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Application Software Engineer Job Description
Career tips, salaries, and lists of schools.
Software applications are used for business productivity, computer and network management, games and entertainment, conducting transactions on the Internet, and just about anything else that a computer can do. Application software engineers analyze the needs of people who will be using the software, and create packaged software or custom programs using programming languages.
Additional responsibilities of application software engineers include:
- Collecting and analyzing client requirements
- Making recommendations as to efficient and effective ways of applying, developing and implementing software applications
- Planning and designing applications
- Creating solutions for problems and better processes by developing software
- Using different programming languages to construct applications
- Providing support, fixes and enhancements of software products for clients
- Overseeing testing and implementation of software applications
Many application software engineers travel frequently to client sites or different facilities to guide implementation and provide training to users.
Degrees and Schools
Most colleges and universities offer four-year degree programs in software engineering or computer science.
Classes
Students in a software engineering program usually divide their time between class and computer lab. Courses include:
- Fundamentals of information technology
- Principles of software application development
- Requirements gathering and project planning
- Systems analysis and design
- Computer programming
- Database design and development
- Network technologies
- Information systems security
- Systems administration and management
- Web technologies and development
- Organizational behavior
Online Classes and Programs
Bachelors degree programs in software engineering and computer science are readily available online. E-learning programs that are offered by campus-based colleges and universities are more likely to have internship and job placement programs.
Online courses should be part of an institution with accreditation from agencies approved by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) or United States Department of Education (USDE).
Employment Requirements
Most employers of application software engineers require:
- Certification in relevant software packages, languages and technologies
- Substantial experience in application development
- A bachelors or masters degree in software engineering or computer science
Associations can also be of interest for employability and professional development. For software engineers the IEEE Computer Society may be of interest.
How to Evaluate Software Engineering Schools
When evaluating software engineering and computer science degree programs, asking the following questions can be helpful:
- Reputation and location - How does the program rank nationally and/or by reputation among employers? Is it located in a community where software engineering and technology is a prominent industry?
- Classes and subjects - Does the curriculum offer sufficient elective courses in programming languages and technologies of interest? Are popular classes difficult to get into?
- Practical experience - Are computer labs well-equipped with leading technologies? Does the program provide a variety of internship opportunities that are appealing?
- Financial aid and expenses - Are students provided substantial guidance in finding scholarships, work / study programs, grants, student loans and other financial aid opportunities?
- Graduate success - Over the past several years, what has the program's track record been for placing graduates in relevant jobs?
Worker Reviews of This Career
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Job Title: Software Developer
Attended: University Of Washington • Seattle, WA
Studied Computer Science + Applied And Computational Math Sciences (completion in 2011)
Highest relevant degree: Bachelor's
• Submitted: 1/20/2012
"I've always enjoyed coding and most of the time I'm programming without much unnecessary interaction with others. I enjoy designing and modifying algorithms for the various tasks I get throughout the month."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 10 | We had a very well funded CS department. Just about any software suite you could have wanted was paid for by the school and available through programs like MSDN, and the building itself was aesthetically appealing. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 5 | Promotions just come with time. With enough years of experience I'll move up to a senior position - but until then, there isn't many opportunities, even during reviews. |
| Job Security | 8 | You always need to work hard as there's a constant supply of software engineers available and looking for work in my area. At the same time, if you do work hard, you have plenty of job security since a good developer is harder to find. |
| Earnings Potential | 10 | I've spoken to several developers, and many earn around 70k a year with extensive experience. Others have become private consultants and rake in over 100k a year. |
| How Stressful | 10 | There are always deadlines to meet. Other people's work depends on yours working on time, which can be very stressful. |
| Task Variety | 5 | I spend several days on a single project. Things tend to vary every couple of months. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 3 | Nobody thinks "cool" when they see a developer typing 65 wpm in a cubicle. There is no glamor - it's just simple labor. |
| Career Flexibility | 10 | I work from home once a week. I can even work from a Starbucks if I wanted. |
| Social Orientation | 3 | There is some workplace interaction and joking. Most of the time, you aren't interacting with anyone but yourself and your computer. |
Job Title: Staff Applications Developer
Attended: San Jose State • San Jose, CA
Studied Computer Science (completion in 2008)
Highest relevant degree: Master's
• Submitted: 1/20/2012
"The amount of pay relative to the work I do provides a good balance. Must continually be learning as new software technologies and methodologies come out regularly."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 7 | The instructors were knowledgeable and the courses had many of the fundamentals of Computer Science. I would have liked to do more programming rather than just tests. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 8 | The opportunity to get promoted is fairly good. Team sizes are about 5-25 so the competition is less than it is at other companies. |
| Job Security | 8 | Job security is great due to the fact that there is a high barrier to entry for hiring qualified applicants. Also, almost every company requires software, whether it be web application or desktop, to power their company. |
