Pastry from a magnifying glass

I have met many fresh graduates from computer science background in my acquaintance and same type of question is being asked by them. "What kind of job shall I do or look for once I graduate".

So, I thought I will write somewhere what I used to tell them and from next time I will advice them to read it then we will discuss.

Let me quote an example, "A pastry from a magnifying glass". You must be saying what kind of pathetic answer is this. Well, keep on reading you will realize that this is the answer.

Remember few points

1) Pay check.You existing pay check speaks your market worth.It tells your next employer that you were important enough that company was paying you this amount. So, don't get fooled by these words "you are going to make a rocket but you will be paid less because we are letting you work in such a wonderful and unique area that no one in market is doing". You are not out there for "Charity".

2) Grooming. If you get to work in a garage like environment you will never learn art of how to talk to your senior,peers,clients, how to dress yourself etc etc. Its all about work etiquette's. So, don't work in a garage. This will make you techie only but you will lack basic soft skills.

3) Stability.There is a difference between doing job and fulfilling a hobby. There are few lucky people who are actually doing what they love to. Because not everyone is blessed this much :)

Work for a company which is stable enough not a jerk where few investors are tolling with their "Great Ideas" and when they get fed up they say "Thank you for working with us".

4) Learning. Don't go for monotonous work. Try looking out for work where you got a chance to learn tools, technologies, concepts, professional work methodology. If you run into an environment where you don't see new ideas, tools, technologies and methodologies at work then your basis will be made in wrong direction.It takes a lot of efforts to write a quality software(Designing, Coding, Optimization[Profilers,Code Analysis],QA, Release Management,etc). Try learning new things on your own and discuss with your peers,team leads if that can improve your work quality.

5) Next Possible Move.Its not wise to sell "spectacles" where everyone is blind. So, Calculate your next possible move, means where you would go after this. I know some intellectuals would come forward and say that they are working on it because they are "lateral thinkers" :). For them I have simple answer, Don't do job then become an entrepreneur.

That's what I can tell from my little experience. I have been through all this. I know its not possible to get everything in your plate at once, but keep trying for it. At least go for one which has maximum in it and remove "Magnifying glass" while you are asked to view a pastry :)

That's all for today.