You know how I hate my mailbox having more than 10-15 mails per day (I know it’s a lot to ask, but that’s how I am). Since there seemed no end to the orkut scraps and mails on “where to go” and “what to do”, I finally took out the time to put together some advice and guidelines on how one may go about choosing their career path in their future. Of course, this is NOT by any chance even remotely reasonable advice, but it’s my advice and whatever I would have answered over mail, I’m answering here.
There have been many questions like “What if I dont get into so-and-so college? What will I do then?”. The first and foremost thing to understand is that life isn’t over. And you’re not alone in the struggle. There are many (3000+) students who’re going to pass BCS alongwith you and there’s always a way. The best way out is to talk to your teachers, college HODs, seniors, etc. and get a large perspective. Dont take a single person’s advice too seriously. Everyone is highly influenced by their own demons of the past.
The second thing to remember is to NEVER take desperate decisions. If you feel you’d be unhappy in a certain place, dont go there. Explore other options. But NEVER choose a path because all other options ran out. Remember to stay in control of your life, and dont let the world force you towards anything. Even if you choose the last option, remember to *choose* it and not go there as a compromise.
So do ask specific questions by mail only if you cant find an answer here. As with all my e-mails, this should be a long one, so hold on to your coffee mugs because this should be long, confusing, controversial and somewhat offensive to some.
If you do want to go to a college or a training institution, then below is an entry containing advice on that topic.
Remember that Engineering gained popularity only because government jobs required engineers. The same is true with many degrees nowadays (especially if you want to be in the industry). The industry wants good people, not dogs with certifications of “vaccinated against rabies” around their necks. I dont mean to disgrace degree-holders in any way here (being one myself), but for those who’re worried they wont get admission in MCS, remember that MCS is just a dog-tag. The key point to remember is that a good person from MCS will be selected and a bad one rejected – just as any non-MCS person would be.
So let’s consider your options:
1. MCS (or M.Sc. Computer Science): This would be a natural choice since it’s a direct successor to the B.Sc. (C.S.) degree. It builds upon what you’ve learnt in BCS so is a more streamlined course (although a much more boring one).
If you’re planning to go into research, this is a safe choice. Since it gives you better credentials (BSc+MSc combination is well-known), it is easily understood by universities all over the world.
Plus, being two years, it’s much faster to complete 10+2+4 years of education through M.Sc. than the three-year courses. The six-month industrial training makes life a lot easier (practically only 1.5 years of college).
2. Other PG degrees like MCA and M.Sc. (Tech): I wont comment on these because I have no idea. However, I’ve seen some great syllabus in M.Sc. (Tech) and I’ve heard that it is considered equivalent to M.Sc. in mathematics. This one, you had better talk to your own teachers and note that I am giving a complete disclaimer on these. DO NOT take my word for these degrees.
3. Join the industry (NOTE: I personally advocate a PG degree at any cost above anything else).
This should be a nice option. Plus, some companies also offer a joint work-study thing where you can work while you earn your degree. This should also be a good option to explore.
When picking a company, I suggest some common guidelines to follow:
a) Take your time in selecting your place of choice. DO NOT erratically switch jobs. It looks VERY bad on your resume. Take a break for an year if you’re unable to decide. But once you take up a job, stay there for a good 4-5 years. If at all you do leave, leave it for a rational reason such as an opportunity to study abroad or a quantum leap. Dont simply switch jobs for better pay. It looks very bad. While attrition is high and money dictates all, it’s bad manners to do so.
b) Make sure you know what you’re getting yourself into. Dont go by your friends’ hypes and whims. If you’ve known a certain company for many years through friends and relatives, then better go there. You’ll have an outlet in case of problems.
c) Go to a homely and warm place. Personally I prefer a lower job and lower pay if I’m going to be treated as a human and if the employer is going to be sensitive to my family problems, or personal problems, instead of someone who treats me as employee no. 1138 (a tribute to George Lucas – the greatest movie maker of all time).
d) Better talk about your future options with your employer rather than guessing. If you expect pay raises, or future opportunities to study or upgrade yourself, then it’s best to talk it over with the HR people instead of guessing. Better not sign a four-year bond unless you clarify things. Take your time. But dont switch jobs!
4. External private training/courses: Sometimes it may be a great idea to get some external courses or certifications. For example, some companies offer you pay increments for each additional Java Certification. The Red Hat Certified Engineer (RHCE) is currently touted to be the top certification in the world.
If you’re game for it, and would like to define your own playground, then this is a great choice. Dont want for official UGC degrees. Just go out there and get some training on wierd unusual stuff. Sometimes you’ll get a job simply because you’ve got a unique combination of skills. Say, Linux Administration + Java Enterprise Developer may get you onto a deployment team for some J2EE-based vendor.
This is a great playing field if you can mix and match according to unique needs. If there’s a combination of skills that someone requires which doesn’t fit into the standard “syllabus” than such courses could give you a very strategic edge above others.
