I need career advice. Degree in Computer Enginerring?

C

cheeks

I would really appreciate some help.

Here is my situation. I'm 28. I graduated in 1998 with a Degree in Finance from a regional business school. When I left school I wanted to trade more than anything in this world. I tried to get a trading related job somewhere on Wall Street, but it did not work out. I was so determined to trade that I decided to wait tables at night so I put together a trading stake and trade during the day. Unfortunately, I was trying to pay off a lot of college debt at the same time.

Four years later, I find myself still slightly in debt and struggling to make enough money to not have to drain my tiny trading account to pay bills. This is simply not working. My college friends are starting to become successful in their career paths and I am starting to feel more like a loser everyday.

For a number of reasons I would like to get into a professional field that would allow more stability(read a family). Then once I have a steady income, trade on the side.

While I do have a degree in finance, it is not going to open any big doors at this moment. I have been out of school for 4 years mostly waiting tables. Plus, trading is the only area of finance I would want to work in.

Here is my question:
Should I go back to school and get a degree in computer science/engineering? I could go to North Carolina State as an in state student and pay less than $4000 a year in tuition. Unfortunately(LOL!), I have alot of experience waiting tables. I should be able to pay my way thru school borrowing very little/if any money. Not to mention my trading account would pay for the first year anyway.


I know a number of you have IT backgrounds and I would really value your input.
 
In case you 've been living on Mars for the past couple of years... the IT boom is OVER.

There is still a shortage for nurses..
 
you should hear the moaning and groaning in our computer office the easy do it day are over, lots of hard work for the same pay. I know some gal went to interview, went to book store read up all she need went for another interview went back to book store, she ended up with high pay job in diff state. But I think the services sector is doing well I also know people paying cash for mil dollars house doing hair, nail. I think the grass always look greener from other side. No advice, thing is just tough all around. Per the above post I also hear there are shortage of live-in home assistance nurse, more so the they have to import Filipino with 4k bonus up front to satisfy the demand.
 
You should get a degree in Computer Science. The IT market, while slow right now, is full of hacks who switched careers into programming during the boom. There is always a need for someone who understands the fundamentals, which you would with a C.S. degree. Also, by the time you're done, the market will likely be turning up again.

Finally, and perhaps more importantly, you will open up a whole new world for yourself when you see how much you can do with a completely customized trading app you'll be able to write for yourself.

Good luck!
 
Quote from cheeks:

I would really appreciate some help.

Here is my situation. I'm 28. I graduated in 1998 with a Degree in Finance from a regional business school. When I left school I wanted to trade more than anything in this world. I tried to get a trading related job somewhere on Wall Street, but it did not work out. I was so determined to trade that I decided to wait tables at night so I put together a trading stake and trade during the day. Unfortunately, I was trying to pay off a lot of college debt at the same time.

Four years later, I find myself still slightly in debt and struggling to make enough money to not have to drain my tiny trading account to pay bills. This is simply not working. My college friends are starting to become successful in their career paths and I am starting to feel more like a loser everyday.

For a number of reasons I would like to get into a professional field that would allow more stability(read a family). Then once I have a steady income, trade on the side.

While I do have a degree in finance, it is not going to open any big doors at this moment. I have been out of school for 4 years mostly waiting tables. Plus, trading is the only area of finance I would want to work in.

Here is my question:
Should I go back to school and get a degree in computer science/engineering? I could go to North Carolina State as an in state student and pay less than $4000 a year in tuition. Unfortunately(LOL!), I have alot of experience waiting tables. I should be able to pay my way thru school borrowing very little/if any money. Not to mention my trading account would pay for the first year anyway.


I know a number of you have IT backgrounds and I would really value your input.
More...

Yes. The IT boom is over. A lot of fresh graduates with computer science degrees cannot find a job now. Tons of IT recruiting firms that have been around for decades are running out of business. The situation is getting worse and worse as more and more IT work is being outsourced to India, China and other countries with cheap labor costs.

http://www.computerworld.com/careertopics/careers/story/0,10801,77881,00.html

If you were the boss, would you hire one programmer in US or three of them in India, or five of them in China for the same amount of money ?

I also agree with nkhoi. Things are just tough all around. There is nothing called job guaranteed anymore. Just follow your heart. Examine your background, your character and the resources you have. I do not know about you. But because of my personal character, there are some jobs that I can never take and survive. Then plan accordingly, and build a career based on what you have now. It may not be fair, but a lot of people, including the headhunters think that 40 is a cutoff point. They think that you are incapable of switching career or learning new stuffs after age 39. Hence, you still have 12 years.

Of course, our great Fed Chairman, Alan Greenspan got his Ph. D. degree at age 51.

Good Luck.

:p :p :p
:D :D :D
 
Quote from omcate:

The situation is getting worse and worse as more and more IT work being outsourced to India, China and other countries with cheaper labor costs...If you were the boss, would you hire one programmer in US or three of them in India, or five of them in China for the same amount of money ?
More...
They've been talking about stuff like this for 10 years now. I think the difference is that now IT management is realizing that while foreign country help may be cheaper, you have no idea what you're going to get. Some of the quotes in the article you sent seem to attest to that.
 
Quote from omcate:

It may not be fair, but a lot of people, including the headhunters think that 40 is a cutoff point. They think that you are incapable of switching career or learning new stuffs after age 39. Hence, you still have 12 years.

Of course, our great Fed Chairman, Alan Greenspan got his Ph. D. degree at age 51.

:p :p :p
:D :D :D
More...
Man I hate that attitude you get from moron hiring managers. Tell that to Deming or Buckminster Fuller or Arthur C Clarke or Issac Asimov or Erdos (all old guys who did alot of stuff and had more energy that younger guys. )
 
Quote from richtrader:


They've been talking about stuff like this for 10 years now. I think the difference is that now IT management is realizing that while foreign country help may be cheaper, you have no idea what you're going to get. Some of the quotes in the article you sent seem to attest to that.
More...

Yes. But I do know that the IT divison of the Invetsment Bank I worked at cut 50% of the London support staff in year 2000 and outsourced the work to India.
 
Quote from PuffyGums:

Man I hate that attitude you get from moron hiring managers. Tell that to Deming or Buckminster Fuller or Arthur C Clarke or Issac Asimov or Erdos (all old guys who did alot of stuff and had more energy that younger guys. )
More...
I hate that attitude too. But the world is not fair. My friend.
 
Quote from omcate:

Yes. But I do know that the IT divison of the Invetsment Bank I worked at cut 50% of the London support staff in year 2000 and outsourced the work to India.
More...
Good point. I suppose just because it is the wrong thing to do doesn't mean companies won't do it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top