| Earnings Potential | 7 | Will not be able to retire instantly from this job, but the rewards are handsome. If motivated enough, starting your own company is possible, which would increase the earnings potential immensely. |
| How Stressful | 7 | There are deadlines depending on release cycle. Mine are every month, which means there's stress every month building up to that deadline. Also, a high reliance on your coworkers is the biggest point of stress because certain things are outside your control. |
| Task Variety | 8 | The things I do on the job rarely repeat themselves. They may be similar tasks but no two tasks are identical because I'm working on enhancing a product and maturing it every cycle. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 5 | This is not a very glamorous job. The only thing this job will get you is recommendations to help someone fix their computer or start a website. |
| Career Flexibility | 10 | This job allows for a flexible schedule. I have no set hours as long as I meet deadlines. I would be able to telework, but I do meet with my boss once a week face to face. A majority of my meetings are over the phone or via shared desktop. |
| Social Orientation | 4 | Most of the social interactions take place over phone or in a business setting. Usually the less socializing that occurs, the less stress you will be under, because you only socialize when things are going wrong. |
Job Title: Software Developer
Attended: Pittsburgh Technical Institute • Pittsburgh, PA
Studied Computer Programming (completion in 2006)
Highest relevant degree: Associate's
• Submitted: 1/21/2012
"I enjoy the process of creating software. It is both creative and technical. Solving problems and tracking down bugs can be frustrating, but the sense of accomplishment when I'm done is huge."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 5 | I feel like one already had to be a programmer to get much out of the process. Many of my peers struggled. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 5 | You can become a senior developer. After that there doesn't seem to be anywhere to go but management. This doesn't sound like much fun and seems like a complete career shift. |
| Job Security | 8 | In spite of the recession, work keeps rolling in. The world is only going to become more dependent on technology and the software that runs on it. Positions seem to be open everywhere. |
| Earnings Potential | 7 | I feel like I do quite well relative to my cost of living. If you are willing to shift jobs every few years, you can increase your earnings fairly quickly. In spite of all the off-shoring fears, there is a dearth of capable software engineers. |
| How Stressful | 5 | It can be stressful if unrealistic deadlines are set. It can be stressful if you manage your time poorly. It can be stressful if you are in over your head with a task you don't understand. But I bet this is true of any field. |
| Task Variety | 6 | If you find yourself doing the same things over and over again, odds are you can automate or somehow abstract away that repetition. Unfortunately, you aren't always given the time to do this. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 2 | Not many people will understand what you do. You will mostly sit alone with a computer. I've never heard any words like “coolness” or “glamor” used in association with software engineers, unless it was another software engineer saying it. |
| Career Flexibility | 9 | I've worked part time as a freelancer. I've worked full time with the freedom to work from home. Software jobs are everywhere. I'm in Pennsylvania completely by choice. |
| Social Orientation | 2 | It will mostly be you and your computer. At most you'll have two people solving a problem in front a computer together. It doesn't scale any higher than that. If you are getting a lot of social interaction, you are probably tied up in unproductive meetings. |
Job Title: Firmware Engineer
Attended: University Of North Florida • Jacksonville, FL
Studied Electrical Engineering (completion in 2005)
Highest relevant degree: Bachelor's
• Submitted: 1/20/2012
"I've been presented with many opportunities to explore and implement new technologies into cutting edge products. The potential growth from the beginning has been fantastic."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 9 | The school provided lots of applicable practical knowledge in the classroom and lab that has built a foundation for my career. The curriculum included many current applications that benefited the graduates of the program. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 9 | Work loads are heavy in the software engineering environments, giving leverage in growth and leadership. Continuous organizational improvements lend to growing from within and climbing up the ranks. |
| Job Security | 9 | Software/Firmware engineering is a discipline in great demand that meets the need of many various industries. Software will be required for new devices or refreshed devices looking for BOM cost reduction. |
| Earnings Potential | 8 | Software engineering is a specialized discipline that commands good earning potential. The cost of replacing a software engineer is high in terms of salary and lost production. |
| How Stressful | 8 | With SW engineering comes stress from accelerated development schedules, especially in consumer electronics. The level of stress depends on how good (or not) management is in resource allocation and scheduling. |
| Task Variety | 7 | Tasks are laid out and bought-in by several levels of organizations, so the work is fairly predefined. The variation of tasks comes from working on concurrent projects. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 8 | S/W engineering lends to excitement from start to finish of the development cycle. The successful release of a unit is very rewarding. |
| Career Flexibility | 8 | My work schedule is based on task completion, whether on a time or location metric. Work hours have been adjustable as long as the work gets done. |
| Social Orientation | 6 | Most collaboration involves design and code reviews. While there is casual interaction mixed with business conversations, the majority of the discussion is work related. |
Job Title: Software Engineer
Attended: University Of Pennsylvania • Philadelphia, FL
Studied Computer Engineering (completion in 2010)
Highest relevant degree: Bachelor's
• Submitted: 1/21/2012
"This is truly my passion. I look forward to going to work every day."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 10 | My school was top of the line. I was very happy with how my school conducted things. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 9 | If you are good at programming, you will get noticed and will get promoted. It's not very hard to get a promotion if you have the required coding skills. |
| Job Security | 9 | I work in an office and not outside. There is an insane demand for software engineers at this day and age. |
