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Ask HN: Career path guidance

2 points by leign 10y ago

Background: I am in my second to last year of my undergraduate degree studying computer science and engineering. I have been told that the next best step is to get a technical graduate degree. My guess, however, is that by getting a more technical degree, I will be locked into a more technical position. Front-end development (UI/UX), marketing, and management interest me greatly. As I look at career options, I am realizing how much more of an advantage you have if you know which career path you want to take early on, so you can tailor your experience/skills. Goals: The career I consider ideal would be working in a position where: 1. I have more influence, which I suppose would be at a start-up or a small/medium enterprise 2. Am able to work with multiple factions within a company (be involved with the whole process) 3. Am able to grow professionally Questions (many of my friends have the same unanswered questions with a general regard to the tech industry): What would you recommend for someone with my background in terms of career paths? Does a technical graduate degree make that big of a difference? Would an MBA (possibly in marketing) be beneficial? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

brudgers 10y ago
I have a neighbor who is a full time artist. Her income sources are diverse. She teaches workshops. She provides private lessons. Sure she paints paintings and sells them, but those paintings are painted with content and technique that sells not for radical experimentation in artistic expression: some are even done pseudonymously, scanned and giclee'd "in bulk" for interior designers...and the nice thing about those is that checks come in the mail long after the work is done. The reality of a particular career is usually unrelated to the way a person thinks about it in school. Beyond technique, there's nothing much in her career that was taught in school. The strong relationship between her work and her study is her passion for painting. If you're doing MBA type stuff or UI/UX work in your free time, those are great ways to extend your interest. If you're currently managing and running organizations, then that's a sensible basis for pursuing more knowledge and training. It's also reasonable to realize that you don't like doing technical work: many young people are pushed toward it in lieu of their deeper interests. My advice is to think about what you really want to do. I doubt it is "being an MBA". Good luck.
- leign 10y ago
  Thank you very much for your response. It is insightful and though provoking and I appreciate you taking the time to write it.
seren 10y ago
I have no specific advice for you, but I think you are wrong thinking that having skills in different areas will hinder you. On the contrary, remarkable people I have been working with, are usually good in more than one area. Being a good product manager is nice, being a good product manager, and having the depth of knowledge necessary to understand intimately how the product works and how it could be improved is awesome.
- leign 10y ago
  I agree with what you are saying. I probably should not get tunnel vision towards a particular career and appreciate what it means to be well-rounded. Thank you for your response.

2 points by leign 10y ago

brudgers 10y ago

I have a neighbor who is a full time artist. Her income sources are diverse. She teaches workshops. She provides private lessons. Sure she paints paintings and sells them, but those paintings are painted with content and technique that sells not for radical experimentation in artistic expression: some are even done pseudonymously, scanned and giclee'd "in bulk" for interior designers...and the nice thing about those is that checks come in the mail long after the work is done. The reality of a particular career is usually unrelated to the way a person thinks about it in school. Beyond technique, there's nothing much in her career that was taught in school. The strong relationship between her work and her study is her passion for painting. If you're doing MBA type stuff or UI/UX work in your free time, those are great ways to extend your interest. If you're currently managing and running organizations, then that's a sensible basis for pursuing more knowledge and training. It's also reasonable to realize that you don't like doing technical work: many young people are pushed toward it in lieu of their deeper interests. My advice is to think about what you really want to do. I doubt it is "being an MBA". Good luck.

leign 10y ago
Thank you very much for your response. It is insightful and though provoking and I appreciate you taking the time to write it.

seren 10y ago

I have no specific advice for you, but I think you are wrong thinking that having skills in different areas will hinder you. On the contrary, remarkable people I have been working with, are usually good in more than one area. Being a good product manager is nice, being a good product manager, and having the depth of knowledge necessary to understand intimately how the product works and how it could be improved is awesome.

leign 10y ago
I agree with what you are saying. I probably should not get tunnel vision towards a particular career and appreciate what it means to be well-rounded. Thank you for your response.