house sit while she was gone.
You do understand that quoting Silicon Valley pay is completely distorting the picture vs much of the rest of the country because of the cost of living around there. I spent four miserable years stationed there drawing a decent, middle class, salary for most of the country, that was barely above poverty level out there.
It's a valid point, though, if you're discussing STEM-field salaries; after all, this is where the majority of high-tech (big name company) jobs are!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ralph_Kirk
"Silicon Valley?"
So what is the average rent for a decent two bedroom apartment in Silicon Valley?
Depends on what you consider decent, but around $2500-3000/mo on average for a 2-bedroom... I pay $2100 for my 1br duplex, and that's considered a "great deal." So yeah, I think we realize our salaries are reflective of the COL! But if we're talking about STEM salaries (not sure if that's how this line of conversation started), you can't do that honestly without factoring in Silicon Valley incomes/jobs.
Most prospective college students aren't informed that colleges sell credentials, not an education.
[...]
Otherwise, you can learn anything, anywhere, anytime, and work in your desired field.
[...]
This attitude is cancer. If you have academic credentials and no tangible academic education you are part of the problem. You are devaluing real scholars with your pseudo-degree. And, while I know this may be hard to understand for someone like you, there is a certain level of intellectual development one can only achieve during studies at a good university.
Perhaps part of the problem is the trivialization of university studies. I see people running around with master's degrees who can't transfer simple scientific principles into their everyday life and work related challenges. It seems as though they slept through physics and cheated on the exam. Yet here they are with a degree.
Truly average minds, who think and act themselves equals with actual academics because they studied "[insert corporate job function]-studies". These people run the show, screening resumes and deciding marketing strategies. No wonder a university degree is handled more as a credential than a certificate of merit.
As one former boss told me: "I'm in the business to make money, not spend money."
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