Bren:Alumni

It’s true that there are many myths that surround ICS/computer science programs nationwide (and beyond). I believe the main reason is that software is still a relatively new and evolving industry/field. I want to take this chance to share some of the popular myths and debunk them since this is a great field and I wouldn’t want someone to miss out on a great career because of one of these myths.

Myth: A career in computer science means I program all day long.

This is probably one of the most popular myths out there. It might have been true in the early software days, but the computing and software industry has since evolved to a point where that our job descriptions can no longer be the same. If you went through ICS in the 2000 era, you would know building software is so much more than the implementation itself. There’s gathering requirements, software design, issue tracking , project management, risk mitigation, testing, and so on. Being a software engineer today means you have to be well equipped with the right technical and problem solving skills, writing skills, communication skills, and be able to work in a team environment.

Myth: Being in computer science means I don’t need good communication skills, since I talk (through code) to computers instead of people.

This is a extension of the “program all day in a cubicle” myth, that people generally think you don’t need good communication/soft skills to pursue a career with computer science. There are so many roles in software to prove that this is irrelevant, i.e. IT consultant, business analyst, user experience developer. Software engineers nowadays are expected to work in teams, meaning they need to have good people/teaming skills.

Myth: There will be no software need in the US since all software jobs are moving out of the US and to India.

The upward trend of software jobs being outsourced to India, Philippines (or others), is undeniable. But it would be silly to think that there will be no further need for software people in the US. From personal experience, working with an offshore staff that outsourcing is not easy as you would imagine. There are many barriers and overhead that is required to deliver a project offshore successfully.

Myth: Graduating ICS leads to programming only jobs.

This is easy to debunk as I have met many of you through the alumni network who took alternate career paths! Perhaps all of you alternate career path-takers would like to chime in on debunking this myth

Do you know any other ICS myths?

Good PDF of design patterns you may use in your coding.

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McDonalds: “interesting” food but good pattern documentation?
Someone pointed out a Design Patterns Card from McDonalds, the fast food restaurant, which is actually rather useful as a poster. Finally, something from McDonalds which might be good for you Note added after posting: this had nothing to do with McDonalds after all; its from a blogger. Its just fun to poke at fast food restaurants.

Given McDonalds culinary history, one might expect that theyd recommend the use of VB4, coded with the WingDings font, transferring “secure” information via base64, encoded with rot13 twice - for extra security, with technical leads whose job requirements include coding on crack.

Postscript: This showed up on Dzone, as “Design Patterns Quick Reference,” created and posted by JavaLobby user finn0013. Way to go, finn0013, and TSS sincerely hopes youre not on crack in any way.

I found my topic this week thanks to Lifehack.org to write about building relationships. This is a great topic since this ties to one of the goals of this blog, which is to allow students and alums to build relationships. Ideally, the relationship we build here leads to REAL, in-person, type of relationship. Reason being in today’s world, it’s easy enough to connect to hundred’s of people through the popular social networking sites. Personally, I see it hard to establish a strong relationship without the in-person and face-to-face interaction. Maybe it’s just missing the firm handshake. Or maybe it’s just me.  So until one of the Internet giants invents the virtual firm handshake over the web, to each’s own

Why bother?