| Earnings Potential | 10 | I'm making well into 6 figures and I'm just out of college. It doesn't seem like my job is in any risk, and I've been getting promoted frequently. |
| How Stressful | 7 | As with any job, it's very stressful around deadlines. It's also very frustrating when code doesn't compile and you're near a deadline. |
| Task Variety | 9 | The job gets somewhat repetitive in terms of the actual approach that is used (agile dev.). The actual problems and coding scenarios that we are faced with vary greatly, however. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 10 | Being able to code and produce code is very cool and is a skill that many people would love to have. Also, having the ability to 'hack' things is very useful and is also looked at as being cool. |
| Career Flexibility | 10 | The fact that all coding is done on a computer makes it possible to work entirely online. I have the options of working from home, etc. |
| Social Orientation | 4 | Computer scientists are stereotyped as being socially awkward. This doesn't come from out of nowhere. There is not much social interaction at the place that I work. |
Job Title: Junior Software Engineer, Team C Leader
Attended: Stony Brook University • Stony Brook, NY
Studied Physics/Computer Science (completion in 2008)
Highest relevant degree: Bachelor's
• Submitted: 1/19/2012
"The pay is reasonable in this field, and the work, though stressful, is usually enjoyable when starting a new project. However, the management is completely inefficient and has very little knowledge in regards to actually writing efficient programs."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 8 | I think it is really as good as can be expected. The classes could be smaller, and for some of the really interesting ones there was a waiting list, but overall I think it prepares the students well to at least get through the first 2 years of being a complete novice in the job market. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 6 | It is similar to being in the army - you get promoted simply based on the time spent with the company. If after 4-6 years you have not gotten fired you can get promoted to being a head of a small team, and then a manager of a section and so on, and so on. |
| Job Security | 5 | Your job security is only as secure as the company you work for. You can be the best programmer on the staff, but if management can not find a way to market the proprietary program/service or find new clients, the job can be very insecure and stressful. |
| Earnings Potential | 6 | If the market is growing and you are not constantly messing up at your job, your pay will go up. Unfortunately, that also means that a lot of people who should not be getting promoted do so and eventually the company's bottom line suffers. |
| How Stressful | 8 | Very stressful. The management is completely clueless and borderline irrational when choosing deadlines for projects. Miscommunication happens all the time between different teams, and there are constantly bugs and errors in the systems that one needs to fix. |
| Task Variety | 3 | Once you are assigned a project, that is all you do for a few months. That is really all you and your team think and talk about. If the project is fun, then you can be having fun for a few month. On the other hand, a bad project can be truly horrible. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 6 | It was "cool" in the beginning I guess, before one realized that programming can actually not be that much fun and can get repetitive and stressful. Once you realize what it actually involves, all the "cool" aspects mostly go away and you find yourself being no different than a construction worker, but living a more unhealthy lifestyle. |
| Career Flexibility | 6 | Well, it certainly is somewhat flexible, and in theory a lot of work can be done from home. On the other hand, considering the long hours at work, after a while one has no interest in bringing more work home. Transfers to different locations seem to be reserved only to marketing/management divisions. |
| Social Orientation | 4 | Business interactions are usually limited to people who are either your supervisors, or people you supervise. You rarely get to deal with people on the same level as you, and when you do you are usually both too busy to talk about anything that does not relate to your work. During social interactions, one tries talking about work to a minimum. |
Job Title: Sr. Software Engineer
Attended: Indiana • Bloomington, IN
Studied Informatics (completion in 2000)
Highest relevant degree: Bachelor's
• Submitted: 1/21/2012
"I enjoy the pace and challenge. I have the opportunity to program in several languages. Innovation is encouraged at my company, which is great."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 8 | I was well prepared to enter the field, but more importantly realized the importance of continued learning and progress in order to stay current in the IT profession. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 9 | I have been promoted twice in the last two years! I'm now supervising 6 junior developers. |
| Job Security | 9 | The IT job market is one of the few bright spots in today's economy. I am secure in my current job and there are lots of available opportunities should I choose to move on. |
| Earnings Potential | 8 | I'm pretty entrepreneurial so I see an opportunity to take new ideas and really run with them. Even if I choose not to start my own company I will do well financially if I do good work. |
| How Stressful | 5 | Sometimes it's not stressful at all, but when we are working under a tight deadline, that changes. Also, tech support can be stressful when something breaks, which when it happens is always at the wrong time. |
| Task Variety | 5 | Some things are consistent day-to-day. But, the work that I do changes over time as I move to new projects, products, modules, etc. And, there are always new team members to train, mentor, and learn from. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 5 | Super cool would be racing cars or something like that. But, I think it's cool to work in a field that challenges your mind and to do things that not everyone can understand. |
| Career Flexibility | 7 | I can work flexible hours. I also get to work from home. |
| Social Orientation | 5 | I come into daily contact with not only my peers but with others in the organization such as testers, business analysts, and project managers. I also enjoy client interaction on a regular basis. |
Job Title: Software Engineer I
Attended: University Of Nevada Reno • Reno, NV
Studied Computer Science (completion in 2007)
Highest relevant degree: Bachelor's
• Submitted: 1/23/2012
"I enjoy the complex problems that come with developing programs. I am always learning something."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 6 | UNR is an OK school for computer science. The focus is heavy on Math and theory, but I wish it had more practical programming classes. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 7 | My job has a growth path for engineers. It takes many years but they can become level II or level II Software Engineers. |
