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CS noob here: any advice? (lemmy.world)

submitted 1 month ago by [email protected] to c/cs_career_questions

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So I'm getting my associates this semester, technically under compsci. Can't really do much with an associates though, and I need a job in the mean time, so I've been studying CompTIA certs (A+, NET+, and soon I'll be taking a course for Sec+).

Except, I don't really know where to go from there. Like, sure I get my associates, then these certificates, and start my bachelor's, except I'm lost in the sauce about anything after that. If I'm honest, I don't even really know what I could do or what options are available to me with a CS degree. My relevant skills so far are basically none; I mean I grew up around computers and I've installed Linux mint on my daily laptop, but it's not like I know how to do much other than surface level or just above surface level stuff. I don't even really know how to code.

I guess, I'm just kinda lost. I don't really know what to do and I'd like some answers but don't even know where to start looking for them. Does anyone have any advice?

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[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Thing is, I don't really know what I want for my career. I mean, I guess I could see myself building/maintaining server racks or doing IT for a company. Where did you get your start, and what do you do now?

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 month ago

Started at a little company in Akron Ohio. A friends friends dad needed software developers and I was unemployed trying to find work. “I want to use computers” was my main goal.

So he hired me, and I started off doing Java and some other random stuff. Worked there for ten years, and eventually got the nerve to go work out in silicon valley after my friend had been trying to talk me into joining him for years.

Worked for Square mainly in that time, while living in San Francisco. Moved jobs a couple of times because that’s the best way to get a raise.

I came back to Ohio years ago because San Francisco was ridiculously expensive and I got dispensation to be remote from one of my jobs. (Pre covid).

Now I’m a cloud infrastructure engineer at a mid stage startup making real good money. I spend my days building google cloud infrastructure.

Over the years I’ve done it all though. Racked servers, sys admin, ruby/java/.net/perl/python/etc. I even managed a team of 13 SREs for a couple years… management is not my thing. I did well, but I much prefer to be a developer.