There are many facts to support why we should build relationships but I will write about one I resonate with and one that is most applicable to ICS students/alums. It is from the book “Stumbling on Happiness” by Daniel Gilbert. In this book, Gilbert promises to give the reader the secret in finding true happiness. He points out the shortcoming of human imagination to incorrectly assess something that we believe will bring us happiness. In the end, there is no magic formula in determining happiness. If so, what can we do to decide what will make us happy? The secret, as it turns out, is to talk to someone who has been down the path you are evaluating, and judge through their experience. Also, it adds credibility if that someone is who you associate closely with and trust. A rather simple example of this is the very act of asking your friends about the latest movies they saw. Think of how their reviews affected whether or not you wanted to see a particular movie. Also consider who the review came from and how close are your movie tastes. Many times this is how we decide if we want to watch a particular movie, simply based on a recommendation from a credible friend. This is the same argument I am trying to make in building relationships. As we progress in our lives, we make many important decisions that we think will bring us happiness in our careers and in school. Should I take a job or stay in school? Should I major in Econ or Computer Science? Should I keep my job or go back to school for that MBA/Masters/PHD degree? Should I take that new position in the other department? These are probably decisions many of us are trying to make, but have no way in telling if they will indeed bring us the happiness we believe it will. So here lies the reason why we build relationships in hopes to find a mentor, or a coach, to walk us through how it was like for them and determine whether or not it will mean the same for you. 

What to look for?

So what do you look for in a mentor-type relationship? Keep in mind, your mentor not necessarily have to be older than you. It’s the experience that counts. Make sure your mentor had walk down the path that you are contemplating on taking and see how it was like for them. I think this is the very reason why most professional/collegiate sports coaches are former players/athletes. Are you wondering what it is like developing software full time? Are you wondering what it is like to be a software consultant (or plug in any title you would like i.e. project manager, architect, designer, CTO, etc)? Talk to someone who’s doing it or had done it to find out!

Why help somebody?

All types of relationships are mutual beneficial including mentorship. One may not realize that there are many benefits to being a mentor or coach. One, the act of teaching forces you to learn what you already know, but better. It requires a higher level of learning in order to teach someone else what you know. Second, it gives you a different perspective being on the other side of the fence. Being the teacher, you might realize many things you never did while you were a “student.” This is attributed by the birds-eye-view you have now with the added experience. This helps you to put together and understand the bigger picture. Lastly, it simply feels good to help someone or if you haven’t had the opportunity to mentor someone at work or personally. The simple act of helping others is very fulfilling and a great confidence booster

Resources

If this blog you are reading weren’t enough, Career Connections offered by the UCI Career center is a great way for students to find alums as mentors. Also there is the ICS mentorship program.

In closing, I hope I have successfully communicated one of key missions I have for this blog and also I hope someone found this helpful. Talk to you all next week!

Right around this time of the year, college seniors are getting ready to make a big leap out of college and into the real world. This is a pretty important time for grads, as they take the inaugurating steps into their careers. I want to share The Ultimate Student Resource List from Lifehacker where they aggregated lots of good info for students. This list includes free applications, student advice, online tools, and research resources. I also want to share a few advice of my own for college grads. I can’t claim credit for the following since they are just a collection of advices that I heard/read/received from the past. So here goes…

Follow your passion

You have probably heard this before, but in case you haven’t: You do a much better job if you are passionate about something. This is one of the reasons I like working at my current company because it’s filled with people who are passionate about technology. If you are passionate, you will continue to self improve by accepting new challenges. You will also most likely motivate yourself to do better work and go that extra mile.

Regarding the first job out of college

College grads usually don’t have much practical software experience. What you want to do is to fill up that resume with some good experience preferably a big name others can relate to. This is great if you can land that big job, but what if things don’t go as planned and you didn’t get the job? People, out of desperation, may opt to accept a job at a big name company while disregarding the job description. For example, instead of working in the software department, you take another position not making software just to get your foot in the door. Big mistake! If you want to have a career in software, make sure you start your career that way, even if it meant you get paid beans. This is because if you don’t, it only gets tougher to get back into software as time goes on.

How do I land my first software job with no experience?

You need experience to get the job but how do you get a job with no experience? Get an internship. But getting an internship is just like getting a job, what if you can’t land any internships? With software this is actually easier than you think. The barrier of entry to software is very low nowadays. Take a look around the web, there are tons of open source projects along with free tools and frameworks from companies who are begging you to learn their framework. Contribute to open source, or start a hobby project to learn something new. And there you have something to put on your shiny new resume and to show your passion in software!

