Hoping to get some good advice on here. 23 year old. Graduated as a MechE about 2 years ago and have been working since. I already don’t enjoy the field and coming on Blind makes it worse. I see new grads asking if “175k offer is a lowball” and I’m like wtf? My first job was paying me 65k. Within 2 years I’ve managed to hit six figs but there’s no way I can compete with the SWEs on here, especially if I live in Silicon Valley. Also, I don’t think I’d ever be able to get to 300k in my field. My next goal was to get an MBA and possibly get out of this field to increase my skillset and also to increase my comp. I'm thinking Product Management would be something I'd enjoy but it's difficult to get into it given that I don't have a CS degree. I've tried to apply to many APM positions but never hear back. I want to know from all of you what you think is a good option. I hope to get some serious responses and not just trolls because I really am confused and sad that I didn't make the right choice in terms of my major when I was in college.
Depressed that you didn't make the right choice is a little extreme. More money is not going to solve your problem.
Sorry, depressed is maybe not the right word but it does bring down the morale. If I wanted to buy a nice house in the area, I probably wouldn’t be able to afford it for a while. So I understand that money doesn’t equate to happiness but it’s a different ballgame if many others are earning twice or three times as much coming out of college. imagine what that does to the housing industry in the area and to those that are non-SWEs.
Maybe, I was being too harsh. I feel the same way. Which is why I'm looking to switch. Even if I won't be able to switch, I'll be happy as I've made my peace with my salary. Can't keep looking at what's on everyone else's plate.
Sure, it’s a stress test on your confidence when you see some odd comp packages offered to engineers nowadays. The shock wears off though, rather quickly. You have to focus on yourself and explore the world and your career with utmost freedom. Take risks, question yourself and your skills. At the end of each day, look back and ask “how did I spend my day? If I leave my day free fall on to my desk, does it make the sound of a sheet of paper or a fucking phonebook!!” I’m sure such a perspective on life is guaranteed to get you a seven-figure life if not the salary ;)
Confusing
Haha the end was a bit confusing but I agree. However, the shock still remains after a few months of being on the Blind community. There’s no way I can really catch up to others in terms of comp unless I switch careers. Is that even something you would recommend? Idk. That’s why I’m thinking of getting an MBA.
Only whites have the privilege of being from a Non CS background and getting a job as a Product Manager at FANG. For others you don’t have relevant experience. I know some of you will be offended but this is reality. OP, it’s better you go in a purely business role like consulting, banking etc. depending on your interests. I think Software Developers are over-hyped. Sundar Pichai never had a CS background and is CEO of google. You don’t expect VP/CTO/CEO to come and code for 40+ hours a week and get millions of dollars. Don’t run after money but What you like doing. Doesn’t mean you become an Uber Driver. I know it’s practical to be motivated by money. Take a hybrid i.e. money+interest approach !
Haha, not sure I agree with the white part but I kinda see what you’re saying. Not sure if I want to go purely into business because I love Tech. My aim isn’t to code all the day either, like you said. I think PM is a good choice for me because I’d get to build cool products and also earn a decent living. However, it’s difficult to get into it without a CS degree so idk what to do at this point.
Not true at all. Finance have way worse of a glass ceiling and white tinted glasses than software.
You are a 23 year old making a 6 figure salary and depressed someone else is making much more than you? You have a lot of growing up to do, kid
Hi, I’m not sure if you understand the situation. I actually think I’m more mature than most of the “kids” my age (I’ve also been told this by my coworkers and manager). Other 23 or even 21 year olds out of college are making nearly twice as much or more in the software industry. This has drastically changed the housing market here and there’s no way I can afford anything at my current pay. I wouldn’t be able to afford a house for a while and would have to watch where every penny is going. I do not want to live that way, which is the cause of concern. I understand that there will always be someone making more, so that’s not the problem here.
Maybe that's a cultural thing being Indian but it's normal to start thinking about that stuff at this age for us :) some of my friends that work at fb are already starting to look and they're around the same age as me.
A safe way to test the waters may be to start coding projects on the side and see how that goes. It could even help you prep for a career switch.
Yes, I’m working on several projects with a few buddies of mine (one of them is also at FB). Hopefully it goes somewhere and I end up at fb too. Was just there today to chill ☺
Coding is not as easy as bootcamps and mushrooming "teach you coding in 2 weeks" may present. It is a lot of toil and hard work. If you think you have talent to code and solve tough real world problems, go for it. Don't get into software industry because there is money . Money comes at a price of countless hours sitting in front of screens trying to solve something which you have never seen.
Definitely agree. I already have coding experience in several languages, although I’m not an expert at any of them. I love the challenge but also know that I don’t want to sit and code for the rest of my life. That’s why I think PM is something I would really enjoy.
You can probably live very comfortably with a 6 figure salary as a ME outside the bay area. Why stay here and make yourself miserably by comparing to others?
I love this area. My family and friends are here so I don’t really want to leave.
If you talk to other ME graduates in Silicon Valley you’ll see they all suffer from the exact same issue. Change your field through a management route or masters degree or an online degree like the Udacity nanodegrees. Think of it as investment that needs two years of hard work but will pay off for the next couple of decades. ME in the bay area in the next couple of years will be as important as gold mining now. There is always a chance to make a change. Do it!
Glad to know I’m not the only one. What do you do at Apple, if you don’t mind me asking? We can chat over PM if you like. My goal is to work at Apple someday ☺
I’m a MechE who also got an MBA along the way and have worked across a bunch of industries. Feel free to PM me for a more focused conversation.
PMing you now.
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There will be always someone making more than you. Regardless of what is your compensation (unless you’re the richest man in the world). Think about how much is enough for you to be comfortable and to attain your financial goals; then think what kind of work is fulfilling and makes you happy before making any decision. As a suggestion to get into software, take a look at those coding bootcamps. It’s easier to be a PM once you are inside a tech company as an software developer.
Thanks for the reply! Do you know if those bootcamps actually help you land a good job? Are these the ones where you end up lying about the amount of experience you have? If so, I am not sure I can do it. I already have a decent programming background despite being an ME but wondering if those are worth it.
I have had a few coworkers who came in without formal cs training and the self-taught one was better than the bootcamp one. Bootcamper also told me numbers are fudged because the highest end people are going from like say, backend and just did the bootcamp to learn front end. If you can, I'd encourage you to just self-study - I think you'd get a similar set of knowledge but without coughing up all the cash to the cash cows.