Programming jobs

clsCorwin

I'll be graduating in June with my BS in Computer Science, and want to find a job as quickly as possible.

I'm working now, so it isn't $RENT serious, I'd just rather get out from where I am currently and actually do something related to what I'm going to school for.

I'm in Modesto, CA, and my wife and I are open to relocating, though she'd prefer to stay in Cali.

So basically, what are my best options to finding a job fresh out of school with no CS experience?

guar

Here's some advice from some people more knowledgeable than I.

Hopefully the market is better for you in CA than it is here.

Powerpuppies

Career fairs at your school are the perfect way to find a job as you transition from academia to industry. Blanket applications to big software companies and defense contractors can also yield good results.

guar

Here's some more general advice.

CelestialBadger

You are more likely to find the perfect job for you if you are willing to relocate. But there are a lot of tech jobs in CA so you might not have to.

You want to make the companies you apply for feel like you really are a perfect fit for the job. Spamming an identical resume to 1000 different companies will probably yield less responses than 50 exquisitely crafted individually written resumes and covering letters to companies that really chime with your personal skillset.

Impress your interviewers by contributing to open source projects in your spare time. That way you have code samples to give, and real-world experience to discuss.

VThornheart

One piece of advice I can give you is that you can trade off need for prior experience for a willingness to work in a less stable/less well paying environment. Just don't get stuck there.

My first job out of college was with a startup company in my area... basically just me, my boss, and his sons. They didn't have enough money to pay me hardly anything compared to a usual CS-related salary, but I got years of experience and at least the opportunity to possibly be with them if the company succeeded.

The mistake I made was not realizing the early signs that the company was failing. I stuck around for... jeez, almost two years longer than I should've, and paid for it financially and emotionally.

So, given that story, my advice is: get a couple years of experience in at a small place if you can't convince a large/established one to take you in, and if it looks like the company is going nowhere don't remorse about taking your experience and finding greener pastures.