Show me the money, when choosing the first job

By this I don’t mean to take the highest salary when picking your first job. Whichever job you end up taking, make sure you can explain how your software makes money for your company. The more direct your work impacts the bottom line, the better. The only reason I say this is because this shows how willing the company is in terms of investing in YOU. If you can easily explain how your software or skills affect the bottom line, you will most likely have better access to resources such as training, tools, and certifications.

What advice would you offer to ICS college grads?

UC Day will be Tuesday, March 4, in Sacramento.

UC Day is the annual event that brings together University of California family of alumni, stakeholders and friends to share their UC story with California’s elected officials in Sacramento. That message emphasizes the vital role that the University of California plays in:

* Providing a high-quality, affordable education;
* Improving the quality of life for Californians through its fundamental missions of teaching, research and public service; and
* Creating solutions for the health, environmental, social and economic challenges facing the state.

This year’s theme will be “UC Goes Green,” showcasing the public service the 10-campus system provides California through environmental innovation. UC, named one of America’s greenest schools last year by Sierra magazine, is also a leader in researching environmental issues, hosting the new Energy Biosciences and Joint BioEnergy institutes.

About UC Day

UC Day is when the entire UC family comes together as a group to acknowledge UC’s academic excellence and to celebrate the contributions of UC and its alumni to the state. UC has 170,000 faculty and staff, 214,000 students, and 1.5 million alumni. UC develops more patents than any other university. And UC plays a vital role in the state’s economy, triggering $14.3 billion to $16.7 billion in economic growth and $4 billion in state and local tax revenue.
About UC advocacy

Help spread the message. Your participation is essential to the success of UC Day. UC alumni, stakeholders and friends are in a unique position to share their stories with public officials about the importance of the University of California to the welfare of the state and to its residents. Sharing your story is especially important given the state’s budget deficit.

Meanwhile, we are taking several steps to encourage and facilitate advocacy. We will soon unveil a new advocacy tool kit with software and social networking components. We already have launched a UC Facebook page – contact Advocacy Communications Coordinator Brandon Kline at Brandon.Kline@ucop.edu for more information.
Stay connected

Please watch this page for UC Day 2008 updates, news and other information. Every year at UC Day, we acknowledge individuals as Advocates of the Year for their support of UC’s mission of teaching, research and public service. To see who has been previously recognized, go here, and check the page in February to see who will be honored in 2008.

Click here to alert your campus that you are interested in participating in UC Day 2008.

We hope that you will be able to join us.

To become involved in other advocacy efforts for UC, visit UCforCalifornia.org

Sign up at UCday.org

Governor has asked for a 10% budget cut across the board. The UC and CSU system needs your help on telling your government representatives that supporting education is important. Please click on the following link (it’s fast and simple) and fill out the form to send a note to your representatives -> http://www.ucforcalifornia.org/campaign/08budget_campaign

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The governor’s budget reflects the fact that the California and national economies faced considerable headwinds in 2007—a deepening housing slump, a breakdown in mortgage markets, tighter credit, more volatile financial markets, and rising energy prices. Amid such economic turmoil and uncertainty, it is comforting to know that the State funding provided for UC today is an investment in the future. That is because as a public institution, the UC recognizes that public service is at the heart of our mission to the people of California. Indeed, one thing is certain as policy and decision-makers look for a way forward – the return on investment that is the University of California has never been stronger.

Preserving UC’s access is at stake:
-UC has the highest percentage of low-income students versus comparable universities;
-UC receives more freshman applications than any other university in the country;

Research dollars for California are at stake:
-UC ranks as the nation’s top institution in federal research and development expenditures;
-In fact, for every $1 in state-funded research, UC secures $4 more in federal/private research and development.

California’s bottom line is at stake:
-In 2002, UC’s expenditures created between 206,010 and 266,998 additional jobs in the Bay Area, greater Los Angeles, San Diego and Central Valley regional economies where UC campuses are located. Across the entire state, UC expenditures resulted in at least 255,509 new jobs.

