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Ask HN: I have 6 months. What should I do?

11 points by esteer ↗ HN
I'm an senior undergrad student at a top school in India. I have an offer from a top company in India. I'll be totally free during my upcoming semester. I'm not sure if I should spend time on competitive programming and improve my algorithm skills or work on a startup. I have a SaaS idea that I'd like to work on. Which one do you think will payoff better later? I'm not able concentrate on either of these as I keep swinging between them. Any reasoning would be much appreciated. Thanks!

18 comments

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sjclemmy
Don't do either. Go and see places you've never seen before. The reasons are two fold; this is probably the last time in your life you will have the opportunity and it will benefit you later on as you'll be able see how other people live and perhaps be able to empathise more easily with other points of view.
esteer
Thanks! But, let's just say, the conditions I'm in, I can't afford to spend time on anything else other than shaping my career. What would your advise be?
phillc73
Work for a charity for 6 months. And not in a back office role somewhere spending each day at a computer. Go and work directly with the underprivileged, the homeless, the sick or the poor.

This will shape your future career by providing a solid foundation of empathy, leading to stronger relationship building skills and hopefully an ability to better communicate with people from diverse backgrounds in a wide range of professional situations. You will be much better placed to succeed than the graduate who has never taken time to explore life and themselves, outside their immediate surroundings and social circles.

coralreef
Just curious, did you ever actually do this yourself?
phillc73
I was fortunate enough to spend 12 months as a youth exchange student in South Africa in the early 1990s. Part of my obligations in that programme was involvement in the charitable works of my sponsoring organisation.

This 12 month period at a young and impressionable age, in a society on the verge of significant change, certainly altered my life outlook, hopefully for the better. I think it made me a less selfish person, more open to the needs of other people, although I still need reminding from time to time.

seven
I would consider travelling as a big opportunity for any career, given that it is hard to avoid to make good contacts and new friends.

Best if you are able to combine working in your field of choice with visiting a new place.

Anecdata: I started to travel a bit about a decade ago and still have (business and personal) relationships with people from that very first trip.

bbayer
All depends on what are really willing to do? If you have some spare money that can supports you for a while, why don't you run after your dreams. You can try to build a MVP, apply some local incubation center, try to convince people for funding your product. It will provide you a lot of experience even though you cannot make it. Again, it depends what you want from life.
jmnicolas
Ultimately we are not you. What might be best for us might not be the right thing for you.

So accept that you might take the wrong path, it will certainly not be the last time it happens to you ;-)

NicoJuicy
So basicly, your question should be: "What would look best on my resumée?"
cowpig
this is terrible advice
edw519
% of algorithm skills needed that you already have: 90

% of startup skills needed that you already have: 10

Do the startup.

bikamonki
The startup, obviously. You may not have the same opportunity twice and you will improve your skills anyway while working on your project.
dogpa
Look for a job with a non-Indian company.
dogpa
Get a job with a non-Indian company. In my experience Indian companies are bodyshops who'll bleed you dry and treat you like a slave and expect you to thank them for the opportunity.
thrwy10
OP says 'top company in India' rather than 'top Indian company'. Besides, there could be good Indian companies that he might have got a job at ex. Flipcart, Snapdeal.
zoharj
Email me zohar.j@gmail.com.