[NeoMac]

My girlfriend is interested in a tech career. Would you guys recommend a career in tech? She's already taking CS, but she is mulling over what to specialize in. I'm hoping your feedback can help.

How would you rate the following (I just put what I could think of)? What's the earning potential, career advancment, etc for the following? Which do you recommend?

• Programming?
• Web application development?
• Databasing?
• Networking?
• System admin?
• etc..?

Your suggestions, comments and recommendations are appreciated.
Tnx.

[This message has been edited by NeoMac (edited 02-27-2001).]

[Gee4orce]

Originally posted by NeoMac:

• Programming?
• Web application development?
• Databasing?
• Networking?
• System admin?
• etc..?

Well, I've done most of these at one time or another... It really depends on what your personality is - do you prefer spending all day say at a desk with your head in a book, or running around like a mad thing looking after users ?

At the moment I'm a web application developer, which really means that I have to spend a hell of a lot of time just learning new stuff. In fact, I spend more time learning than I do implementing it; that's just the way things are with the web - if you stand still long enough to apply anything you've learnt, your skills start to get out of date already ! This can make the technical side of web development a very tiring career, as you are constantly chasing a moving target.

One area I would personally avoid is any kind of support role. I hate wiping user's bottoms for them, although the human interaction can be very enjoyable and rewarding.

It may be best to try and work in a small company at first, where roles tend to blend into each other, and the programmers will help out with the networking and the support. This will allow you to discover which role you enjoy the most. That's how I started out - having now spend about 8 years in a solid development role, I really miss getting away from my desk and meeting people.

[sadie]

Agreed, it seriously depends on her personality.

Is she good at seeing the whole picture, making creative leaps, and quickly understanding new ideas? If so, go for programming or web work.

Is she good at filling in the details, covering every angle, checking things meticulously? If so, go for databases, networking or sysadmin.

Is she good at explaining things to people, going easily between the complex details and the understandable version of it? If so, go for sysadmin or (if you're desperate) tech support.

Also, if you plan to make money quickly, go for the web. There's money sloshing around there that isn't so hard to get into.

[theolein]

I've also done most of these things at some time and I would agree with the others here. Being a sys admin gives you job security but can be hell in that you often have to force yourself to be patient with people who insult and abuse you. I am busy learning java at the moment and hope to do my Sun certification at the middle of this year. I have done multimedia graphics ,dtp, multimedia programming - lingo, flash, web client programming and web application stuff withz php and mysql and the dotcom where I worked just went bust.

In retrospect I would say that she try to assess what she wants most: contact with people, creativity or technical interest. She should use her time doing CS to get a feel for what she does best and follow that path.

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#ex-dotcom#