While no decisions have been made at UC, a cut of the magnitude proposed could require all of the following (or alternatives that would save equivalent dollars):
-No enrollment growth, affecting up to 5,000 student applicants;
-A student fee increase of 10 percent or higher, up from the 7 percent previously discussed;
-A halt to a multi-year plan to rebuild the competitiveness of faculty salaries;

Take action at http://www.ucforcalifornia.org/campaign/08budget_campaign

Looks like a great event for alums to network.

Here’s the email from UCI Alumni Association:

Dear UCI Alumnus:

On behalf of all 10 campuses of the University of California, the UC Alumni Associations invite you to attend Career Moves 2008, a unique, one day event designed to advance your career. The event focuses on serving professionals with UC degrees and four or more years of work experience.

University of California is providing this conference in partnership with SeasonedPRO to help its graduates make the right career move - whether it’s advancing your career with your current employer, making a successful job change within your current field or transferring your skills and experience to a new career.

You have two opportunities to attend Career Moves 2008:

Los Angeles

Tuesday, Feb. 12

UCLA Campus, Covel Commons http://www.UCLAlumni.net/SeasonedPro01?email=I1EN

San Francisco

Tuesday, March 18

Parc 55 Hotel

http://www.UCLAlumni.net/SeasonedPro02?email=I1EN

Career Moves 2008 is a one-day event giving you opportunities to:

- Meet prominent hiring employers during informal, 30-minute recruitment roundtables

- Learn about industry trends and local, national and global employment opportunities from experienced recruiters and senior executives

- Discover new opportunities in your professional field

- Network with alumni and employers during lunch, breaks and dinner

- Hear inspiring keynote speakers

- Meet with onsite private career or executive coaches

- Pre-schedule your meetings with employers attending the event

- Stay connected online by posting your resumé, checking employer job listings and accessing SeasonedPRO@Home career advancement resources

Register today with a colleague and save by selecting the date most convenient for you:

Los Angeles, Feb. 12

http://www.UCLAlumni.net/SeasonedPro03?email=I1EN

San Francisco, March 18 http://www.UCLAlumni.net/SeasonedPro04?email=I1EN

For information, call 310-855-1064, ext. 104 or e-mail mailto:bcallahan@seasonedpro.com.

I look forward to seeing you at Career Moves 2008!

Sincerely, James E. Stofan

Assistant Vice President, Alumni Affairs & Protocol

University of California Office of the President

Dear Anteater:

REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN for the 2008 UCI Homecoming Celebration. R.S.V.P. today for up to FOUR free tickets to the Men’s Basketball game against Cal State Northridge.

Saturday, March 1
Bren Events Center

Bring the whole family and join your Anteater family for a fun-filled afternoon at the Bren Events Center.

4 p.m.: Homecoming Celebration
FREE: Carnival games for all ages, school booths, live music, performances and tons of giveaways. Guest appearances by Peter the Anteater, UCI coaches, the 2008 Homecoming Court and more!

Meal tickets are just $5 each and include: hot dog, chips, drink and a cookie. Vegetarian items will be available. Advanced meal ticket reservations are requested.

7:05 p.m.: UCI Men’s Basketball
vs. Cal State Northridge. Alumni can reserve up to four free tickets, while supplies last.

R.S.V.P. Now at http://www.alumniconnections.com/links/link.cgi?l=250203&h=670465&e=CAI-20080124200634

UCIAA members: Show your UCIAA card and receive $2 off campus parking.

MORE SPORTS: UCI Athletics is hosting four additional Anteater sporting events: Men’s Tennis, Men’s Volleyball, Track & Field and Men’s Baseball. For ticket information for any of these sports, visit the UCI Athletics Web site:www.athletics.uci.edu or call 949-UCI-WINS. Mention the UCI Homecoming discount to receive special ticket pricing for these events.

