How To Get A CS Job Professor Terence Parr University of San Francisco April 5, 2005

Process 1. Be attractive 2. Find suitable opportunity or make one 3. Apply 4. Interview 5. Negotiate 6. Start work and collecting large pay checks

What makes you attractive Basic requirements Basic requirements computer science degree (perhaps decent grades) computer science degree (perhaps decent grades) What you really need What you really need programs you’ve written for fun outside of class/work programs you’ve written for fun outside of class/work work experience, preferably related to the new job work experience, preferably related to the new job good references good references be a decent Human; can you fit in their environment? be a decent Human; can you fit in their environment? confident attitude confident attitude knowledge of development process not just coding knowledge of development process not just coding research with professor, publications research with professor, publications something that makes you different and/or well- rounded; e.g., Peru trip or speak multiple languages something that makes you different and/or well- rounded; e.g., Peru trip or speak multiple languages

What to do during college Code for fun Code for fun Do part-time jobs, get an internship Do part-time jobs, get an internship Do research with professors Do research with professors Pay attention in data structures & software engineering courses Pay attention in data structures & software engineering courses Become well-rounded Become well-rounded Get to know lots of your schoolmates Get to know lots of your schoolmates

Corporate Culture and You Large non-high-tech company Large non-high-tech company Normally not much innovation or cool technology Normally not much innovation or cool technology Not overworked, you get vacations Not overworked, you get vacations Small or start-up Small or start-up Often much more interesting, more responsibility Often much more interesting, more responsibility More stress and work, less vacation More stress and work, less vacation Can I telecommute? Can I telecommute? Depends on the company usually not the size Depends on the company usually not the size Working on the weekend Working on the weekend Expect it in small company and at higher levels in any company Expect it in small company and at higher levels in any company

How jobs get posted Engineer: “fetch us another Human” Engineer: “fetch us another Human” Manager talks to local HR who sends request to national HR who outsources it to a consulting company Manager talks to local HR who sends request to national HR who outsources it to a consulting company No one competent (to judge you) sees your resume until after a “consultant” filters you No one competent (to judge you) sees your resume until after a “consultant” filters you Nothing helpful ever happens this way Nothing helpful ever happens this way Caveat: small companies are different Caveat: small companies are different

How to avoid that mess You have to know somebody You have to know somebody friends, acquaintances, alumni, profs, family friends, acquaintances, alumni, profs, family Your goal is always to engage human element Your goal is always to engage human element Make your own contact Make your own contact engineers directly; ask about the corporate culture or their work engineers directly; ask about the corporate culture or their work Don’t ask for a job (a favor); ask advice; establish contact Don’t ask for a job (a favor); ask advice; establish contact TJP: academy computers, MasPar, “search company”, USF, … TJP: academy computers, MasPar, “search company”, USF, …

Resumes Short as possible Short as possible “Punchy” with action verbs “Punchy” with action verbs No laundry lists! Don’t just list technology; say specifically what you did with what No laundry lists! Don’t just list technology; say specifically what you did with what No personal stuff; no one cares if you skydive and can burp the national anthem No personal stuff; no one cares if you skydive and can burp the national anthem Don’t list your babysitting jobs Don’t list your babysitting jobs “Objectives” are meaningless “Objectives” are meaningless Cover letters are important in some cases Cover letters are important in some cases

Preparing for the interview Goal is to find common ground with company and employees Goal is to find common ground with company and employees Research the company, the people, their research/work. Learn the industry Research the company, the people, their research/work. Learn the industry Find out who you know there Find out who you know there Did you go to the same school? Same hometown? Dig! Did you go to the same school? Same hometown? Dig! Before one interview, I found out who I knew that knew the interviewer. I was able to say “Bob says hi” and “I liked your paper on blah…” Before one interview, I found out who I knew that knew the interviewer. I was able to say “Bob says hi” and “I liked your paper on blah…”

What happens in an interview? Interview is about Human connection Interview is about Human connection Interview lets them probe for honesty, holes in your application. “Tell me about your work on blah…” Interview lets them probe for honesty, holes in your application. “Tell me about your work on blah…” Can they work with you? Do they “connect” with you? Can they work with you? Do they “connect” with you? Are you reliable? Are you reliable? Look professional; don’t be an eccentric until you get the job Look professional; don’t be an eccentric until you get the job Getting grilled; don’t expect to answer everything Getting grilled; don’t expect to answer everything Be yourself and honest Be yourself and honest Be confident; act like you are interviewing them Be confident; act like you are interviewing them Summary: It’s literally like a first date Summary: It’s literally like a first date

What if I’m not a genius? Competency is valued! Competency is valued! Everyone can be advanced or knowledgeable in some area Everyone can be advanced or knowledgeable in some area You want to show flexibility, ability to learn and adapt You want to show flexibility, ability to learn and adapt No one wants a crazy genius on staff No one wants a crazy genius on staff Reliability, decent productivity trumps genius anyday Reliability, decent productivity trumps genius anyday

Options An option to buy company stock at today’s price in the future when the options vest An option to buy company stock at today’s price in the future when the options vest Stock can go up or down Stock can go up or down If you exercise then stock goes down, you owe tax on money you didn’t earn! If you exercise then stock goes down, you owe tax on money you didn’t earn! Given in addition to or replacing salary Given in addition to or replacing salary Start-up options are usually worthless as most businesses fail Start-up options are usually worthless as most businesses fail

International Issues / Visas Fixed H1-B quota; consumed in first 1/3 of year Fixed H1-B quota; consumed in first 1/3 of year Costs companies money (continually). Costs companies money (continually). All else being equal they have to take citizen All else being equal they have to take citizen Smaller companies may have problem hiring non-citizen Smaller companies may have problem hiring non-citizen There are OPTs for a year and visiting positions etc… There are OPTs for a year and visiting positions etc…

Summary Technical skill is minimum requirement Technical skill is minimum requirement It’s all about who you know or can get to know; seriously It’s all about who you know or can get to know; seriously finding opportunities finding opportunities references references achieving “connection” with interviewer/company achieving “connection” with interviewer/company Interviewing well is like being good at dating Interviewing well is like being good at dating Getting a good job begins Freshman year Getting a good job begins Freshman year Achievement proportional to effort Achievement proportional to effort