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What do I need to do as a CS Major?

2 points by khiz-bit ↗ HN
So I'll put it simply, I'm currently doing Bsc Computer Science, and entering my third year, going through the courses I have, I've realised I haven't been learning anything of substance, that I can put on a CV or actually work further on. Just snippets of concepts and coding, along with other irrelevant courses. I am passionate about my field and want to learn more. I don't know where to start what to look in, but I just want to be an expert in my field and not clueless. I've recently started web development, html,css,js,nodejs etc and will be learning more on that but other than that I don't know what else to do. Ideally I just want to be up-to-date on what the CS world is going to demand by the time I graduate and hopefully even do stuff/projects before my graduation so I can write it on my CV. What are the things I need to learn/do outside of my degree? Other than that, could someone point me towards the right platform to see updates/anything of relevance in accordance to my field, could be reddit/a website etc

6 comments

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n4jm4
Past job experience, internships, group projects, certifications, independent projects, GitHub projects, assisting with faculty... Such are things to include on an early resume or curriculum vitae.
WheelsAtLarge
Decide which branch of CS you want to specialize in. Seems from your text, it's software development. Most important is to make sure you understand the Software Development Cycle. It starts with an idea/need and then ends with a complete system that can be used by users. That's more important that any one programming language.

I suggest you copy a software application you like. Do it as professional as possible and it will give you a complete view of software development and it will be a sample of your work for future employers.

Also, start looking for a job you would like to have, look at the requirements and guide your self from that. Don't focus on any one job but look at a number of them. Look for your dream job and make sure you don't settle for anything less. It will let you know where you need to focus.

sshlocalhost98
Yes, I start looking at job descriptions (Glass Door or Indeed) and the necessary skills required to perform in the skills set. That's a great way to identify what to improve on.
sshlocalhost98
IMHO, I say put in GitHub personal projects. Personal projects are an excellent way to demonstrate your understanding to future employers. Last week, I had an employer interview me, she was quite pleased to look at my portfolio on GitHub. That would definitely be a plus point.

Regarding CV, I placed my CCA (co-curricular activities) and current research with my professors. I would also do more courses on edx or coursera. I am picking up ML so as to do more personal projects to understand the field further. This is just my 2 cents. One good personal project you can work on is https://zhengludwig.wordpress.com/projects/self-driving-rc-c.... I myself am working on Autonomous RC car :) Good Luck buddy