[jeepguy1988]

So I graduate in about 8 months and am beginning to freak. I don't know what to do! How is the job market for programmers. I'm receiving my associates in computer programming with experience in multiple languages, while I continue on the path to a bachelors degree in software design. I'm wondering if there is anything I should do extra to help with getting a job. Where should I target for jobs, as I don't think I'll find one here in Michigan (15% unemployment ant all). What does everybody think?

[KYA]

network, network, network. Barring that, internships are a good way to go (although that's networking in disguise).

[W3bDev]

Start doing projects with the programming you've learned, and develop a portfolio that shows your skills efficiently. This will enable you to land a job a lot easier, than just with a resume. Remember, an associates degree is not much in the employment sector these days, but you can defiantly look into an entry level programming position with a proper portfolio.

[Choscura]

do group projects that you can't do alone, but which you can competently do part of. This will hook you in with other competent programmers and give you an idea of who you want to work with and what to look for in employers/coworkers/employees.

[Sue816]

I live in Chicago and there is still a huge demand for programmers. We have high unemployment, but much more so for less skilled occupations (retail, data entry, receptionists, laborers). I have closely watched the # of jobs on Careerbuilder in IT for the last year, and while there was a big drop, there are still 650+ at any given time and a mess of them on Craigslist, too. (The majority of which are programming jobs) I don't think you'll have a problem getting a job even in Michigan.

[jeepguy1988]

That makes me feel better. I think I'm just more worked up then anything, I've never done anything else besides go to school. Thanks for all the feedback!

[sparkart]

I think it is really important that you do internships and make a programming portfolio.

I think it is really important that you do internships and make a programming portfolio.

[fr334rtisT]

Well I hope you find something to do, an internship would be great for you, if you still on college you can do one on summer, but make sure is about CS and that you really care about it. It'ts always great to make internships before graduating, specially in this career of Computer Science where you can be a simple data entry to a System Analyst to Software Engineer. As community fellows say, do it as group ware and not alone (unless you like to work alone) this way you will learn the fundamentals of Teamwork and hard work by feeling in your conform zone. Make sure you make it in an industrial internship rather than research internship; Because you will be working rather than studying and reading lots of papers, like you will be doing on Graduate School. Unless you like to research and make double your work by studying like you used to do in college but 10 times harder... Still recommends industrial internship where you feel like you are in an actual Job, so these before graduating if you can, otherwise you will have to enter Graduate School and make an internship or find the actual job that you will be treated as a complete professional rather than a student.

I hope these help, I am a Junior and I did one internship in research (that I didn't liked) and learn lots of stuff, plus I got paid I did it while I was in Sophomore (transition to Junior) in the summer (2009). Next internship would be on an industrial one.

Thanks,
fr334rtisT

This post has been edited by fr334rtisT: 10 October 2009 - 11:15 PM

[dbhubbell]

I'm in a similar situation - I work full time and am about to finish up with an AS degree. I asked my programmer friend the same thing and his response was what pretty much everyone here has said - look for an internship and start talking to people (network). Since I work full time it's not such a easy thing for me to find an internship, but it doesn't stop me from making new contacts. For instance, A friend of mine does web development work and has introduced me to the Drupal CMS. Through that relationship, I've started attending a monthly Drupal users group meeting in my area that's helped me meet about 15 other people that are doing web development. This has been able to open a few doors for me that would not have been options if had never met some of these people before.

[pcw12ard]

I not saying BA wont get you anywhere but as for as a software engineering aspect, i think employers look for the BS foundation.
BA can often be portrayed as a management background or something.

[picnframes]

Learn languages and be proficient on them ....PHP is the one of the demanding language this time
picnframes
sco-16
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chandigarh