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But what would you say if I don't want to stay in Germany anyway? For example I'm thinking hard about moving to the US for my professional career.

theandrewbailey 5y ago
If that's the case, start looking for positions and interviews now. If you get any good offers, take one and leave university.
- jdthedisciple 5y ago
  Also an option. Maybe I should even put a threshold, like if anyone offers me a position for more than 30€/hour I drop out in favor of it.
fundad 5y ago
Don’t do what you dread. Some people go to academia because they dread commercial software engineering work.
guitarbill 5y ago
In the English-speaking countries, not having a Master is normal (at least in software dev). There are two reasons you might want one. I believe there's an extra cap for the H1B visa if you have a Masters. And getting a visa for a software engineering role with a non-CS degree is just a little bit harder (USCIS might issue a request for evidence on how your degree is relevant. This isn't too bad, and isn't usually an problem through.) Personally, I wouldn't recommend the US over Germany. You may find yourself missing a lot of the things you took for granted. Edit: And I also know quite a few people who did Masters just for having one, and hated every minute of it. It changed them. IMO, not worth it. Two years is a long time to be miserable.
- jdthedisciple 5y ago
  That's some valuable input, thanks. May I ask what for example do you think I would be missing in the US that I'm taking for granted over here?
  - guitarbill 5y ago
    It's a different country, with vastly different areas. If you have experienced the culture and like it, go for it. But don't come for money. The work culture is insane, worse than Germany. You get almost no holidays. Data protection is terrible. Your information will get leaked. Your salary and other stuff is likely available for companies to buy. You will get spam text messages and phone calls, no matter how careful you are. I never answer my phone any more. The education system is worse, if you decide to stay and have kids (even if you don't plan to, you might meet someone). Everything is in US units. Almost nothing is metric. It's a learning curve that - especially as an engineer - could be annoying. Air quality and noise in cities, because of all the cars. Some states don't really have emissions testing, or even vehicle testing like the TÜV. Healthcare can be excellent if you're in a well-paying job. But it's also tied to your job. Just some things I can think of off the top of my head. But then again, don't let me stop you. Worst case, you could always return to Germany, or move somewhere else. The great thing about being a software developer is being in demand, and how easy it is to get visas and work (comparatively).

theandrewbailey 5y ago

If that's the case, start looking for positions and interviews now. If you get any good offers, take one and leave university.

jdthedisciple 5y ago
Also an option. Maybe I should even put a threshold, like if anyone offers me a position for more than 30€/hour I drop out in favor of it.

fundad 5y ago

Don’t do what you dread. Some people go to academia because they dread commercial software engineering work.

guitarbill 5y ago

In the English-speaking countries, not having a Master is normal (at least in software dev). There are two reasons you might want one. I believe there's an extra cap for the H1B visa if you have a Masters. And getting a visa for a software engineering role with a non-CS degree is just a little bit harder (USCIS might issue a request for evidence on how your degree is relevant. This isn't too bad, and isn't usually an problem through.) Personally, I wouldn't recommend the US over Germany. You may find yourself missing a lot of the things you took for granted. Edit: And I also know quite a few people who did Masters just for having one, and hated every minute of it. It changed them. IMO, not worth it. Two years is a long time to be miserable.

jdthedisciple 5y ago
That's some valuable input, thanks. May I ask what for example do you think I would be missing in the US that I'm taking for granted over here?
- guitarbill 5y ago
  It's a different country, with vastly different areas. If you have experienced the culture and like it, go for it. But don't come for money. The work culture is insane, worse than Germany. You get almost no holidays. Data protection is terrible. Your information will get leaked. Your salary and other stuff is likely available for companies to buy. You will get spam text messages and phone calls, no matter how careful you are. I never answer my phone any more. The education system is worse, if you decide to stay and have kids (even if you don't plan to, you might meet someone). Everything is in US units. Almost nothing is metric. It's a learning curve that - especially as an engineer - could be annoying. Air quality and noise in cities, because of all the cars. Some states don't really have emissions testing, or even vehicle testing like the TÜV. Healthcare can be excellent if you're in a well-paying job. But it's also tied to your job. Just some things I can think of off the top of my head. But then again, don't let me stop you. Worst case, you could always return to Germany, or move somewhere else. The great thing about being a software developer is being in demand, and how easy it is to get visas and work (comparatively).