How many years of experience do you have? I don't have a degree but it's literally never come up, and I've been working as a software engineer for two decades.
I don't have a degree but it's literally never come up, and I've been working as a software engineer for two decades.
How do you know it has "never come up"? Because you've never been asked about it?
If people have passed on your profile completely for that reason -- then it has still "come up" on their side, even though of course never know that's the reason.
That's fair, but the comment I replied to said "my peers [...] have recruiters beating down their doors while I barely get emails back," and that hasn't been my experience; my teammates and I seem to to get about the same number of recruiter calls/emails a day, very often from the same companies.
Besides, the vast, vast majority of job listings say "CS degree or comparable experience."
> If people have passed on your profile completely for that reason
Arguably this is a good built-in filter for the candidate. In my experience for SE roles specifically, companies with such credentialism often have many other structural/corporate issues.
Companies with such credentialism often have many other structural/corporate issues.
Reasonable people can disagree on this (i.e. there are people who do see value in college degrees, and that this is not automatically "credentialism"). But I do see the broader point you're making.
Likely he means in terms of being asked for the documentation once you get an offer. I've only been asked once, in the German speaking world. My wife was asked the same, from another German speaking with.
In the Anglo world I've literally never been asked. Not by employers, not by investors doing due diligence, nobody.
Of course it's still true that it might have an effect on some recruiter looking for a degree. Can't say I've ever made a decision to interview or not based on whether the person had a degree.
Definitely give it some time. I didn't start feeling competent (and have a somewhat full linkedin inbox) until 5-6 years or so. Won't help with the visa situation though - I had a sweet opportunity to go work at a drone startup in Tokyo that I had to give up on because the Japanese government wouldn't let me. I could go for it (or something similar) now, but we'll see where my life is when I'm done at my current job.
I joined games (arguably harder in some ways to join than robotics), got real good at C++, then got word from a former manager about a self driving car company needing someone who knew games engines to do their 3D simulation.
Don’t worry :) I’m a game engine developer and they’ve been pinging me every so often for the past year or so. Speaking of which, what are your impressions of working there? (You may email me if you’re inclined or would rather.)
