What will I be doing with my IT degree?

[jonatron5]

I am in my senior year for my BS in information Technology applied buissness.Ive been having bad cases of what I call " senior year life crisis" moments, where i think to myself, "Ive got a low gpa from a small school trying to make it in the tech industry, I am never going to get a job, I might as well drop out now and put in my application at macdonalds."

So basically I am wondering once I graduate what options will be availible to me? I mean I understand the tech industry is growing faster than most others in the nation. I got a friend one year my senior(better grades admitedly) whose makeing ~65k now. so that's kind of reassuring.

I just keep having these panic spells, of wondering if my studies are worth it at all, and if I am ever going to have a decent job, I mean My goal is to be a software developer, but as someone whose worked minimum wage jobs all his life, I wouldn't object to anything in the relativley cushy IT world.

maby

 

[jonatron5]

every day at work I google " IT degree jobs" and the results are promising. yet somehow I still can't see myself Doing something like that. (though I desperatly want to)

 

[jonatron5]

basically
.

do i have a future?

 

[Jaeusm]

It will come down to what you actually know, what projects you have done, and how you perform in your interviews. I'm not familiar with what your degree covers. Is programming a big part of the degree?

 

[jonatron5]

It will come down to what you actually know, what projects you have done, and how you perform in your interviews. I'm not familiar with what your degree covers. Is programming a big part of the degree?

my school only offers two programming classes, and they are both mandatory for it.

i personally feel like I am a pretty decent programmer, but I am still having all this anxiety about my future.

mostly c# and assymbly

i do really enjoy programming though.

I love the idea of someone handing me an assignment and saying "make it work"

 

[Jaeusm]

my school only offers two programming classes, and they are both mandatory for it.

i personally feel like I am a pretty decent programmer, but I am still having all this anxiety about my future.

I suspected programming was not a large part of the degree. If you are able to take a class titled "data structures" or "data structures and algorithms" before you graduate, do it. It's very important.

The other thing you need to do is gain some hands-on experience working on one or more projects. This would be something that you could show potential employers in an interview. You'll be competing for entry level jobs with other students that come largely from computer science, software engineering, and computer engineering programs. They will probably have more programming experience than you, so you should be proactive filling in your gaps. You need to do something to ensure you stand out.

Why did you choose this particular major if you wanted to develop software? Every person I've known that opted for a business/IT degree was very adamant about NOT wanting to do programming.

 

[jonatron5]

well honestly I wasnt interested in it at all, but I sort of found I liked it upon taking the class.

also, i have litterally zero prospect of being part of any projects, other than the ones we wrote for class.

what would be better career options, for my degree? becuase I am primarily just interested in getting a good paying job once i graduate.

I suspected programming was not a large part of the degree. If you are able to take a class titled "data structures" or "data structures and algorithms" before you graduate, do it. It's very important.

The other thing you need to do is gain some hands-on experience working on one or more projects. This would be something that you could show potential employers in an interview. You'll be competing for entry level jobs with other students that come largely from computer science, software engineering, and computer engineering programs. They will probably have more programming experience than you, so you should be proactive filling in your gaps. You need to do something to ensure you stand out.

Why did you choose this particular major if you wanted to develop software? Every person I've known that opted for a business/IT degree was very adamant about NOT wanting to do programming.

 

[jonatron5]

like if I never got a programming job in my life, but still worked at an IT firm doing IT work with good pay good benneifiets and good room for advancement Id be happy

 

[jonatron5]

like what career options are availible to me?

I suspected programming was not a large part of the degree. If you are able to take a class titled "data structures" or "data structures and algorithms" before you graduate, do it. It's very important.

The other thing you need to do is gain some hands-on experience working on one or more projects. This would be something that you could show potential employers in an interview. You'll be competing for entry level jobs with other students that come largely from computer science, software engineering, and computer engineering programs. They will probably have more programming experience than you, so you should be proactive filling in your gaps. You need to do something to ensure you stand out.

Why did you choose this particular major if you wanted to develop software? Every person I've known that opted for a business/IT degree was very adamant about NOT wanting to do programming.

 

[Jaeusm]

You can work in any segment of IT. Just realize that no one will hire you for the degree you have. They will hire you based on what potential value you could bring to the business. They will hire you based on your skills and perceived aptitude.

If you want to develop software, you don't have to give up on it. You can work on smaller solo projects. Do something that interests you. Make a smart phone app that you'd want to actually use yourself. Write an SMTP (email) server. Write a network switch. There are many possibilities.

 

[jonatron5]

well yea i have a couple pet projects i work on in my spare time. but I am still feeling like I am hitting a brickbwall here, maby I should speak to the career services people at my college and get an idea as to where i should genereally aim myself.

You can work in any segment of IT. Just realize that no one will hire you for the degree you have. They will hire you based on what potential value you could bring to the business. They will hire you based on your skills and perceived aptitude.

If you want to develop software, you don't have to give up on it. You can work on smaller solo projects. Do something that interests you. Make a smart phone app that you'd want to actually use yourself. Write an SMTP (email) server. Write a network switch. There are many possibilities.