As a faculty member at ASU that works with many = student programmers I have a few comments to share with you. Are you = majoring in computer science so you can program 9-5 or are you geting = into computer science because you want the luxury of getting paid for = your passion? Both scenarios are valid, however the paradigms involved = in the two scenarios can have a great affect on your ability to achieve = your desired professional role. If you simply want to program 9-5 and = check your code-fu at the door when you come home (which is perfectly = acceptable) chances are that 99% of your programming efforts go towards = class work. If you are passionate about programming you've likely spent = late nights in front of the monitor developing some new firmware for = your toaster oven because the firmware that came with it always burns = your toast. Of course, in this scenario, the individual will likely put = projects like toaster firmware and Kids In The Hall MPEG-4 web bots at = a higher priority than his/her schoolwork. Although this individual's = grades may be mediocre at best, their passion for development will be = overwhelmingly apparent to anyone who inquires. In my experience people = who see programming as simply a job are somewhat detached from their = projects (Not always however) and will simply do what it takes to meet = the requirements. Passionate developers usually exceed all requirements = due to the personal pride associated with quality of the product. = Ideally, in my opinion, one would be passionate about their = professional goals AND get good grades to reflect their passion in = their work. Consider a scenario in which an employer has to choose = between two applicants. The first applicant is a good programmer, got = great grades in school, has a good work ethic, and portrays a = professional demeanor. The second applicant has average grades but is = the primary investigator for four Source Forge projects and talks = excitedly and at length about his projects as if they were his = children. Both of these individuals are qualified for the position, but = in my experience it is the second applicant that will get the job. =
The tone of your message makes it sound as if = you would "settle" for any computer job although you are = really interested in networking. Don't settle, get some 486's at ASU = surplus for $5 a piece and network them together. Develop some strange = network software (Bayesian route path determination, Intelligent route = caching) and throw it up on Source Forge. This is how you create = experience for yourself and demonstrate your passion for your desired = professional domain. I hope this made sense and was helpful to you in = some way. Of course all opinions expressed in this message are not = necessarily the views of Arizona State University.
Joel Dudley
Faculty Research Associate
Arizona State University
Kumar Laboratory of Evolutionary Functional =
Genomics
http://lsweb.la.asu.edu/skumar/
-----Original Message-----
From: MCR [mailto:mike1071@yahoo.com]=
Sent: Wednesday, June 19, 2002 7:22 PM
To: plug-discuss@lists.plug.phoenix.az.us
Subject: Help getting experience
I have a question to ask of the group. Maybe a =
favor,
so to speak. I am starting my junior year at =
ASU in
Computer Science. Right now I work in a Hotel, =
and I
really don't like my job. I keep trying to =
apply for
jobs in the computer field, however I have never had =
a
job of this type before, which is making it =
difficult
for me.
My question is would anyone be willing or able to =
help
me get experience, so I can get a job in the =
Computer
field. I am highly interested in Networking, =
but any
work involving computers would be good. I am =
working
toward a career as a software engineer, so =
even
programming would work. If someone would be =
willing,
the idea I have is if someone would be willing to =
take
me on as an apprentice for a couple of months =
to teach me the "ropes". I would be =
willing to work
part-time, and for free, in exchange for the =
knowledge
and a recommendation /reference if it is =
deserved.
If you think you might be able to help me, =
please
contact me off list at:
&nb=
sp; mike1071@yahoo.com.
&nb=
sp; =
Thank You,
&nb=
sp; &nb=
sp; &nb=
sp;
&nb=
sp; =
mike
&nb=
sp; &nb=
sp; &nb=
sp;
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