When you hear the word ‘computer,’ what comes to your mind? A picture of a monitor placed on a table with a keyboard, mouse, and CPU? That’s what most people pictures. But the computer isn’t just four units working together. It’s your access to the world, possibilities of new inventions, the learning hub, and what you want it to be. When you have a system with this much potential, you can do whatever you want and however, you want. When there is an infinite number of possibilities, there come vast paths to utilize them. There are various career paths in computer science available.
Because nowadays so many departments are based on computers, and all of them needs someone to operate them. There might be a department or two that operates without computers. No matter what work they might do, they depend on computers and their applications. You’ll have to learn an application that might interest you. And that application may lead you towards your future job.
What is computer science?
Computer science is a complete and mixed study of Computers, Technology, Software, and all related materials. There are not some countable features of a computer. You cannot summarize it. There are whole infinite features and their requirements. In computer science, we learn about basic ones but with a brief understanding. Computer science revolves around the inner part/software of the computer. What’s inside, how we can create using it, how it is used, and how many ways it is transformed.
What does Computer Science offer?
There are several degrees, diplomas, and platforms to learn computer science. Just think of an application, and you’ll have notes, study materials, lectures, practice sets, and tutorials of that application in a simple and understandable format. In this online phase, you can access all of the study materials and required data for free. Now you can learn whatever you want for free, then why not utilize it. Several bachelor’s degree and master’s degree educates individuals. In addition, you can join any coaching class or hire a tutor who can help you learn what you want.
What are the applications of computer science you might learn?
There are so many, as we mentioned, infinite things you can learn through the computer. Some of them which are quite popular are:
- Learning a language – To pursue a career in software development, website designing, and several others which we will discuss later, you’ll have to learn a specific language like C, C#, C++, Java, Python, PHP, Visual Basic, and Swift. This application is very popular worldwide.
- Learning data entry skills with SQL – SQL helps the user to create, edit, delete, format, and use the data you form. Users create tables for the organization and input the data whenever needed.
- Learning MS office applications – This is a common application and the most used one. You can be a master in MS Word, PowerPoint, or Excel. These applications are used widely in content writing, data entry, and presentations.
You can master any computer software and its applications. For example, you can learn photoshop, video editing, advertising, music production, or any other skill of your interest. You can learn the fundaments of computers, and it’s components. How it works, how it transfers the signals and data, different functionalities of an application, or its hardware.
Career Paths Of Computer Science
The advantage of uncountable applications of computer is that it provides vast career opportunities. After having an average knowledge of any specific application, you are considered an asset. Several organizations open their doors for you with a decent payoff.
Software Developer
People studying computer science in universities and colleges for? Most of them are there to become software developers, web developers, application developers, etc. By learning languages like C, C++, Java, Phyton, PHP, Visual Basic, JavaScript, Swift, and many more, you can develop websites, applications, software, and much more stuff.
We all need applications for our phones, tablet, laptop, computer, and whatsoever. These applications aren’t just created once but updated frequently. If you think your job for a company is over after creating an app, that will not happen. You’ll stick with them for as long as you wish because your presence is important for them.
In this digital world, we can search for what we are looking for, and there it is right in front of us. What do you think about how that data we found went there on the internet? There are many websites where we can keep the data we want the world to see through websites. And whenever anyone will search-related information, your website may appear. Unfortunately, there is a lack of web designers, and you might fill the gap.
This profession is in the highest demand. Even if you are thinking of freelancing, software developers have an advantage. New businesses and startups are initiating per day. They need software developers, not just one or two but a whole team. Famous companies like Google, Microsoft, Facebook, Apple, Samsung, and the list never ends, are always in search of software developers. You might end up at the best place. Who knows.
Software developers usually earn from $63,000 to $270,000 on average. However, the payments may vary from company to company and talent to talent.
Game Developer
Have you ever played a game? Forget it who does not. Ever wonder how it is created? A team of developers creates games for your phones, your laptops, your system, your tablet, your gaming console, and other devices. Games are developed by a whole team of designers, programmers, animators, and many more.
There are so many games for every platform. But even then, so many new games gained popularity. Why is that? No one wants to play a single game again and again for so long. Therefore, this industry is not going anywhere. If you step in this career path, you will not regret it.
Game developers earns $57,000 to $100,000 per annum.
Multimedia Programmers
The world always moves from one thing to another. We moved from just calling to texting, from texting to audio files, from audio files to images, from images to videos, from videos to live chats, and here we are using every aspect and application. We can’t just ignore an application. We require all of them.
Therefore, we have multimedia programmers who work with all these aspects. It designs and creates the program with multimedia features, including text, sounds, videos, graphics, animation, 2D or 3D models, or images. The program you will create needs constant updating with time. Therefore, you are needed for the long run with the company.
