Computer Science

If you fancy a career in Computer Science you may want to consider working for Google – who are supporting this year’s Stonewall University Guide! Most computer science or IT graduates will work in the IT industry, whether in operations, sales, programming, engineering, or as analysts and programme writers. If you have good web design skills there are opportunities for entrepreneurs who want to start their own businesses developing websites or software for businesses.

Entry requirements
For a Computer Science degree you will usually need a Maths GCSE at Grade C or above, and 3 A Levels or equivalent in relevant subjects, usually all at Grade A, with some universities accepting ABB grades. However, at Google, some started straight after college; others after spending time in academia or at other companies or industries. Software engineering or technical positions will require demonstration of core skills including coding, data structures, design patterns and analytical thinking by solving problems in real time.

Work experience
You could volunteer to develop a website or software for a student society, a small organisation or business. For problem solving experience you may find it helpful to visit www.topcoder.com .  Launch the 'Arena' widget and go to the practice rooms. Google will be interested in any positions of responsibility, accomplishments or involvement in extracurricular activities such as sports, clubs, student organisations, professional bodies or volunteer work and any foreign languages you speak.

Hours
In most jobs you will be working around 40 hours a week.

Income
Computer graduates can expect to earn between £18,000 - £30,000 a year, depending on sector. Experienced software testers and technical support staff may earn up to £35,000 and experienced programmers and analysts, up to £45,000. Salaries at Google will vary depending on experience and seniority. 

  
Opportunities
Many entry-level positions can be found in IT consultancies, service providers, and IT departments in different sectors. To work for Google you should submit your CV. Guidance on what they look for can be found on Google's Jobs Page. For an internship with Google, you should be returning to uni afterwards, or the internship should be a formal part of your studies. Google Engineering internships are typically full-time paid positions and take place year-round. Start and end dates are flexible with a minimum duration of three months. They encourage you to apply as early as possible in the academic year.

Graduate profile : Andrew from Google

1. What subject(s) did you graduate in and from where?
I graduated with a first class degree in Computer Science from the University of St Andrews. I also studied towards a PhD for a while, but decided I wanted to work in industry and left the PhD program to join Google.

2. What is your current job role? Please provide a brief description of your duties
I’m a Technical Leader (TL) in Zurich for one of our new upcoming products. It is a pretty exciting space to work in and I’m helping shape brand new Google products from the ground up. First and foremost I’m a Software Engineer so I write code, but as TL I’m also responsible for the overall technical direction of the product. I also manage engineering priorities and the work of other engineers. I’m also the go-to-person for my product and the point of contact should other teams wish to colloborate on projects.

3. What skills, knowledge and qualities does your job require?
My team is developing products which will be used by millions of people all around the world so my job requires me to be on top of my game technically. I need to solve lots of engineering problems every day and understand how each solution fits within the context of our product and Google as a whole.

Google is a very flat organisation and it is full of smart people with strong opinions, so I spend a lot of time in discussions and negotiations. The engineering for most products is split across different offices and I often have to convince teams on the other side of the world to do things for us.
So I guess my job needs me to be a good engineer, communicator and negotiator.

4. What are the benefits of the degree/qualification(s) you studied for?
My studies at St Andrews set me up well for my career. The early years of my studies gave me the foundations of the subject like Algorithms and Data Structures and Distributed Systems. During my PhD studies, students were required to be more self-sufficient and self-driven. Without those two qualities, I’d have a hard time getting stuff done at Google, where there’s no one telling you what to do.

5. Are there any additional activities or work experience that helped you?
I completed a few internships during my studies. Getting some relevant work experience is something I highly recommend to anyone. I got to work in the research department of my university for two summers, I also spent some time in industry in London, Nice and Zurich. These experiences were invaluable... and a lot of fun.

6. Is there any other advice you would give to someone interested in working in a similar field?
Be open to new people and ideas. Never stop asking questions, talking to people or attending talks. Curiosity is probably the most important ‘skill’ you can have, it will lead you in unexpected directions and will benefit you in more ways than you can expect.

7. How did you find your current job and what was the application process like?
I applied for an internship at Google because I was interested in the company, and after my internship I interviewed to become a permanent employee.
I was keen to make a good contribution during my internship so I worked very hard, for the interviews I studied up on my computer science fundamentals.

8. What do you think are the main keys to success in your field?
I guess this is all a bit cliched, but just being good at programming isn’t enough. I think being excited and also serious about your job is important. People need to trust you and know you are on top of things. Work hard. Always pushing yourself past your comfort zone is another one, try and jump up and do any task which is unknown to you so you learn as much as you can. Treating everyone with respect is important, think about what it would be like to be in their shoes and ask yourself if you can help them. Helping develop other people is an important skill and pays off for you as you become more senior. Talking to people is the other big one...and I mean talk to everyone at work...people on other teams, the receptionists, the cleaning staff, the CEO...at the least it makes your day nicer having a lot of friendly faces but you also learn what is happening in other parts of the company which is useful.

9. What are your future career options?
I think I’ll stay in my current role for the foreseeable future because I’m having a good time and I’m learning loads. At Google my career can be pretty much whatever I make it, it is up to me to choose my next project and who to work with. I guess I’d like to conceive and start a project on my own sometime.

10. How has being lesbian, gay or bisexual impacted your career, if at all?
I’m completely out at work and my partner often attends work events with me. I’m sure being gay hasn’t impacted my career negatively. Actually, due to the Gayglers (Gay Googlers) network it probably had a positive effect. I’ve actually met a lot of people I probably wouldn’t have had the chance to, some quite senior in the organisation. Some have helped mentor me in my career and provided me with a lot of advice. The network is global but also very close knit and friendly, so no matter which office I visit there’s always someone to show me around the city or just have lunch with.

11. How important was it that your university provided specific services/advice for you as an LGB student?
I’m a country boy from a small town and I found coming out and realising I was gay pretty difficult. It took me a bit of time to come to terms with it all. At university I used the drop in centre now and again to talk to people. The thing which helped me most of all was the instant acceptance from my peers, friends and colleagues at work.