Finishing econ PhD wants to break into software engineering/ML

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Finishing econ PhD wants to break into software engineering/ML

Economist
643e

I have completely lost interest in econ with the current state in academic research…

Finishing PhD in a few months and would I be too late to break into junior software development/engineering/data science? Any transferable skills?

The reason is I am hooked with game security testing and manipulating game address needs lower level language like C++ and I am learning that…

During research and as hobby I know python enough to write web crawler in Selenium, ML pytorch like pytorch. R with data wrangling like dplyr, data.table etc…

Ideas?

1 year ago # QUOTE 3 Volod 2 Vlad !
Economist
8376

I have completely lost interest in econ with the current state in academic research…
Finishing PhD in a few months and would I be too late to break into junior software development/engineering/data science? Any transferable skills?
The reason is I am hooked with game security testing and manipulating game address needs lower level language like C++ and I am learning that…
During research and as hobby I know python enough to write web crawler in Selenium, ML pytorch like pytorch. R with data wrangling like dplyr, data.table etc…
Ideas?

not sure if you will be able to get an interview at tech companies. they used to hire PhDs from other fields like chemistry and physics. But is getting much much more difficult in recent years for you to get an interview as a new grad if you did not take enough CS related classes. Once you get the interviews, things are much easier as you only need to ace leetcode problems.

1 year ago # QUOTE 0 Volod 0 Vlad !
Economist
71b6

I have completely lost interest in econ with the current state in academic research…
Finishing PhD in a few months and would I be too late to break into junior software development/engineering/data science? Any transferable skills?
The reason is I am hooked with game security testing and manipulating game address needs lower level language like C++ and I am learning that…
During research and as hobby I know python enough to write web crawler in Selenium, ML pytorch like pytorch. R with data wrangling like dplyr, data.table etc…
Ideas?

not sure if you will be able to get an interview at tech companies. they used to hire PhDs from other fields like chemistry and physics. But is getting much much more difficult in recent years for you to get an interview as a new grad if you did not take enough CS related classes. Once you get the interviews, things are much easier as you only need to ace leetcode problems.

You're off to a good start

My advice is to take about two months and really focus on LeetCode. Seems like Java is the preferred language these days as everything is web-centric though coding solutions in C++ is always impressive as well.

Data Science is a crowded space with a lot less end-market demand than SWEs. If you want to do DS, I would suggest going through your university's placement center in terms of contacts to set up informational interviews. Without contacts and previous experience, you're stuck trying to do an independent entry level job search.

1 year ago # QUOTE 2 Volod 2 Vlad !
Economist
71b6

Applying online without knowing anyone will realistically get you nowhere.

1 year ago # QUOTE 7 Volod 0 Vlad !
Economist
c26a

I have completely lost interest in econ with the current state in academic research…
Finishing PhD in a few months and would I be too late to break into junior software development/engineering/data science? Any transferable skills?
The reason is I am hooked with game security testing and manipulating game address needs lower level language like C++ and I am learning that…
During research and as hobby I know python enough to write web crawler in Selenium, ML pytorch like pytorch. R with data wrangling like dplyr, data.table etc…
Ideas?

not sure if you will be able to get an interview at tech companies. they used to hire PhDs from other fields like chemistry and physics. But is getting much much more difficult in recent years for you to get an interview as a new grad if you did not take enough CS related classes. Once you get the interviews, things are much easier as you only need to ace leetcode problems.

You're off to a good start
My advice is to take about two months and really focus on LeetCode. Seems like Java is the preferred language these days as everything is web-centric though coding solutions in C++ is always impressive as well.
Data Science is a crowded space with a lot less end-market demand than SWEs. If you want to do DS, I would suggest going through your university's placement center in terms of contacts to set up informational interviews. Without contacts and previous experience, you're stuck trying to do an independent entry level job search.

.... Are you aware that Java is completely unrelated to JavaScript?

1 year ago # QUOTE 7 Volod 0 Vlad !
Economist
3f58

Make one of those "this waifu does not exist" sites.

1 year ago # QUOTE 0 Volod 0 Vlad !
Economist
356d

lmao

.... Are you aware that Java is completely unrelated to JavaScript?

1 year ago # QUOTE 1 Volod 0 Vlad !
Economist
71b6

I have completely lost interest in econ with the current state in academic research…
Finishing PhD in a few months and would I be too late to break into junior software development/engineering/data science? Any transferable skills?
The reason is I am hooked with game security testing and manipulating game address needs lower level language like C++ and I am learning that…
During research and as hobby I know python enough to write web crawler in Selenium, ML pytorch like pytorch. R with data wrangling like dplyr, data.table etc…
Ideas?

not sure if you will be able to get an interview at tech companies. they used to hire PhDs from other fields like chemistry and physics. But is getting much much more difficult in recent years for you to get an interview as a new grad if you did not take enough CS related classes. Once you get the interviews, things are much easier as you only need to ace leetcode problems.

