“Software is a great combination between artistry and engineering.”, said by none other than Bill Gates! Well, sounds true and rational to me since he’s talking about software. But what do you think about a “software developer”? Does he/she also needs to be both artistic and a sound engineer? Let’s analyze.
Consider a CS/IT student who is just artistic and not technically sound. This specimen will always be a pro in leaving a lasting impression on others through the means of his exceptional communication skills, one or more recreational talents and an impactful public deportment. But then there’s a technical round in the recruitment drive of any company, whether on-campus or off-campus. Knocked out!
Apparently, coming to the second kind of CS/IT student- the “born-to-be-a-coder” one. You’re technically commendable and have already created a software so good that your fellow students can think of only using it, creating one is not even in their dreams. Where do you lack then? Language! Oh, yes, you have gulped in umpteen no. of languages like C++, JAVA, etc. but what about English? Every MNC these days mandatorily requires its employees to be fluent in English, plus if any foreign language then even better.
All in all, the scenario is such that you have to be a Jack of all trades to ensure a decent software-related job before graduating from college.
I think I went too serious and gloomy. And depressing anyone isn’t the purpose of this write-up. Consequently, let’s now explore some of the lighter facets of a CS/IT student’s life. Count how many of the following points are synonymous to you:-
- Forgetting the unforgettable: That moment when in the final or the penultimate year of your engineering life, when you are already a proud owner of some of your original software applications and have coded all the online sensations like DFS, BFS algorithms, programs of graphs, etc. and then suddenly after pondering enough, you wonder that how do we make a program to decide whether a no. is prime or not :p It’s that tinge of horror which passes away quickly as soon as you manage to recollect the method.
- What are you doing here? That moment of betrayal when while conversing with your co-employee of the next cubicle, you hear that he’s actually a Civil or Electrical or even a Mechanical Engineer! Betrayal because a software engineer can never think of securing a job in any of the non-IT companies. Albeit, such conversations only occur in mass recruiters.
- Learning with a similar backdrop, always! : Talking about a Civil Engineer’s practicals- 3rd Sem: Stone Sample testing, 4th Sem: Building designs, Home Assignment: Drawing Sheets, 5th Sem: Surveying the surroundings and so on. Coming to a CS/IT engineer’s curriculum- 3rd Sem: Coding, 4th Sem: Coding, Home Assignment: Coding, 5th Sem: Coding and so on. Now, that’s some variety!
- You drive the placements: CS/IT students are most concerned about the placement statistics like visiting companies, salary offered, etc. And why not? Software companies lead the placement drive of each college with highly lucrative offers. Cheers, that’s a positive!
- You are treated like a computer technician: “Rahul’s laptop is not shutting down, please fix it.”, “Chhoti’s PC blasted yesterday, please fix it.”, “Can’t you make a game for your lovely sibling?” and what not! These are all the clichéd dialogues which a CS/IT student has to bear from his/her relatives or friends. Come on! We are not taught to complete such tasks.
Despite any number of such facts, a CS/IT student must never lose his pride because it’s only us who make all the software essential for the advanced functions of every engineering field like Civil, Mechanical, Biomedical, Telecommunications, etc. while vice-versa is not always true. We are the makers of the digital world.
By the way, time to end it here, got my CAT coaching early in the morning tomorrow :p
