Got offered a great job but studying an irrelevant degree?

[Cat_with_no_eyes]

I'm studying computer science but have been offered a science job.

shall I just carry on with last 2 yrs of my course?

[Chipz]

Think long-term. Degrees get you interviews, job experience gets you jobs. So you might just have to suck it up and swallow the debt under the assumption that life will be easier with it.

[youreyes]

think long term, that debt will keep rising. The faster you pay it off with a better job, the better things will be.

[Fraggle Rocker]

Start by not picking the most expensive university you can find. How much a student learns is usually determined more by the quality of the student than the quality of the university. Besides, many public universities are outstanding, particularly in the fields they're known for. If you spend two years in a top-notch public university, and you're as good as you think you are, you'll get a great job and you'll pay off your student loan in a few years without having to live like a pauper.

A few miles over my shoulder there's the University of Maryland Baltimore Campus. It's famous in several fields. Or UCLA, if you're on the other side of the country.

[Crunchy Cat]

I'm studying computer science and human resource management but have been offered a lab assitant job.

Shall I change my course to biomedical science by restarting? Or shall I just carry on with last 2 yrs of my course?

The answer to your question depends mostly on your values. If you value CS / HR work or the career marketability from it then you should stick with CS / HR degrees. If you value a biotech career then consider a degree change; although, be aware that the computer science job markets have a lot more opportunity than biology markets.

I may get promoted with having a science degree, so wasting a year and having debt upto my eyeballs is not so bad or is it? Also I will be on the new student loan scheme

I don't quite understand the question, could you paraphrase what you mean?

[Stryder]

If I were in your shoes, I'd think about whether it's a career choice/opportunity or not. Namely do you want to work in a biomed lab as a career, or are you more interested in or naturally apt at CS/HR? What ever you pick though you should also take into consideration that completing an already embarked on path proves that you can finish a given task/goal, where as swapping direction multiple times will leave a lot of loose ends and no accreditation as proof of your capacity.

Furthermore, don't pick anything you aren't going to enjoy, otherwise you won't stick at it for a completely different reason.

[Cat_with_no_eyes]

If I were in your shoes, I'd think about whether it's a career choice/opportunity or not. Namely do you want to work in a biomed lab as a career, or are you more interested in or naturally apt at CS/HR? What ever you pick though you should also take into consideration that completing an already embarked on path proves that you can finish a given task/goal, where as swapping direction multiple times will leave a lot of loose ends and no accreditation as proof of your capacity.

Furthermore, don't pick anything you aren't going to enjoy, otherwise you won't stick at it for a completely different reason.

I dont think I will be able to do both, as the employer is asking for full time and uni is also full time and now I got to choose between both :/

[Gremmie]

I dont think I will be able to do both, as the employer is asking for full time and uni is also full time and now I got to choose between both :/

Just my two pence...

You are already on the "hook" for your education... Stick with that. For now anyway.

[Stryder]

Sometimes when an offer is made, it doesn't always mean that you have to accept it outright, sometimes there is the potential for counter-offers.

I would identify what you are weighing in balance to a prospective employer and also ask that for you to accept such an offer that you have your alternative education covered as per conditions of a set duration contract. (This way you get an education either way you go)

[Buddha12]

What do you want to do, it is really up to you to make decisions about your life and what will make you happy.

[youreyes]

being happy short terms does not necessarily equate being happy long term, while this job might last 2 years or so, the degree is forever.

[FTLinmedium]

Computer science is very important in science. Finish your degree- then work in modeling and simulation. Your income potential will be much higher for your technical knowledge.

Unless you just really hate computers and love hands on lab tech work... then follow your passion.

[Syzygys]

Think long-term. Degrees get you interviews, job experience gets you jobs.

This. Plus nowadays you should be happy to have an offer. You can always go back to school if the job offers dry up...

[superstring01]

I'm studying computer science but have been offered a science job.

shall I just carry on with last 2 yrs of my course?

Hi Cat.

Let me introduce myself. I've been an IT executive recruiter for Manpower since January. I'm by no means an expert in EVERYTHING, but there are some things I know for certain.

