Hacker News Reader

Comment by gfourfour | Hacker News Reader

Any kind you want. Being smart matters 100000x more than your major.

I have a math degree and this has absolutely not been my experience. Nobody gives a shit about a math degree, so I went and got a masters in computer vision (CS + Stats). I’ve been sending out resumes this whole last semester and have heard basically nothing.

Now I’m trying to leverage my previous 13 years of experience in aviation, but yeah, I’m not super optimistic. I applied at a robotics company attempting to automate an airplane that I flew professionally and they didn’t want me for a safety position where I would literally be working on how to use the robot.

The market now is terrible but your math degree isn’t holding you back

What the heck is it then, lol? Is it just the current market?

I’m legit thinking I’ll just do my own thing if I can’t figure out something.

Yes, it’s the current market. I’m in the same boat.

If you’re interested in doing your own thing send me an email at mhmthrowaway23@gmail.com

I have a BA in philosophy and a MS in CS w/ a focus in computer vision. Similar boat as you. No 13 years of exp in a prior industry though.

I stopped trying to get a job a few months ago and have been plugging away at my own projects. I’ve been (equity compensated) working for a startup for the last month or so in a non-technical role and it’s been really eye opening as to what it takes to get something off the ground. I have a lot of interest in pursuing that route now and if you do too it could be good to connect.

I sent you a message.

I disagree. Maybe if you went to a top five school and are good at networking. Otherwise most careers will still require that you show specialization (domain specific knowledge, certifications, etc).

Once you’re in the door somewhere the cream tends to rise, regardless of your background.

Kinda. Career success isn't strictly based on merit or "smarts."

But I was responding to the claim that a bachelor's in math can get you "any kind of job." That just isn't true. You will always have to compete with the people who have specialized and have experience in that particular domain. Why would any organization hire a math student for a software development job (for example) when they have hundreds of applicants lined up with CS degrees/internships/whathaveyou? Pick any other domain and apply the same thought process. Again, you'd really have to be pulling on your connections or be a standout in some other sense to get that level of consideration. I'm confident that for a lot of hiring managers, success in the long term and "hiring the best" are secondary to "can this person be productive in a reasonable amount of time?".

I remember when I was in school philosophy students used to say the same thing and I thought it was totally absurd. That somehow a philosophy student is on equal footing with someone who just spent four years coding? Just insanity.

The philosophy students were right, some of the highest mid career earnings of any major. It’s harder to get your foot in the door without specialized knowledge - but careers arent determined by your first entry level job.

There is probably something to this.

Though n = 1, I have a CS degree and am not particularly smart, and... that explains a lot about my life and career trajectory post-grad.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com