It Doesn't Compile

     Time for a first post to see how things will look.       Who am I? I am me.       This post will also probably be removed. I wanted to take the time in this blog to talk about my personal life as a programmer and some of the obstacles I have faced. Maybe sort of act like an older brother (not quite a mentor) to people looking to pivot into my position. Hopefully, some good stuff comes out of this blog. For now, I will only be trying to fill in some space.      I went to college at App State for computer science. It was great, but terrible because I worked at Walmart the entire time. Imagine working until 10PM stocking vegetables then going home to study computer science. It's probably not hard because a lot of people do it lol It's tough, though. Trust me.      Anyway, I graduated and got a job in programming yay. Then got another one, and that's where I am now. Let's go! Programmer named Austin wh...

Every software engineering interview is going to be different. Each interviewer works for a different company, with a different technical background, has a different personality, and wants to know different things about you. You really cannot know exactly what to expect.  How can you prepare for this kind of interview? I will tell you how I prepared for mine (often companies will help you prepare by telling you the interview style in advance). These positions pay a lot of money, so these companies will want to have multiple rounds of interviews to ensure they're spending their money in a smart way. Expect at least 3 rounds of interviews, even more entry-level. Most companies will begin with a phone round . This is typically not with an engineer and is usually with a member of HR or a hiring manager. These people don't really know much about the job you're applying for in terms of technical prowess, other than buzzwords. I have had an instance where the actual engineering ma...

Choosing a STEM discipline to major in is a major choice for anyone to make. Most of the time, I don't think those who select Computer Science really have an understanding of what will be asked of them. I was one of those people. I guess I saw Computer Science as my only option and took it without hesitation. Let me tell you about all the bumps in the road. Should I select computer science as my path? Can I ever change my mind? What should I expect? What will college be like? What about work? How are the interviews? How is the work? The Pay?