| Job Security | 5 | Outsourcing has become a big problem in the Software Development field. My current company has a large office in India, so it may be likely that my job will go overseas. |
| Earnings Potential | 8 | Earning potential in my field is great. A software engineer can make lots of money after they have been working in the field for many years. |
| How Stressful | 7 | The job can be stressful. Many times there are deadlines that have to be met. That often means working over the weekend. |
| Task Variety | 4 | Tasks are about the same everyday. I work on the same project for long periods of time. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 5 | I don't think Software Engineering is really cool. I admit it's cool if you're in a hot new startup or working for yourself. |
| Career Flexibility | 9 | My office is very flexible with scheduling. I can come in early or late and work from home. |
| Social Orientation | 6 | Often times I get to work really close with senior engineers. I don't have much interaction with the customers. |
Job Title: Application Development Manager
Attended: University Of Maryland - University College • College Park, MD
Studied Information Systems Management (completion in 1984)
Highest relevant degree: Bachelor's
• Submitted: 1/19/2012
"The computer field is a very exciting field. No two days are the same. The technology is always changing. The salaries in the IT field pay very well."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 9 | At the time I attended the school, they had just brought in an IBM 4341 so we did not have to create our programs using punch cards. The program was somewhat flexible in allowing you to choose among courses rather than a specific curriculum to follow. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 9 | I started in the field in 1984 making 21,500 as a programmer. Within 4 years at that company I was promoted to a programmer/analyst making 30,000. I worked for ten years at the next company. I was promoted 3 times and went from a $36,000 salary to a $90,000 salary within 10 years. |
| Job Security | 9 | While many fields have downsized the number of employees, the IT field seems to stay constant or to increase its numbers. Most if not all businesses now rely heavily on computers to help run their businesses. If you know the technical side and know the business side of a company, you are even more valuable. |
| Earnings Potential | 10 | IT field is one of the fields where you can make very good money without going into management. I was making more money than my brother in-law and sister put together. |
| Task Variety | 9 | Many jobs have very repetitive tasks. I am very lucky that most of the time my tasks were things I did once. With the technology changing so frequently, you need to learn new languages and platforms. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 8 | I think the days of thinking of programmers as geeks with black taped up glasses and a pocket protector are long gone. The IT field has really opened up due to the increased use of technology in business and it has attracted a lot of very bright and sociable people. I was able to do a lot of traveling during my career and the money is very lucrative. |
| Career Flexibility | 9 | During the time I was at the company for 10 years, I changed job positions several times within a couple of different areas of our IT shop. I was also able to set my hours. I could work four 9-hour days and be off every other Friday. I also moved from Maryland to Florida and was allowed to telecommute for 16 months until I finally left the company. |
| Social Orientation | 9 | I am a people person and I worked very closely with the user community in all the positions I've held. Three of my closest friends are women I met through work and have kept in touch with over a 20 or so year period. |
Job Title: Software Developer
Attended: University Of Toledo • Toledo, OH
Studied Computer Science Engineer (completion in 2009)
Highest relevant degree: Bachelor's
• Submitted: 1/20/2012
"The job itself isn't too bad, but it can be a bit repetitive and boring at times. The pay is also far below industry average."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 7 | The classes were decent and the instructors were, for the most part, informative and easy to relate to, but it was a little too broad for my tastes. I would have liked to have dug deeper into the various schools of thinking for programming rather than the higher level stuff. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 7 | I can see being promoted in my own department, but I can't ever see being in a management position. It just isn't the nature of the job. |
| Job Security | 8 | There is a high demand for CSE majors and anyone who can work well with software lately. The company I work for is very technologically driven so it will always have a need for programmers. |
| Earnings Potential | 8 | Computing is a hot field right now. It's easy to take your career to a six figure level with the right training and the right job. While I am not there yet, or anywhere close, I hope to achieve this goal in my career. |
| How Stressful | 5 | The flexible hours allow me to work when I need to and when it is convenient for me, but it is not uncommon for something to need to be done immediately resulting in long hours for a week or two. If a system goes down that affects our day to day operations, I can assure you I won't be home early that night. |
| Task Variety | 4 | Despite the different projects I often work on, the work is fairly repetitive. I am given the opportunity to decide how to do each task, so this allows me to test new methods and teach myself new ways of accomplishing the same thing. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 8 | Despite the halo of nerdiness that surrounds my field, we are being seen more and more as technological innovators that are helping to usher in this new age of computing and connectivity. All I have to tell someone is that I created a new app and they think its fascinating, despite that being an extremely small portion of my job. |
| Career Flexibility | 10 | As long as my work is complete my boss doesn't put much emphasis on a 9-5 schedule. I am a salaried employee, and regularly work at home or offsite. It also is rarely an issue to leave early because of a personal need. |
| Social Orientation | 4 | I spend most of my time behind a desk in my office, but I am occasionally afforded the opportunities to go to conferences and other meetings of like minded individuals. It's nice to see other people who do what I do and learn from them. |
Job Title: Software Engineer
Attended: Nicholls State University • Thibodaux, LA
Studied Applied Mathematics (completion in 2004)