You're off to a good start
My advice is to take about two months and really focus on LeetCode. Seems like Java is the preferred language these days as everything is web-centric though coding solutions in C++ is always impressive as well.
Data Science is a crowded space with a lot less end-market demand than SWEs. If you want to do DS, I would suggest going through your university's placement center in terms of contacts to set up informational interviews. Without contacts and previous experience, you're stuck trying to do an independent entry level job search.

.... Are you aware that Java is completely unrelated to JavaScript?

I was referring to the Spring Framework

1 year ago # QUOTE 0 Volod 0 Vlad !
Economist
71b6

there's also EJB

1 year ago # QUOTE 0 Volod 0 Vlad !
Economist
3f41

Various ways of getting an interview:
* get a referral from an existing employee
* try to get into your school’s tech careers events and impress a recruiter in-person
* write something impressive and put it on GitHub
* get a job as an economist/data scientist and try to transfer

1 year ago # QUOTE 2 Volod 0 Vlad !
Economist
26ec

This is the real advice ITT

Various ways of getting an interview:
* get a referral from an existing employee
* try to get into your school’s tech careers events and impress a recruiter in-person
* write something impressive and put it on GitHub
* get a job as an economist/data scientist and try to transfer

1 year ago # QUOTE 0 Volod 0 Vlad !
Economist
356d

get a referral from your doctor.

1 year ago # QUOTE 0 Volod 0 Vlad !
Economist
c9a4

This is the real advice ITT

Various ways of getting an interview:
* get a referral from an existing employee
* try to get into your school’s tech careers events and impress a recruiter in-person
* write something impressive and put it on GitHub
* get a job as an economist/data scientist and try to transfer

These are all obvious

1 year ago # QUOTE 1 Volod 0 Vlad !
Economist
e587

Various ways of being POTUS:
*get elected Governor of your state
*get elected to the U.S. Senate
*win the Democratic or Republican Primary
*line up rich donors
*be a billionaire with a large social media following

1 year ago # QUOTE 3 Volod 0 Vlad !
Economist
0534

I have completely lost interest in econ with the current state in academic research…
Finishing PhD in a few months and would I be too late to break into junior software development/engineering/data science? Any transferable skills?
The reason is I am hooked with game security testing and manipulating game address needs lower level language like C++ and I am learning that…
During research and as hobby I know python enough to write web crawler in Selenium, ML pytorch like pytorch. R with data wrangling like dplyr, data.table etc…
Ideas?

not sure if you will be able to get an interview at tech companies. they used to hire PhDs from other fields like chemistry and physics. But is getting much much more difficult in recent years for you to get an interview as a new grad if you did not take enough CS related classes. Once you get the interviews, things are much easier as you only need to ace leetcode problems.

You're off to a good start
My advice is to take about two months and really focus on LeetCode. Seems like Java is the preferred language these days as everything is web-centric though coding solutions in C++ is always impressive as well.
Data Science is a crowded space with a lot less end-market demand than SWEs. If you want to do DS, I would suggest going through your university's placement center in terms of contacts to set up informational interviews. Without contacts and previous experience, you're stuck trying to do an independent entry level job search.

.... Are you aware that Java is completely unrelated to JavaScript?

And how does this connect to what he said? He said web-centric, not front-facing apps. Any mildly interesting backend developing is done in Java, the fact that you got 3 jerbs just shows how self-confident yet clueless some of you are.

1 year ago # QUOTE 1 Volod 0 Vlad !
Economist
0534

Applying online without knowing anyone will realistically get you nowhere.

This only applies to midwits, if you are good and have a small portfolio of home projects to show off (and maybe a bit more complex stuff than a to-do), they'll give you a test and will call you in for a leetcode interview. This isn't finance...

1 year ago # QUOTE 0 Volod 4 Vlad !
Economist
0534

OP, you should try to sell yourself as a metrics guy, you'll have better chances.

1 year ago # QUOTE 1 Volod 0 Vlad !
Economist
a2bb

If OP is interested in game design, consider more non-traditional paths (that is, a CS degree / DS bootcamps do not necessarily lead to a SWE position) like the Touhou creator, indie game creation, or animation physics (a surprising amount of math is needed, there are books out there on the specific physics that go behind the mere construction of wave ripples / sunlight shadows / rock texture, etc).

Sometimes I think econ PhDs are satisfactory at most things (math, logical thinking, social skills) compared to hard STEM fields, but excel at none of them. There are many alternative pathways out there beyond the conventional thinking of industry = FAANG economist or data scientist.

1 year ago # QUOTE 3 Volod 0 Vlad !
Economist
b76d

you took 5 years to decide econ research was not for you?

1 year ago # QUOTE 2 Volod 1 Vlad !
Economist
7bbc

you must be a grandson of a famous STEM researcher

1 year ago # QUOTE 2 Volod 0 Vlad !

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