CS and SW grads weather economic turbulence

Jobs are available in healthcare IT, green engineering, mobile apps and consulting services

By Jon Boroshok
Contributing Editor

The recession of 2009 has hit some industries hard, but it’s not all economic doom and gloom for skilled computer science and software engineering grads. Technology-based fields have generally fared better than the financial industry.

“There’s still pent-up demand for these degrees, but supply is catching up,” says Caroline Simard, director of research for the Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology (www.anitaborg.org). “Companies are still hiring, just at a lesser rate.”

Simard sees companies being more selective and looking at a more diverse pool of applicants. The hiring cycle is now longer because more layers of approval are required before an offer can be made.

Simard notes that programmers need to have up-to-date skills for today’s job market and that gives recent grads an edge. “They have the skills and will often work for less compensation,” she says. She predicts gains in consulting positions as companies become less likely to fill fulltime slots.

According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE, www.nace.org), 2009 entry-level CS salaries are about 1.4 percent lower than 2008 salaries, although those 2008 salaries were up 7.9 percent over 2007. NACE attributes the change in average salary, from $56,920 to $56,128, to current difficult economic conditions.

Simard believes that in the long run, the profession will still be in demand, particularly in fields like healthcare IT, green engineering and possibly hardware. She says that application development for smartphones and other mobile devices is also a growing area. “These skills are not necessarily taught in schools,” she notes.

Kara Snyder is in consulting at Booz Allen Hamilton
“Ever since I was a kid I’ve liked math, science, puzzles and problem solving,” says Kara Snyder, an associate at Booz Allen Hamilton (McLean, VA). Booz Allen is a strategy and consulting company to private and government clients.

Snyder enjoyed her high school computer science classes so much that she chose CS as a major. She earned her 2005 BSCS with a minor in operations and IT at the College of William and Mary (Williamsburg, VA).

A summer internship at Booz Allen was followed by a job offer, and Snyder chose the company over her other options because she’d had such a good experience. “I was even able to go back to the same department and team,” she says. She joined the firm as a consultant and progressed to senior consultant before becoming an associate.

Snyder says she prefers hands-on work to theories. She’s spent the last four years in Booz Allen’s assurance and resilience division, working for U.S. civilian government and Department of Defense (DoD) clients.

She works on identity management and authentication auditing, a critical area in today’s identity-theft-sensitive world. In addition to some management responsibilities she does Java and .Net development and coding. “My college C++ courses made picking up Java easy,” she says.

Snyder completes each project before taking on a new assignment. She appreciates and enjoys the diversity of the work. “Learning on the fly can be challenging at times, but I’m never bored,” she says.

She advises people entering the field to take business classes and learn how to interact with people, not just computers. Especially in consulting, “It’s important to be able to explain technology in layman’s terms,” she says.

Snyder has never had an official mentor but she’s found her co-workers supportive and helpful. “They’re always ready and willing to answer questions and offer advice,” she says.

“Talent is a limited resource”
Senior Associate Jim Woodard says that Booz Allen focuses on demonstrating to employees that they are respected and valued. “We’re committed to ensuring employees that they work in a firm where they can succeed,” he says. “The company is dedicated to creating a socially responsible workplace that will serve as a role model in the global business community.”

Woodard explains that because Booz Allen sells ideas and solutions, its success relies heavily on the abilities of its employees. “Exceptional talent is a limited resource,” he notes. “Bringing people with talent into the firm and enabling them to move up is the linchpin upon which our business turns.”

Huguens Jean: co-op at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center
Huguens Jean was a high school junior when he moved to the U.S. from his native Haiti. In his senior year he made the track and field team as a high jumper and was so successful that he was recruited by several colleges.

Jean accepted an athletic scholarship at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC, Baltimore, MD) and received many accolades as a student athlete. He was named NCAA Division I All-American Track & Field Athlete and NEC Scholar Athlete of the Year in 2003.

He missed the Olympic mark by just one inch when he tried out for the Haitian Olympic team. “It was an honor to train with elite athletes,” he says. “I’ll always treasure the experience.”