Highest relevant degree: Master's
• Submitted: 1/19/2012
"I would like to work more as part of a team, and of course make more money. However, overall, my job is not bad."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 5 | The school wasn't anything special. However, there were some good teachers, and I did learn quite a lot. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 8 | If I can find someone to replace me in my current role, I could move up to several different positions. I could also move into a different division, and become a patent agent in the legal department. |
| Job Security | 9 | I am the only person in my division capable of programming with the language and API for the critical product I support. I don't expect to lose my job unless I seriously mess something up. |
| Earnings Potential | 9 | My career has good earning potential. Not as good as starting my own business, but not bad. |
| How Stressful | 8 | Deadlines are always looming, and there is always more work to be done. Also, software engineers are often bad at dealing with people, so there is a lot of interpersonal stress. |
| Task Variety | 6 | I work on slightly different tasks everyday. Unfortunately, they are only variations of one theme. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 7 | I work for a recognizable company, so that's kind of nice. For the smaller companies I worked at before, I wouldn't rate this so highly. |
| Career Flexibility | 9 | I can work at home as needed, I can come in as late as 10 or as early as 7. If I have some things I need to do I can make up the time on another day. |
| Social Orientation | 4 | I spend at least four hours a day alone with my computer. There are meetings and lunch with coworkers, but there's still not much interaction. |
Job Title: Member Of Technical Staff
Attended: University Of Cincinnati • Cincinnati, OH
Studied Aerospace Engineering (completion in 1995)
Highest relevant degree: Master's
• Submitted: 1/23/2012
"I am now in the San Francisco/Silicon Valley area, and hence there is a great deal of opportunity in my industry. I made the switch from aerospace (where my master's work was centered on computer simulations of aerodynamics) to take advantage of this. In general, people with technical skills are highly valued and highly paid. However, my overall rating is an 8 instead of a 10 because a) there is little job security in this industry, and b) while salaries are good, certain industries, like finance, pay even better for people with technical and math skills."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 10 | I did my undergraduate at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and my grad work at the University of Cincinnati. Both are highly-respected and highly-ranked public institutions. Tuition is reasonable and graduate students in engineering typically obtain a free ride due to various fellowship programs. Job placement after graduation is solid. My academic advisor worked closely with me and I learned a great deal during my graduate program. Both the faculty and students were top-notch in terms of intelligence and skill, and were also great to work with. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 10 | Software developers who keep current on their skills, exhibit dedication in their work, meet project deadlines, and can work effectively with managers, peers, and product managers are often promoted to team lead positions, senior architect positions, etc. Technical people have many avenues open for promotion, including CTO/lead architect, VP/manager of engineering, product management, sales engineering, sales, etc. based upon their interests and skills. I have found that the industry is generally biased towards pure merit when assigning promotions, as opposed to favoritism, seniority, etc., so the opportunities are excellent for those with strong skills and a good work ethic. |
| Job Security | 5 | I went through the dot-com boom and bust. After the dot-com bust, many people were out of work in my area for extended periods of time. In addition, many companies lay off software developers when times are tough. I would say that the opportunities in the industry as a whole are strong, but job security at any particular company is tenuous over the long term. |
| Earnings Potential | 8 | We are generally paid well right out of college, and senior software people typically make over $100K. However, I believe that certain professions, such as sales and finance (specifically trading and investment banking) pay even better for skilled people. |
| How Stressful | 3 | There are definitely times when the job is stressful: a server takes the site down and people want it fixed instantly, a head-scratcher of a bug is holding up a key release, and it seems like every company has too much work and too few engineers. However, the work is engaging and fun, and I have found that my fellow engineers are generally terrific to work with and are always willing to jump in and assist. Hence, the low rating for stress: I am thinking largely of the chronic, negative stress that occurs when you are, for example, working in the fast-food industry, or manning a customer-service line packed with angry callers, or at risk for repetitive-stress injuries at a boring, low-level manufacturing job; add to that that those jobs typically come with lousy pay and inflexible hours, and I would have to say that being a software engineer is not terribly high stress. |
| Task Variety | 8 | I would not say tasks are different every day. When working on a project, you are often working on the same code base for several months (same programming languages, methodology, etc). However, the variation over time is considerable, as there are always new projects (mobile versions of applications, new application feature sets, etc.) starting, and the industry moves quickly in terms of new platforms, languages, and toolsets. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 10 | Silicon Valley is known for innovation and laid back working environments (these are not laid back in terms of expectations of course, but rather things like schedule flexibility, dress codes, etc). I believe that having computer skills is generally regarded in our culture as cool, as is working in the internet and software space. Many people in this industry have gone on to start large companies, and this is widely recognized in our society (consider movies like The Social Network). |
| Career Flexibility | 10 | Most people in the Silicon Valley area have at least some flexibility when it comes to telecommuting, and few are bound to a rigid schedule when it comes to hours spent in the office. Many people work as consultants or contractors instead of full timers, and they are generally able to pick and choose their projects. There are many jobs available, particularly in desirable cities such as San Francisco, San Jose, Chicago, Boston, New York, etc. Of course, I know some software engineers who live in places like Utah, Lake Tahoe, Idaho, etc. and simply telecommute entirely. |
| Social Orientation | 7 | Software engineers spend most of their time in front of a computer coding, and of course, those who telecommute have less opportunity for social interaction. However, I have found most office environments to be very friendly, and even when working "heads down" on a project, there is no shortage of people to have lunch or grab a beer with. In addition, I cannot say I mind not being tied up in meetings all day. |
Job Title: System Administrator
Attended: Albany State University • Albany, GA
Studied Computer Science (completion in 2007)
Highest relevant degree: Bachelor's
• Submitted: 1/22/2012
"I enjoy working with computers. I love solving computer problems."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 5 | My school provided adequate training for the degree. They also provided competent instructors. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 5 | Not many opportunities for promotions unless someone above me leaves. Based on my performance, promotions can open up on occasion. |
| Job Security | 5 | I'm a contractor, and therefore tomorrow is never promised in my job. My contract can always be terminated. |
| Earnings Potential | 5 | I receive a set raise per year. I also get bonuses. |
| How Stressful | 5 | Some issues are tougher than other. I have to deal with different users. |
| Task Variety | 5 | Most the tasks are routine. My normal daily tasks are short. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 5 | My career has a lot of problem solving issues. My job is mostly routine. |
| Career Flexibility | 9 | My job allows me to telework. My manager is also flexible if I need a day off. |
| Social Orientation | 5 | I interact with a lot of users. I work in an open office. |
Job Title: Software Developer
Attended: Utah State University • Logan, UT
Studied Computer Science (completion in 2011)
Highest relevant degree: Master's
• Submitted: 1/20/2012
"I am satisfied with my career, but I expect more. I mean I should learn more new technologies so that I can be more confident on the job. I am proficient in Java but I need to learn some scripting languages, like Perl and JavaScript."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 8 | I was satisfied with my program, but again I expected more from my department. There was limited research work in the department. Also, they laid more stress on c++ as compared to Java or C#. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 9 | I am learning a lot of new things in addition to my present job. I am sure once I get some good experience, I will have plenty of future opportunities. |
| Job Security | 10 | I think my job is secure. I am a part of a database management team and I guess I am able to deliver what my boss expects from me. |
| Earnings Potential | 10 | I earn more than what I expected. Anyway, money is not important to me. |
| How Stressful | 8 | Sometimes it becomes stressful when working continuously trying to finish work before a deadline. However, this is good for me. I love hard work. |
| Task Variety | 7 | More or less I have to the same work daily. But things changes when it comes to the different people for whom I am working. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 9 | I am satisfied with my career for in terms of its coolness. Software engineer is a good, white collar job. Working conditions are good with lovely perks and amenities. |
| Career Flexibility | 8 | I am satisfied with my job flexibility. Although sometimes I work night shifts and weekends, I am satisfied. |
| Social Orientation | 5 | I have very little time for social interaction. After my job I love to learn and work on new things. Every 6 months you will find some new technology being introduced in this field, so you are always learning. |
Job Title: Software Engineer
Attended: University Of Memphis • Memphis, TN
Studied Computer Science (completion in 2009)
Highest relevant degree: Master's
• Submitted: 1/21/2012
"I am comfortable with the technology I am currently working on. I am capable of delivering the results needed."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 9 | Definitely hard, especially the courses in the theory of computation and algorithms. The project was gigantic. Not so easy to complete it. Experience needed in perl and python. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 8 | As stated above, as long as the market conditions are good, we have opportunities. Only large scale companies can afford the costs of the technologies. So if these large scale companies are doing well, we have work. |
| Job Security | 8 | Market conditions are good. Openings are plentiful. Decent pay in the technology I am working on. |
| Earnings Potential | 8 | The pay is good when business is good. |
| How Stressful | 8 | Initially it is really stressful. Depending on a person's ability it may take up to a year and a half to understand the business flow. |
| Task Variety | 5 | Nature of the work is similar, however different tasks come up depending on the business needs of the customer. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 8 | If one is an expert in the technology, this field is cool. Initially, years are really tough. |
| Career Flexibility | 4 | Not possible to work on part time jobs, not so flexible to work from home. Installation of many computers and servers is needed. There are also security issues. |
| Social Orientation | 8 | Good communication skills are needed. Involves heavy customer interaction with all stages of the life cycle. |
Job Title: Software Engineer
Attended: Virginia Tech • Blacksburg, VA
Studied Computer Science And Applications (completion in 2010)
Highest relevant degree: Master's
• Submitted: 1/22/2012
"There are few opportunities because of the college's remoteness and the quality of the program. There are better colleges where you spend your time better."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 5 | The professors in the computer science program are not really interested in computer science. Instead, they are more interested in bioinformatics. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 5 | As I said, the field is really cutthroat. Promotion chances are limited as are opportunities to learn new stuff. |
| Job Security | 5 | Since I work in the cutthroat market of embedded systems, I can live well as long as I work hard. Things can get difficult when market prices fall rapidly and more jobs are outsourced. |
| Earnings Potential | 7 | |
| How Stressful | 8 | I need to work more than 10 hours per day. Customer scenarios are complicated and take a toll. |
| Task Variety | 7 | Daily Tasks are mostly the same. They only differ in the complexity of the problems. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 7 | Very cool because of the above average pay. |
| Career Flexibility | 7 | It is flexible enough to let you work from home, but location wise it is not. Career options are available but not for everyone and specializations don't really help. Everybody can do the job with prerequisite training. |
| Social Orientation | 5 | The job does not involve too much social interaction. |
Job Title: Junior Software Engineer
Attended: Pomona College • Claremont, CA
Studied Computer Science (completion in 2011)
Highest relevant degree: Bachelor's
• Submitted: 1/19/2012
"I find my work to be challenging and enjoyable. Additionally, it pays well and I like my co-workers."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 7 | My school's computer science department is rather small and underfunded. It is a liberal arts college that places little importance on computer science. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 3 | My company is very small with few positions. Unless someone very high up leaves the company, there is no position that I could be promoted to. |
| Job Security | 8 | I play an important role in my company and have close relationships with my employers. I feel very secure in this job. |
| Earnings Potential | 8 | I currently make a very nice salary. I also expect to see it rise in the future. |
| How Stressful | 5 | Demands are made on me in my position. However, it is not more than I would expect. |
| Task Variety | 3 | Each day I spend most of my time programming. I do very little else. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 8 | I find my work to be very exciting and appreciated by others. I consider that to be very cool. |
| Career Flexibility | 7 | I have flexible work hours. Furthermore, I am able to work from home frequently. |
| Social Orientation | 4 | There is a decent number of company meetings and group planning. However, most of my work is individual programming. |
Job Title: Application Designer/Programmer
Attended: Elgin Community College • Elgin, IL
Studied Associate Of Science (completion in 1999)
Highest relevant degree: Associate's
• Submitted: 1/24/2012
"When I entered my profession, I believed all the hype. Unfortunately it's all been small potatoes and it has not been fulfilling."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 2 | I wasn't enough to learn there. I learned more by reading books and watching videos. They actually still taught a command line basic class then. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 1 | There's not much going on in my field right now (at my current employer). If I was willing to relocate I might find something better, but maybe not. |
| Job Security | 1 | Very low pay and right now there's no new work. I'm planning to start my own company if it gets much worse. |
| Earnings Potential | 3 | To reach the top of this career field I need more education. Unfortunately, education costs more than I can afford to spend right now. |
| How Stressful | 5 | The work itself is only stressful when I get close to a deadline. Other than that the only thing stressful is the low pay and lack of major projects right now. |
| Task Variety | 8 | Most days are different. One day I'll be mocking up a program's design to explain its functionality, the next day I'll code, and on some days I'll wait around forever on a phone call/e-mail for pertinent info I need. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 5 | The work is very uncool, and actually very demanding at times. The cool part is that people think I'm very smart when they find out my job title. |
| Career Flexibility | 9 | I am allowed to work on projects at home on my own time. There are deadlines and an occasional presentation, but as long as I move projects along I am left alone and allowed to do my own thing. |
| Social Orientation | 1 | Very little social interaction, unless you consider a company meeting/brainstorm session/lunch social interaction. |
Job Title: Java Consultant
Attended: University Of Wisconsin - La Crosse • La Crosse, WI
Studied Computer Science (completion in 2009)
Highest relevant degree: Bachelor's
• Submitted: 1/25/2012
"I like developing software, but do not enjoy the day to day corporate grind. If I was working in a different environment I may enjoy it more."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 7 | Some classes were too easy, and did not prepare students well for working in the IT industry. There was a lack of web development courses when I attended. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | I am not sure of the opportunities for promotion at the consulting agency. I have only worked there for 6 months so far. | |
| Job Security | 8 | I feel that my job is secure since I am working for a consulting agency. If a company no longer needs me, there are many opportunities around the area I can get. |
| Earnings Potential | 10 | If you stay the normal promotion route, you can earn a respectable salary in IT. Also, there are many opportunities to start your own business. |
| How Stressful | 2 | Only slightly stressful. This is because I know I could easily get another position. |
| Task Variety | 7 | Depends on the project. Some projects are very mundane, and others are exciting. It really depends on the current project. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 7 | Software engineer seems cool to outsiders, but the corporate IT world is pretty much the opposite of cool. Only trendy tech start-ups really have the coolness factor. |
| Career Flexibility | 8 | Very flexible when I'm not on assignment, less flexible when I am. That being said, most companies are flexible with remote working and hours. |
| Social Orientation | 4 | Minimal social interaction unless I am building requirements with a business team. As a consultant, people are not always excited to socialize with you. |
Job Title: Freelance Software Engineer
Attended: Full Sail University • Winterpark, FL
Studied Internet Marketing/Computer Science (completion in 2010)
Highest relevant degree: Associate's
• Submitted: 1/26/2012
"I work when I want, where I want and I have no bosses standing over my shoulder"
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 10 | Full Sail U. is one of the biggest, most successful schools in the US for technology and media. Over 100 alumni from Full Sail U worked on the movie Avatar. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 1 | As a freelance SE, there aren't many chances to move up the career ladder, unless of course you get hired by a big company such as Apple. When you are freelance, and work contract based, you work for your self, you are your own boss, to an extent, and so therefore, you are at the top of the chain. |
| Job Security | 10 | More and more smartphones, tablets, and PCs come out everyday. Someone needs to understand them and be able to work on them. There will always be demand for software engineers, as we truly are in the century of digital technology. |
| Earnings Potential | 10 | Companies like Apple, Google, Facebook, and others are paying their software engineers $50,000+ per year. These jobs aren't hard to get if you have the necessary education. |
