What you need to know as a Computer Science Graduate
Computer science comprises of many broad disciplines of which include software engineering, computer systems and networks, databases, multimedia, graphics and artificial intelligence, core areas that are still growing in our emerging information age. It is also evolving as it has begun to intersect with other disciplines such as biology, economics and geology, changing the way research and studies are conducted in these fields in fundamental ways. These new applications of computer science to other disciplines, as well as the never-ending set of challenges left open in computer science, means that there is a ever-growing demand for computer science graduate students in the coming years.
What employers are looking for:
Specialised, Comprehensive Knowledge:
Technical skills/expertise:
Companies are looking for technical ability and candidates that go beyond just expertise limited to programming and a plain degree. Specialised, computational knowledge, expertise and technology certifications are desirable as there is an increasing demand for Computer Science graduates who can work alongside experts in other disciplines. Knowledge of a variety of programming languages is also more highly valued. Mastery of languages that are in high demand will prove to be useful in securing a job sitting on the higher-end of the pay scale.
Below is a list of the top 15 Programming Languages:
- Java
- JavaScript
- C#
- PHP
- C++
- Python
- C
- SQL
- Ruby
- Objective-C
- Perl
- .NET
- Visual Basic
- R
- Swift
Masters Degree:
A variety of computer science jobs are available for those who have studied a bachelor’s degree. However, at times, candidates who have undertaken a master’s degree are looked more favourably upon by potential employers. Graduates with a master’s degree are seen to demonstrate more maturity, breadth and scope in knowledge that may set them apart from a typical undergraduate.
Non-technical Skills:
Work experience, internships, placements or volunteer work make your application more competitive, it demonstrates some of the qualities below that recruiters are looking for:
People Skills/Teamwork:
More so than before, recruiters are looking beyond just the plain degree, and the ideal candidate or graduate for the job extends past technical ability that graduates have attained in their tertiary education. Employers are increasingly looking for team players who have experience with working in alongside others in teams spanning multiple disciplines.
Creativity and adaptability:
Computer science is a discipline that allows students to work internationally and in diverse roles, and there is a growing demand for flexible computer science graduates. Whilst a set of good qualifications is desirable, at times, the candidate’s attitudes may outweigh the qualifications of the individual in the recruiter’s considerations. Those who show initiative to update their knowledge and show passion in finding and providing solutions, a seen as a better ‘fit’ for the company environment.
Careers in this Industry:
Entry-level jobs commonly involve programming but eventually will progress to other fields such as testing, planning and management or design. Upon graduating from a Bachelor’s, an entry-level software engineering job is normally where most students start, moving into higher-level roles after a few years of experience.
Computer science has a wide range of specialties. These include: operating systems, computational science, programming languages, architecture, intelligent systems, automata theory, information storage and retrieval, software engineering.1
Top Entry-level Occupations2 (ranked in order) include:
- Software Applications developer
- Computer system analyst
- Computer applications programmer
- Network/computer systems administrators
- Computer user support specialists
- Software QA Engineers
- Web developers
- Database administrators
Apart from the typical graduate job in software development, graduates can also look into these growing areas within the industry3:
- Mobile application development: Over the next decade, there are an expected 292,000 more mobile application development jobs in the U.S. IBIS world market research states that in Australia, the smartphone applications market grows 27.5% annually. With the rise of games, applications, commerce, and the mobile enablement of businesses, as well as the popular usage of mobile devices such as smart phones and tablets, this is a rapidly growing and evolving sector set to open up jobs for software professionals.
- Big Data Analytics: Dramatic growth expected in this area, and students with an undergraduate degree in computer science and a math’s degree can reap the benefits of this growth. Companies both large and small are using big data now to change the way they do business. Both the progress in machine learning and other improvements in scalability, cost and bandwidth as well as the challenges that arise from the large increase in information available for analysis means that graduates can look forward to the increase in jobs related to big data analytics.
- Video Game design: This is another growing industry with a predicted 30% job growth in the U.S over the next ten years. Video game design mainly combines software engineering, graphics, human-computer interaction and artificial intelligence and is worth keeping an eye out for in Australia as well, for recent graduates who are interested in this industry.
Top companies that are hiring computer science graduates in Australia:
For a comprehensive list of top employers, visit here.
1 Cs.mtu.edu,. 'What Is Computer Science?'. N.p., 2015. Web. 15 Apr. 2015.
2 College, Rasmussen, and Rasmussen College. '8 Entry-Level Computer Science Jobs That Are ACTUALLY Hiring!'. Rasmussen.edu. N.p., 2015.
3 Willmott, Don. '5 Top Jobs For Computer Science Graduates - Dice News'. Dice News. N.p., 2013.