hrithik
How can I make money in CS without a degree?
I want money to fund a startup #computer-software #computer
4 answers
Leon Heckman
Leon’s Answer
Below is a well written article about getting a job without a degree.
https://www.codementor.io/codementorteam/how-to-get-your-first-developer-job-even-if-you-don-t-have-a-cs-degree-8b60y8ch2
My last job in Boston I worked as a Release Engineer with an associate that did not have a degree. He started working at the company as a building contractor and talked his way onto the Help Desk Team. He worked extra hard and was recognized by management as a good worker. There was an opening as a entry level Release Engineer after an engineer left the company. That was ten years ago and he is now working as a Release Engineer and learning more about the business every day.
The second part of your question is curious "I want money to fund a startup". There are many ways to get money for funding a new business but you don't need an CS degree you need something that will make money. Starting a new business these days is very expensive and many of the businesses fail.
Leon recommends the following next steps:
Kevin Both
Kevin’s Answer
- I have built a 20 year career in Software without a degree, as with many things in life you will find that your attitude will carry more weight than you think. I have meet many people with degrees who have no interest in the job they are doing and therefor are mediocre conversely I have meet extremely successful people who for one reason or another never had the opportunity to gain formal qualifications. 9x out of 10 the difference comes down to work ethics, drive, personality and a willingness to learn "on the job". My father told me "you only need to be 5% better than the next person to me a supper star". My advise is don't let other put restrictions and limits on your career. If you want it, take it!
Kevin recommends the following next steps:
David Martin
David’s Answer
However, you then qualify it with "I want money to fund a startup", and here it becomes unclear what you mean. Do you mean that you currently have an idea for a product or service, and want to start a company to build it as soon as possible? Or do you mean it more generally, in that your goal is to become a startup founder? It's impossible to tell from your question, so I'll respond to both possible meanings:
If you are trying to start a company right away, then I don't mean to discourage you, but it would be extremely difficult to find a serious investor willing to fund you based on an idea. Investors evaluate the team first, and the idea second, so if you have no existing track record it would be hard to get their attention, and in the worst case, if they really like the idea they'll just find someone else to implement it. Your best bet would be to build the product without funding, if possible. This would be hard to pull off, but you would learn a lot along the way, and such efforts often lead to other opportunities.
But if you mean that you eventually want to found a startup, and this is something that you are passionate about, then my advice is to be aware that time is on your side. Spend the next 5 to 10 years developing your skill set with the end goal of being well qualified to found and run your own company. This would go beyond technical skills (although those are important). You need to break out of your comfort zone. For example, a former colleague of mine, prior to starting his own company, switched from engineering to sales, and then to marketing, because he wanted to get a more complete idea of those aspects of the business. Not everyone does this, but my point is that people who succeed at securing funding and starting companies usually have a much broader perspective than the average employee who does the same thing year after year.
Joanne Mammarelli
Joanne’s Answer
To get money for a startup, you'll most likely have to prove yourself talent-wise.
No one just 'gives' - they expect a return for their investment.
Take the time to learn from those that have come before you (Steve Jobs, Jeff Bezos, Mark Zuckerburg, Elon Musk).
They are super-talented individuals who have managed to make A LOT of money.
You don't necessarily need to have a degree in computer science or software engineering to make money at it. It really takes the initiative to study material on your own and grow your ability to perform the work.
One way is to download Microsoft's Visual Studio Community edition:
https://imagine.microsoft.com/en-us/Catalog/Product/530
James Lawrence
Continued from Above:
Then sign up for either go to the Microsoft Learning Portal which is free or sign up for a Plural site account online and take some of the courses offered there.
This is the best starting point to get you going and will give you an understanding.
The final step is to find a software engineer that would be willing to work with you as a mentor or even locate a small startup and offer to intern for them to gain some real-world experience.
I know it may sound like a tough road, but it pays big dividends in the long run. Software is exciting challenging and is a very rewarding career.
Stick with your dream and you will succeed.
James Lawrence
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