Multimedia programmers earn an average of $66,000 to $100,000 per annum.
Technical Writer
Writing a code isn’t enough. You have to explain its working and characteristics. A technical writer is just there for this. A product developed by you or your company requires instructions and a user manual. A technical writer is available for it. So many companies and organizations require a technical writer by their side. You learn this skill in your bachelor’s or master’s degree.
Technical writers are paid an amount of $69,000 to $100,000 per annum.
Cybersecurity
You might have uploaded your data in cloud storage, haven’t you? In this digital world, many don’t just have a phone but a tablet, a laptop, and a system. You can’t just transfer all your data to all your devices. You can’t even effort that much storage. Therefore, cloud storage is beneficial. We all uploads our data intentionally, or if not, we use email, google services, and so many social media services which use cloud storage.
A person who knows the techniques can hack the cloud storage and access our data. Therefore, many institutes and organizations are willing to pay for a person who can protect their data from getting hacked. Therefore, it will be an all-time job for you to make sure there is not even a single thing that might affect your client’s data.
Cybersecurity engineer is paid $57,000 to $120,000 per annum. In the US Department of defense, cybersecurity pays $124,000 to the engineers.
Ethical Hacking
When the developer develops the application for the organization, how they can have the surety of its security. They check the security of the program by all means, and those means can be hacking. But this testing process and hacking are ethical. That’s why it is called ethical hacking.
To protect the nation and maintain national security, the nation hair ethical hackers to maintain it. Ethical hackers are used to going into the data of suspicious peoples, and their organizations, unconstitutional bodies, and criminals. They prevent harmful acts and any dangerous activities. They work with intelligence and government bodies.
Ethical hackers are paid $90,000 to $170,000 annually.
Database Management
Companies don’t just want programs and applications. They can’t just rely on software engineers. This is because there are so many other tasks that need to get performed. One of which is database management, which includes creating data records, inserting data, editing data, deleting when required, and formatting them.
SQL is used and considered best for this job. MS-Excel is an option, but we can only have countable rows and columns, while in SQL, we can have billions of rows and columns. SQL is not that hard to grasp. A lot of companies require a database manager, go and find some.
Database manager is paid $63,000 to $95,000 annually.
Freelancer
After learning a skill or an application, you don’t have to search for a job. Or, if you are currently pursuing your studies, you are in a university or a school. You can’t have a job, because you can’t just drop your studies. But what if you need to earn money with your skills and stay in school or university. Don’t worry. You can freelance and earn enough. With so many websites providing a platform for your freelancing, you can find a suitable match.
Why don’t you work from home without affecting your education? First, find an internship and work from home with fair pay. Then, you need to make your profile on any of the websites that provide internships and freelancing. Some of them like Linked In, Fiverr, Internshala, and many more. These sites will help you to find the perfect organization for you.
Freelancers can earn up to $21 per hour, and it can increase with the company’s satisfaction.
Entrepreneur
Why don’t you just set a startup? The qualities you have, skills you learned, and knowing about computers. That is enough, to begin with. Form a company which can solve the problem you wish to solve. There are several examples of people who knew computers and their applications, which helped them build a worth trillions company.
For example, consider Elon Musk. He knew programming languages and computer science, which helped him build companies like Tesla, SpaceX, and PayPal. You can form your empire as well. You can consider starting a startup.
The earnings of entrepreneurs aren’t constant. It depends on the reach of their startup, the profits they earn, expenses in every field, and their investments. You can earn as much as you can through the growth of your business. You can be a millionaire or a billionaire like so many others.
Teaching
If you are skilled in any specific application of computer science, and you are good at explaining concepts. Teaching might be a good opportunity for you—any skill of your interest in which you are versed. So many peoples want to learn new applications and pursue their future with that application. There are so many interested candidates but few qualified teachers. You can teach in school, college, university, as a home tutor, or online.
You can help quite a lot of passionate and interested students. First, you can conduct online classes, even in this covid condition online classes didn’t stop. Second, you can have your YouTube channel where you can upload lectures and study material. YouTube provides a decent amount, so you have to provide quality content, attracting the audience. Third, you can find interested students from websites that offer the platform for your interactions.
Computer teachers are paid an amount from $25,000 to $75,000 annually.
Cyber Café
Not everyone knows how to use a computer, how to perform the required task. So when they are in great need of something, they look towards cyber cafes. You can start your cybercafé with your system, printer, scanner, and some other stuff in it.
You can fill online application forms for jobs, universities, any examination, or any other task required by the customer. You can make copies, scan documents, print photos, and all those relatable things. Many people arrive to play a video game of their choice. Sometimes the customer wishes to send an email for his job or profession. They might end up at your place. This isn’t it. Cybercafes have the power to solve not one but so many customer issues.