I have nearly enough credits from Cleveland State University and Arizona State University to equal a bachelor's degree in Compute Science. Last June, I returned to school (online, Capella University, part time) to finish my bachelor's in Computer Science, which I will do very soon. Many of my credits will also count towards my master's (which I'm thinking of changing).

So anyway. What I do for a living is: Work with clients to find both permanent placement IT candidates and contractors. I also have to write the resumes for each of them and I'm pretty good at it. Before this job, I was an HR manager for over a decade. Again, through it all, resumes were my thing. I charge a pretty hefty fee to do your ASCII and Word resumes along with cover letter, etc. I work with a number of companies like Kroger, US Steel, Progressive Insurance, Rockwell Automation, American Greetings, PNC Bank, Allstate, Key Bank, Nationwide Insurance, IBM, GE and Cigna (my typical clients). My speciality ranges from Business Intelligence Analysts (QlikView) to Network & Web Architecture. QA to C/C++ RTOS & Embedded developers.

So, the biggest thing that surprised me, over all, was the nobody and I mean NOBODY gives a shit where you went to school. Nobody. Noway. No how. Na'ahhh. Nope. So, listen to Fraggle, if you're paying a lot for an IT or CS degree from a major school, you are literal . . . errrr . . . figuratively dumping your money into a bucket and lighting it on fire. Find a really good, state or community university and go there. Now, I'm not saying that a great university doesn't pay off. It does, especially if your a scientist, engineer, doctor, lawyer, business person. But in the world of IT--unless you're in Northern Cali and hoping to work for a startup (see: Stanford), then your college will only make people laugh at you for how much you spent.

IT is all about the tripod: Education, Experience and Certifications.

Education is the key that opens the door.
Experience (and to a lesser extent, Certifications) allows you to sit at the table.

If you want to make it far, you need both.

I mean, you can be a great web developer or QA tester without a degree. Nobody cares. Nobody will ask: all they want are skills.

But, if you want the really high paying stuff, like Project Management or Software Engineer or Web Architecture or Director level employment one day, then you will need a bachelor's degree from some place. And believe me, IT jobs aren't going anywhere. Get your degree now. The world is becoming MORE computerized, not less. Just remember: 6 out of 10 top IT jobs (growth & pay) weren't around a decade ago. So, whatever you're studying, it'll likely be out of date in a decade, so make it fundamental and value-added.

And, of course, your skills and certs matter. Find ways to work on projects and go in and get tested as much as possible. Plus-- and make sure you do this because you won't believe how powerful it is: build a website that talks about YOU. It's the fastest growing way of getting your name out there and showing what you can do.

Take care.

~String

[superstring01]

This. Plus nowadays you should be happy to have an offer. You can always go back to school if the job offers dry up...

What? Where are you working? I can't fill the IT jobs fast enough.

The USA is the only large, industrialized nation on earth with jobs rotting on the vines. Americans are idiots. We believed our parents and "followed our hearts" into fields that went away, so now we're having to import IT experts from India and China. In the next five years, the USA will have over 15 million IT jobs left unfilled or filled with subs. We have an unemployment number of something like 18 million. Between the growth in medicine, engineering and IT, the USA has plenty of jobs, just too many idiots who won't study the right subjects.

Thus, the USA needs more hard working immigrants who will fill them.

~String

[Syzygys]

What? Where are you working? I can't fill the IT jobs fast enough.

True, so let me share my friend's experience. He has been working for Google in the last 2 summers as a foreign temporary worker. He already has a 4 year degree, but wants to do another 2 years. My approach is this: If he already can take and do the job now, what is the point of 2 more years? (google pays pretty well).

Now the OP's dilemma is a bit different because it is a choice between 2 different jobs. But as you said IT jobs will be probably needed for quite a while, so if he can get a job in something else now, why not take it and if that job goes away, he could still switch back to IT. The other way around might not work....

[superstring01]

Your advice to your friend is correct. He already has the degree and if his desire is to remain in programming/development, nobody will give a rat's ass about a graduate degree. Go with Google. They ain't goin' anywhere!

I don't know how this guy things a CS degree is not a good degree, unless the job offer is for something outside of IT. That would change everything.

~String