4 ms·

I disagree. In my experience (and talking with classmates) finding a job as a generalist (physics/math) is much tougher than specializing in CS, finance, engi

• cookiecaper 10y ago
  I don't have first-hand experience as a candidate so I can't really contribute more to the discussion. I assume that like most positions where the job isn't a 1:1 mapping with the degree, some initiative beyond just presenting the degree will be necessary and you'll need to demonstrate an awareness and competence in the field you're pursuing. I've done a fair amount of hiring and I know that a candidate with a physics or mathematics degree who also had a programming background that was commensurate with the position would look a lot better to me than one with a compsci degree, all else being equal. That should tell you what college degrees are worth these days, though. The candidate primarily needs commensurate background. Degrees are effectively neutral -- too widespread to penalize people for taking that route, but really not worth much extra, unless in the course of your studies you accidentally did something really interesting, but then you probably could've done interesting things without the educational institution.