Cybercafes can earn up to $250,000 depending on the number of customers visits, expenses in maintaining the hardware, and other things.
Advantages of Computer Science Career
- The most important thing people move towards a computer science career is money. This career provides more salary compared to other jobs. Jobs that depend on highly demanded products and jobs that depend on vast requirements but have fewer employees are known to pay well while a computer science career depends on both. Therefore, it pays a high salary.
- Ever heard of 9-5 jobs? Mostly these jobs are mentioned in that category. You get flexible work hours. Sometimes when you have some particular tasks, you can complete them with ease within the deadline. There is not that much pressure.
- What if you master Hindi or Arabic? You wouldn’t be of great benefit outside that comfort area of that language. But in the case of computer science careers, computers don’t have different languages just their own. You are of great help to the whole globe. No matter where you go whom you are meeting, you’ll get the job for being good with computers.
- Luxuries are an undividable part of computer science careers. Their offices, cubicles, and the building are well systematic and well maintained with a real luxurious look. Whole systems, hardware, laptops, and everything is expensive. You feel like you are surrounded by your dream.
- A most important advantage we noticed in this pandemic period is that when so many people were jobless and were paid nothing because they had to do nothing, people in computer science careers were making money without even going to their offices. They had the comfort of getting paid while working from home. People might have stopped using something but they were still using technology. By the way, it was the only means of entertainment left for so many.
The advantages may vary in respect to your interests and hobbies. Some might consider these advantages to be a disadvantage for them. On the other hand, some might find more pros than we have mentioned. It’s all matter of how you seem to feel about it.
Disadvantages of Computer Science Career
- The popularity of computer science careers and their awesome advantages have attracted so many peoples that now it’s a real competition in this field. There is a large population who wants to pursue their career in computer science. That makes it hard for so many to get the reorganization they deserve.
- The technology always gets updates and new features. Therefore, the employees are required to stay updated with the trends. When you make a loose bond with the latest technology, you might get replaced. Where there are already a bunch of people waiting for you to step down.
- The pressure of finishing the given task in time without compromising with the quality. This pressure or stress is faced by beginners. When you don’t have much experience of the task you are performing, you might face difficulties.
- As an initial worker, the working hour might creep you out. Providing the required work within time and not compromising the quality. Just sitting on the chair with eyes staring at the screen. You will probably get tired at first but afterward, it is what it is.
These disadvantages might not bother you. Maybe that are pros for you. These qualities may vary from person to person. Therefore, we have mentioned them based on the majority.
Questions
What language is best to learn?
It depends on the profession you are learning it for. For software or web development, Python, Java, JavaScript, Ruby, etc. For mobile applications, C, java, swift, and JavaScript are preferred. And so are they categorized. For finding what language might suit you, first pick a profession.
Which language is easy to learn?
Python, Java, and JavaScript are considered easy to learn. But, how is a language said to be easy? It depends on the complexity of the code, the number of lines it uses for a task, how difficult it is to debug the code, and many more. Learn which language seems to match your work type and your grasping capability.
How to choose a perfect career for ourselves?
It can be easily figured out by which subject interests you, how you scored in subjects, how they make you feel, how much they enter your brain. After that, find out which career opportunities come within that subject. That technique may lead you to the job you will be passionate about. You can try the job before starting it. Find an internship for yourself for a month or two. You will get the idea of how you fit in that career.
Difference between software and application developer.
Software developers program and creates software for computers. Application developer develops apps for mobile phones. So these terms aren’t just between computers and mobile phones, applications aren’t just for mobile phones, but to prevent confusion and make it easy, these terms got differentiated.
Why use SQL over MS-Excel?
SQL is considered better than MS-Excel in many ways. SQL works faster and more effectively as compared to MS-Excel. SQL can provide billions of columns and rows for the table, while MS-Excel has a limit. It can provide few countable ones only. Finally, SQL can work with other programming languages while MS-Excel can’t.
How to find a job as a software developer?
When you pursue your bachelor’s or master’s degree from a well-known university or college, you have a great option of getting placed from your university itself. If you don’t get placed, don’t worry. You can apply for a job of your interest online or offline. If you are doing an internship, you have a possibility of getting a job at the same company if your record is noticeable. Various platforms like LinkedIn can be of great help. They provide a platform to connect with others and find a job.
Which language is used by Android and iOS?
Java and Kotlin are more popular in android-based programs, while Swift is used by iOS.
Can computer science careers vanish?
Not at all, they might transform into another thing or upgrade to something different, but it isn’t going to vanish at all. Technology expends per day. It never declines.
