-2

A student that achieved a high GPA at an accredited Computer Engineering program is having trouble landing a job developing software. The Engineering degree is mostly hardware so there was little Software Engineering taught.

Many successful Entrepreneurs and Programmers had no college education or even dropped out of high school. Does going back to school to pursue a bachelor's degree in computer science look bad on a resume to a recruiter, an HR person, a Hiring Manager, or anyone else looking for a Software Engineer?

Along with your answers please give your reasoning and career background.

Thank you

Improve this question
7
  • 1
    Look at my question. workplace.stackexchange.com/questions/50356/… – Bluebird Dec 2 '17 at 2:10
  • 1
    I think this question is too opinion-based to answer. Some hiring managers will think it's weird to have two computer related degrees, others will think it's awesome that you like computers so much. – Mel Reams Dec 2 '17 at 4:02
  • The return on each successive degree at the same level (in my experience) has been 0. My income is no different if I only had 1 degree. This is of course, if you are equating major with degree. – Bluebird Dec 2 '17 at 4:16
  • Many successful entrepreneurs and programmers did have degrees; and many unsuccessful ones either had degrees or didn't. What isolates successful entrepreneurs is attitude, skill, and some good fortune to be at the right place at the right moment - not a (lack of a) college degree – HorusKol Dec 2 '17 at 7:16
  • 1
    I imagine a Computer Engineer would have more problems successfully passing programming interviews than getting them (all else being equal, assuming we're talking about a 3-4 year degree, not a diploma or whatever else). For that it's probably better to self-educate to obtain the missing knowledge rather than getting another degree (unless you don't have the self-discipline or motivation for self-education). – Bernhard Barker Dec 2 '17 at 8:06
0

Throughout the HR industry, there is a saying.

Hire the attitude; train later.

At the end of the day, qualifications only count so far. Additional qualifications are not that interesting.

But what companies need is the right attitude.

Interviews are one or lost within about fifteen seconds of walking into the interview room - because attitude shows the moment one open's one's mouth to speak. Even sooner; it shows in deportment, it shows in appearance and grooming; it shows in facial expression.

And it cannot be mimicked.

One either has the right attitude, deep inside; or one hasn't.

And companies spend a lot of money hiring recruiters who weed out the bad attitude at the interview stage.

In my view, the extra degree does not matter, one way or the other.

[I am in my sixties and have worked in a variety of industries in several countries. My CV is too long to quote here. And anyway, I could be lieing.]

Improve this answer

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .