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Software Engineer
Advice in SE job search without CS degree
I am currently on the job search, and am hoping to get advice from this community.
It seems that the majority of job postings require a CS degree. I majored in business (not CS), and have worked the majority of my career at one company. I am middle-aged.
1) Is it worth it to go back to school and get a CS degree? Are there any reputable online programs?
2) Any suggestions for how to make my skills stand out even without a CS degree?
Any input is greatly appreciated!
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19g6wl3uy1c1ySoftware Engineer
That's awesome. Benefits and culture make a big difference. Good luck in your switch.
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My strategy - find an entry level role that's SWE adjacent. I looked for "HTML/CSS" or WordPress jobs on Indeed. Many of these jobs aren't super...technical? Like, it's definitely useful to know how to program but they won't have you building software or doing anything complex. The role I landed in is Survey Programming - so I'm writing those lame surveys companies often pay people to take. I work with Python daily am constantly exposed to JavaScript. I figure getting paid to do this and gaining professional experience while learning the fundamentals on the side is probably better than paying a ton of money for school or a bootcamp.
I don't earn anywhere close to an SWE salary. Benefits and work culture are still the best I've experienced but I'm coming from manual labor.