<p>Is the topic true? I have heard that CS jobs have been outsourced a lot lately, and I was wondering if it was safe to stay in CS. I do love CS, but I have no choice but to change major if I am out of luck finding a job after graduation.</p>
<p>Thanks</p>
<p>It is false. Think about the future, you can see the future as a movie iRobot. We need Artificial Intelligence, but CS is green now. We should develop speech, image recognition etc... Maybe one day NP would equal to P, who knows</p>
<p>NP=P</p>
<p>lol, CS has a lot more demand than supply that US companies have to attract talents from international pool. </p>
<p>NP != P
muahahaha</p>
<p>Some CS jobs are being outsourced, it is true. I have read some interesting articles about the tactics that certain companies use to make it seem like they have sincerely tried to find Americans for their job so that they can then claim that there is nobody qualified and hire non-Americans.</p>
<p>However, nearly all of my friends in CS have been able to find good jobs.</p>
<p>If you do not have a moral objection to working in defense, I would suggest looking into defense contractors. They don't have the option of outsourcing.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Is the topic true? I have heard that CS jobs have been outsourced a lot lately, and I was wondering if it was safe to stay in CS. I do love CS, but I have no choice but to change major if I am out of luck finding a job after graduation.
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<p>Certainly some CS jobs have been outsourced. But many jobs in many fields have been outsourced. CS is far from being the only target. </p>
<p>Furthermore, job prospects have more to do with the general state of the economy than anything else. Back in the old dotcom bust of the early 2000's that hit the SF Bay Area very hard, engineering and business graduates from even the best Bay Area schools like Berkeley and Stanford had difficulty finding jobs. On the other hand, during the dotcom boom, you had to have little more than a pulse to find a computer job. I know people who had majored in the humanities who were hired for very high paying computer jobs during the boom. </p>
<p>Look, no undergrad major will guarantee you a job. But, relatively speaking, CS is still one of the most marketable undergrad degrees you can have by far.</p>
<p>I just came back from a career fair and there seem to be a lot of CS jobs out there...</p>
<p>Thanks for the detailed output everyone.</p>
<p>If you go to a top 10 or 20 CS program you'll find work for at least a few years. </p>
<p>My older brother graduated from UT Austin in 1995 and of about 30 people who he's acquainted with from that time who got CS degrees, only 5 or 6 still work in the field. Most got laid off in 2001-2003 and had to change careers. </p>
<p>While the CS job market has recovered, it's a horrible field to enter if you want a professional career. Between the outsourcing and the highly cyclical nature of the tech business cycle, there's no stability.</p>
<p>Companies like hiring young guys in their 20s fresh out of school because they're willing to work 80 hour weeks, which often turns out to be $15-$20/hr.</p>
<p>If you're a "born to code" type who's willing to put up with the unemployment and the age discrimination (after age 30) for the love the field, then go for CS. If you want a real career with a real path toward advancement, try something else.</p>
<p>@^^
I don't know about that. Most of the senior mid 30-40 CS people I've met are either pretty prominent lead architect/engineer/manager or some start up founders. I guess the most acceptable mindset in CS around here seems to be "work hard in twenties" then "go to management" or "build a startup" in thirties-forties.</p>
<p>And I found this path to be well suited to my liking.</p>
<p>People, I've been in CS for many many years, and I can tell you there are plenty of jobs. Yes, the Internet boom crashed in 2001, and many jobs will continue to be outsourced in the future, but computers are not going away anytime soon. If you like CS, do it. But don't do it just for the money because if you don't like it you will be miserable. The computing field is dynamic and changes every day. The key to success in this profession is to adapt yourself.</p>
<p>OK I'll make your day: Computer</a> Software Engineers</p>
<p>
[quote]
Employment change. Employment of computer software engineers is projected to increase by 38 percent over the 2006 to 2016 period, which is much faster than the average for all occupations. This occupation will generate about 324,000 new jobs, over the projections decade, one of the largest employment increases of any occupation.</p>
<p>Job prospects. As a result of rapid employment growth over the 2006 to 2016 decade, job prospects for computer software engineers should be excellent. Those with practical experience and at least a bachelor’s degree in computer engineering or computer science should have the best opportunities. Employers will continue to seek computer professionals with strong programming, systems analysis, interpersonal, and business skills. In addition to jobs created through employment growth, many job openings will result from the need to replace workers who move into managerial positions, transfer to other occupations, or leave the labor force. Consulting opportunities for computer software engineers also should continue to grow as businesses seek help to manage, upgrade, and customize their increasingly complicated computer systems.
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<p>I second the notion about only doing it if you like it. It's a highly logical/mathematical field that can be painful to someone who has little interest in the two fundamental disciplines. If you like math and puzzles though, you'll likely enjoy it a lot. I was originally doing EE but after taking both intro courses I found that CS is quite a lot easier and vastly more enjoyable for me. My friend though, couldn't wait to get out of the CS class, hardcore EE/physics was much more interesting and intuitive to him.</p>
<p>P.S. In regards to one of the above posts talking about the lack of stability of the professional field of the tech industry. It's not really a problem limited to this particular industry, it's a general problem that society will experience more and more often. The market itself is changing rapidly and soon enough there will be no such thing as "stability" per se in the traditional sense. It doesn't matter which profession you enter you will have to face fierce competition. The idea of "get a degree, get a job and be done with it" is simply not gonna fly in this day and age.</p>
<p>A CS degree gets you an entry lvl job that pays alot more than an engineering job. But there's just too much competition among experienced programmers. It's better if you concentrate on getting IT certificates and finding IT jobs after graduation. IT jobs are plenty and pay is good too. You can expect to make $100k with 5yr experience and good certifications like CCNA, CCNA, CISSP, and etc.. Or you can try to look for consulting jobs. Consulting jobs are good if you plan to get a MBA in the future. Grad schools love consultants.</p>
<p>A CS major will get you the MOST job offers right out of undergrad. Combine that with Econ and you'll have the skill set to work in ANY entry level position.</p>