PLEASE NOTE: Basketball tickets are issued on a first-come, first-served basis and will be available for pick up beginning at 4 p.m. on Saturday, March 1. Early pick up is recommended to ensure that you receive all the tickets you have requested.

We look forward to seeing on campus March 1!

Your friends at UCIAA

There’s been quite some debate about the article from The Journal of Defense Software Engineering.   It states:

It is our view that Computer Science (CS) education is neglecting basic skills, in particular in the areas of programming and formal methods. We consider that the general adoption of Java as a first programming language is in part responsible for this decline. We examine briefly the set of programming skills that should be part of every software professional’s repertoire.

Too easy?

Simply stated, the article explains that programmers who learn Java as their first language are only capable of putting together simple programs.  This article is not meant to single out Java, and their argument extends to other conglomerate frameworks and high level languages.  Programmers become unaware of runtime costs and how systems work at a lower level because much of the code that deals with that are all hidden in giant frameworks and libraries.  If it is so bad, why do schools, including the top computer science programs, teach Java as a first programming language?  Some say schools do it to keep CS enrollment high as Java makes programming seem fun without all the complex math involved.  Others say it is taught to satisfy corporate recruiters’ demand.  All are very valid arguments. 

What about ICS?

This is particular interesting (or should I say scary?) since ICS taught Java while I was there.  Does this mean I am forever labeled a bad programmer?  I certainly don’t hope so! 

 I think learning Java will undoubtedly make fundamental concepts in programming such as pointers and garbage collection harder to come by but from my memory, it still served well enough to weed out most of the non-programming types.  During my days in ICS, the lower level curriculum were taught in Java but students were definitely exposed to other languages (i.e. Prolog, LISP, Assembly, C++, C) in mid to upper level courses. So I don’t think it’s much of a problem since it was not the ONLY language taught in ICS. 

However, I’m definitely not dismissing the argument.  In fact, I think its message is reflective of software engineers today, that it is easy to omit what goes under the hood when learning high level languages and new frameworks.  This is very dangerous and can be life threatening as the same engineers are working on airplanes and defense weapons.  To make it work, we have to take responsibility as software engineers to have deep understanding of what happens behind the scenes.

When I was a newbie to CS, it was hard for me to appreciate the theory and software quality/process classes.  I thought to myself, “Wouldn’t it be worth more of my time to teach me skills that are directly applicable in the job market?”  I quickly learned that the answer was no.  The job market will change, the in-demand skills will change, but the fundamentals will remain the same.  What I learned from these classes were language agnostic and thus easily transferable.  And we all know how quickly things change around software, so to be able to learn something that can endure time, is golden.  On the same token, we can’t possibly make a living as a software engineer/developer without actual programming.  So I think the curriculum that I had at UCI, which consisted of the intensive programming classes (i.e. anything Klefstad taught basically) and the project courses served that purpose real well. 

More thoughts

I have to say I was worried when I first read the article, but after some thought, I think the ICS curriculum did a great job preparing me for the real world in software development through the combination of functional programming skills, computer science theory, and actual project experience.  The project courses at ICS really served well in terms of reenacting actual development projects, working in teams through multiple phases with a deliverable to an actual client.  Not only was programming important, good communication and mitigating risks were part of the daily routine. 

What are your thoughts?

What did you think of ICS’ curriculum?  Did it adequately prepare you for the real world? 

Can anyone comment on what the current curriculum is like?

VirtualHosting.com have posted “50+ Killer Online Resources for Computer Science Students”, an article with links to online resources on topics such as Advice, Money, Career, etc. Some of the notable resources I found in there:

• Computer Science Jobs: Myths vs Truth - explains the myth around all the computer jobs moving to India.
• Why Choose a PHD in CS
• Joel Spolsky on Software - just an excellent blog, make sure you read it if you don’t already!

Check out the article for the full list.