| How Stressful | 2 | There isn't much stress in my career due to its freelance nature, but it can be stressful sometimes when projects get behind expected schedules. Sometimes in software engineering you end up working hours you wouldn't normally work because something went wrong, or there is a problem, or the company you work for wants last minute changes. |
| Task Variety | 1 | in my line of work there is no variation. My day consists of: Build a code block, compile it, test it, fix it, and repeat. All day long. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 10 | I think software engineering is pretty cool, because I'm a computer geek. I love the look on my friends' faces when I ramble about objective C or some other low level coding. They get glassy eyed and scratch their heads as if they are in a new country. |
| Career Flexibility | 10 | As a freelance SE, I set my own hours and work at my own pace, which is great for me because I have a busy life at home with my family. This isn't always a good thing though, because sometimes projects can be pushed back due to not having any deadlines in my head, which can lead to stress later on when it comes down to crunch time. |
| Social Orientation | 5 | There isn't much social interaction in my field of work. It's mostly long hours in front of computers, and lots and lots of testing. However there are times where meeting are held, and everyone has a good time. |
Job Title: Software Engineer
Attended: Worcester Polytechnic Institute • Worcester, MA
Studied Computer Science (completion in 2010)
Highest relevant degree: Master's
• Submitted: 1/25/2012
"I like what I do and I get paid decently for it. I have the time to pursue my other interests while doing my job."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 8 | Professors are good. Infrastructure is good. Students are smart. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 7 | I work in a big company, so there is a lot of room for me to grow. The work environment is pretty dynamic. |
| Job Security | 6 | In this volatile economy, I don't feel any more secure than the next guy. Although I don't feel constant insecurity, it's always a possibility that I could lose my job. |
| Earnings Potential | 6 | I don't see myself earning a whole lot of money at this job, unless I venture into other areas. That's okay though, because I didn't set out to be a millionaire. |
| How Stressful | 5 | The stress level varies throughout the year. But for the most part, things are manageable. |
| Task Variety | 6 | Mostly the tasks are routine. But it also depends on me, as I have decent control over what I do and how I do it. And there's always the option for switching jobs if this gets too boring. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 7 | Well I don't think software engineers are considered particularly cool. But when I tell someone that I'm a software engineer, they at least think I'm smart, which is cool. |
| Career Flexibility | 8 | The work environment is pretty flexible. We don't have fixed office hours. I don't have to "dress up" for my job. I am allowed to work from home. |
| Social Orientation | 4 | Social interaction is poor. I sit in a cubicle the whole day. I don't even know all the people that work in my building. A casual smile and a hello is mostly what's exchanged when we cross each other. |
Job Title: PEARL - Senior Associate
Attended: University Of Colorado • Waterloo, CO
Studied Computer Science (completion in 2005)
Highest relevant degree: Bachelor's
• Submitted: 1/25/2012
"Quite satisfied, very competitive pay and there's always work."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 7 | Good program, but it is too general at times. Better career advice would be helpful. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 8 | Depends on the company you work for - the bigger it is, the more opportunities. I feel comfortable with my current position and the gains I've made over the years. |
| Job Security | 9 | Very secure, even though I've worked in several companies now, I feel like I will not lose my job easily and if I do, there's always the need for people who know how to code. |
| Earnings Potential | 8 | I will not become a billionaire unless I start another facebook, but I won't die hungry, that's for sure. |
| How Stressful | 5 | Average I would say. It all depends on your workflow. Taking breaks to disconnect helps a lot. |
| Task Variety | 6 | Again, depends on the company. In other ones I've worked for, it's the same everyday. But that's not the case at the one I'm currently working for. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 7 | Not that cool. There's nothing to brag about, of course until the code is finished and it works like a charm. |
| Career Flexibility | 10 | I work 40 hours a week. I can do them in 2 or 3 days and it's all good. |
| Social Orientation | 9 | A lot. LAN parties are the best still, even though I'm older now. |
Job Title: Senior Software Engineer
Attended: Utah State University • Logan, UT
Studied Computer Engineering (completion in 1999)
Highest relevant degree: Master's
• Submitted: 1/26/2012
"I enjoy what I do and get a sense of satisfaction from my work. There is a fair amount of stress that goes with the job though."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 8 | I felt I was well prepared for starting my career after graduating. USU is not one of the top schools, but it gave me the education I needed. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 7 | There are opportunities for advancement, especially early on in your career. Opportunities tend to decrease the further along in your career you go. |
| Job Security | 7 | There have been many layoffs recently at my current employer. I feel it could be much worse in other industries, however. |
| Earnings Potential | 8 | Software engineers can make a good living and there are regular performance based raises and bonuses. You are not likely to get rich, but you can make a good living. |
| How Stressful | 8 | Pressure to meet project deadlines at all costs creates stress. A very demanding boss adds to that stress. |
| Task Variety | 8 | I am involved in all aspects of a project from start to finish, so each day brings something new. The variety of day-to-day tasks keeps things from becoming dull and repetitive. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 7 | There is opportunity to work with cutting edge technology. There are also opportunities to travel and visit many different customers. |
| Career Flexibility | 7 | My work schedule is flexible, as long as I am in the office during "core" work hours. We are also able to work from home occasionally. |
| Social Orientation | 7 | I work closely with a team of engineers and we hold regular team meetings and have frequent technical discussions. We also socialize outside of work and have organized activities. |
