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I understand this now, but I was originally a bit surprised because the older generation folks were telling me that they got hired at Microsoft after getting a degree in Applied Mathematics or Physics, without really knowing how to code. I would've exploited college as a glorified vocational school if I knew that's the only way of getting anywhere.
I'm not sure how you're defining "the older generation folks", but it's possible that when they were in school, there wasn't such as thing as a comp sci or related degree. My mom, for example, was one of the pioneers in the field, and her degree was in Applied Mathematics. Most good schools probably had a Comp Sci department by the mid 70s, I'm guessing, but would have to fact-check on that.
The problem isn't your major. It is likely either the school you went to no one ever heard of, your GPA is low, or you are bad at selling yourself etc. You didn't post any background info so only you can figure out the cause and remedy it. I suggest you make an anonymous resume and post it asking for suggestions in more career oriented forums.
The problem isn't your major. It is likely either the school you went to no one ever heard of, your GPA is low, or you are bad at selling yourself etc. You didn't post any background info so only you can figure out the cause and remedy it. I suggest you make an anonymous resume and post it asking for suggestions in more career oriented forums.
I went to a state school that is usually ranked around 35th in the nation.
I've never had anyone ask for my GPA.
I think I'm decent at selling myself. Maybe you could tell me what a good way to sell myself might be.
There are a lot of things but I'll give you an example:
You say that no one has asked for your GPA. Does that mean you got to the interview and no one asked for it. Or does it mean you handed in your resume and never heard back from the employer? Reason being that a lot of employers have GPA cut offs for fresh grads (assuming you are one) and not stating your GPA implies it is < 3.0. Sure there are companies aka Google, Facebook that don't care about your GPA but they are much more liberal about giving phone interviews and asks decently hard questions right off the bat as a filter.
There are a lot of things but I'll give you an example:
You say that no one has asked for your GPA. Does that mean you got to the interview and no one asked for it. Or does it mean you handed in your resume and never heard back from the employer? Reason being that a lot of employers have GPA cut offs for fresh grads (assuming you are one) and not stating your GPA implies it is < 3.0. Sure there are companies aka Google, Facebook that don't care about your GPA but they are much more liberal about giving phone interviews and asks decently hard questions right off the bat as a filter.
I've probably browsed through over 1000 job listings since graduating. I'd say that less than 5% mention anything about GPA or academic standing. Farthest I've been in a software engineering interview was step 3, the onsite interview, and still no question about GPA. I think it would be extremely weird if I got to final stage of an interview and then they asked about my GPA and I said "2.96 overall" and they immediately sent me packing. Also, I was at a career counseling session today, the counselor critiqued my resume and she didn't say anything about me needing to include GPA in the Education section of my resume. If I'm ever asked, I'll just say it confidently.
I haven't been asked for my GPA during an interview for a very long time. I think it might have happened a few times when I was a recent grad, without much work experience, but even then it was the exception rather than the norm.
When I interview and hire, I've never asked a candidate about their GPA. Some include it on their resume, and so long as it's respectable, I pretty much ignore it. I've never been in a situation where I've had 2 otherwise similar candidates and I used GPA as the tie-breaker or anything like that, though.
I haven't been asked for my GPA during an interview for a very long time. I think it might have happened a few times when I was a recent grad, without much work experience, but even then it was the exception rather than the norm.
When I interview and hire, I've never asked a candidate about their GPA. Some include it on their resume, and so long as it's respectable, I pretty much ignore it. I've never been in a situation where I've had 2 otherwise similar candidates and I used GPA as the tie-breaker or anything like that, though.
I find this to be the norm.
That's why so many people lie about their GPAs on their resume.it can't really hurt because most employers don't ask or corroborate anyway.
Your biggest problem is looking only in your state. That just doesn't work well nowadays for entry level .
This. I work for a department of the DoD that favors Math. It doesn't matter what type of degree you have, just that you have some advanced math. Hiring within the goverment is pretty slow right now but I imagine it will pick up in the near future. They hire all kinds of people straight out of college.
The worst degree to have in IT is CS, IMO. I have an electronics and communications eng'g degree and I make more than i dreamed before. I think less than 50% of the IT guys in my fields have CS degrees. I think most of us started by encountering one or two thirdparty softwares that wasn't perfect for the business and has issues. Reporting problems to the vendor and eventually coding the fixes ourselves (advanced user/support i guess). Then later applying to other companies that have the same software, then another, going for higher salaries each time since the software is in demand and vendor support is very expensive. This software is in banks, oil & gas companies, insurance, hedge funds, manufacturing...in all major cities too.
People here put too much time looking real high tech jobs and looking forward in inventing something new. But there's other ways to get in IT and make a very good living. What matters is if the company itself makes money. What good is a great high tech software (like many many video games) when noone's buying it
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