Re: Project---"Real" (with 4yr degree and works as one) computer
] In school I'm working on a careers project and I can't find out some
] information. Would someone who fits my definition of 'real' programmer
] please respond to me, not the list, with answers to these questions:
I don't really count yet, but I'm on that 4yr degree course ;)
] 1. What are the benifits of being a programmer? What do you like the best?
a) The major benefit is money. People will pay the Earth if you know what
you're doing. A friend of mine was recently offered £2,000 [~= $3,200]
to create a *website*! As for other benefits:
b) Many companies will let you work from home. Paid freedom!
(Within reason :) see 2(a) )
c) You tend to work in groups (most people on this list know how hard it
can be to work on a evan a small project alone). Shared blame if things go
wrong!
d) Immense satisfaction when you do a good job. And happy customers. I'm
currently working part-time in a mail-order warehouse during my degree. No
visible customers. No gratitude. Need proper job ;)
] 2. What are the disadvantages of the job? What do you like least?
a) Extremely tight deadlines, because:
b) Lots of department managers got where they are in the dinosaur age.
They have no idea of the constraints needed to produce a decent system.
See Dilbert :) http://www.unitedmedia.com/comics/dilbert
Disclaimer: Not all bosses are idiots. It just seems like it sometimes.
c) ...and also because the customer has a deadline too. Y2K is a good
example here.
d) Software Engineering. [I saw some people turn green then :) ] Some
companies have tight guidelines for specification, design and testing of
projects. Your job in this case is 10% programming, 90% admin. Aargh!
] 3. Is there a union to join? If so, which one, and how much are dues/year?
This depends on the country you are in. Most of Europe & UK can join
FEANI, which is basically a Federation of Engineers.
In Britain, there's the BCS (British Computer Society).
I don't know about the States. :(
The fees are [AFAIK] usually quite low, if you actually have a related
job. And you can always rejoin if they have to cut you off in times of
hardship. They're not that cruel.
NB: If you're good enough to join an organisation like these. JOIN ONE!
Some people will employ you on your membership to these societies
alone!!
] 4. What are the fringe benefits of the job? (Health, dental, life insurance)
] What do you have to pay for each? Pension? 401K w/ or w/out matching, stock
] options? Overtime? Bonuses?
This depends entirely on the company. There are no hard-and-fast rules for
dealing with programm|ers/ing. Just like any other job really.
] 5. How much paid sick time or vacation time is provided to start? how much
] does it increase each year? What is the maximum?
Again, this depends on the company you work for. Sorry. :(
But then again, if you become the boss, you have in fact infinite
golf^H^H^H^Hsick time. :)
HTH,
Carl
--
Carl R White -- Final Year Computer Science at the University of Bradford
E-mail........: cyrek- at -bigfoot.com -- Remove hyphens. Ta :)
URL...........: http://www.bigfoot.com/~cyrek/
Uncrackable...: "19.6A.23.38.52.73.45 25.31.1C 3C.53.44.39.58"
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