Jean earned his 2005 BS in computer engineering and stayed on at the school for his 2008 MS in electrical engineering. He always knew he’d be an engineer. “I loved playing with computers and putting things together,” he says.

Jean is continuing his studies at UMBC and hopes to complete his PhD in electrical engineering in 2009. His thesis is in optoelectronic devices, integration and design. He’s in a co-op program as a student trainee at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) in Greenbelt, MD.

Since January 2008 Jean has been working with systems architecture and setting up experiments. One of his current projects is closely related to his thesis work, so it matches the progress he’s making on his dissertation. “My job is pretty cool,” he says. It involves development of a three-dimensional flash LIDAR (light detection and ranging) system, which sends a light pulse to illuminate objects and measure distance and topography.

Jean is also working on a sensor for mapping using a semiconductor laser to detect methane in space, especially on Mars. He’s constantly amazed by what can be done with light. “I love having such a cutting-edge job,” he says.

Sharon Wong, special assistant for diversity at GSFC, says that the competition for human resources has never been greater. “Today NASA and GSFC are in competition with other federal agencies and private industry for high-tech employees,” she says. “The difficulty in recruiting IT professionals is just one example.”

Looking ahead at NASA
There’s good news for those wishing to follow in Jean’s footsteps. Human capital management director Ron Brade says that within the next three to five years a growing number of engineering and IT professionals will become eligible for retirement.

Brade notes that diversity is in the forefront of creating an environment that welcomes recent college grads. He adds that it’s a key component in the transfer of knowledge from senior personnel to the younger workforce. “Through co-op programs and internships we continue working to strengthen our education pipeline, providing a pathway of educational encouragement for students to become a part of NASA’s future workforce.”

McKesson’s JaNean J. Whitlow is a program manager
The bar was set high for JaNean Whitlow. Her mother earned her masters and maintained a 4.0 GPA while raising two children. And her grandparents own an electronics company that does work for the DoD.

Whitlow rose to the challenge by getting top grades in a pre-freshman CS college transition program. She went on to earn her 2004 BSCS/CIS with a 3.46 GPA while on scholarship at Tuskegee University (Tuskegee, AL).

During her senior year Whitlow interviewed with the U.S. Department of the Navy (Washington, DC) and accepted an offer to work at its Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center (SPAWAR) in San Diego, CA. Moving to California was a major change. “I didn’t know anyone there,” she says.

She spent the next two years as a computer scientist in a rotation program, but soon realized she didn’t want a career in programming. “I preferred testing and project management,” she explains. She decided to go back to school full time for her masters. Whitlow enrolled in the master of science in health informatics program at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (Birmingham, AL). The program allowed her to combine her CS background with the growing bioinformatics field. She finished her degree in 2008. “I also took classes in management and technology, statistics, finance and organizational behavior,” she says.

An interview with McKesson (San Francisco, CA) at a Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (www.himss.org) conference led to a job offer. “The company had everything I wanted and more,” she says with a smile.

Whitlow is currently an associate clinical program manager at McKesson Provider Technologies in Alpharetta, GA. She works with hospitals to implement clinical products like a physician portal, care records and Web outreach.

She manages the clinical information system implementation process from program planning to system turnover. At the same time she manages other ongoing programs, tracking project progress and ensuring the accuracy of program information. She’s also responsible for internal and client communications.

At twenty-six Whitlow is a bit younger than the average program manager but she feels prepared for the position. She’s worked with a mentor, attended McKesson’s formal training and has done on-site shadowing. “At times I still have to exert my authority and prove I’m ready,” she admits.

Whitlow advises aspiring professionals to keep their options open. CS degrees can be used in many ways besides programming. “Keep up with what’s going on in the industry and know what legislation might impact it,” she warns.

Balanced representation
Program manager Linda Lee says that McKesson hires and promotes people based on skills and abilities while ensuring a balanced representation of diverse individuals at all levels. “This results in a workforce that reflects the global market,” she says.

Lee adds that the company understands that diversity and inclusion “enriches our employee experience, broadens our thinking and helps us compete, innovate and grow. It also helps our customers deliver safer, more affordable and efficient healthcare.”

Tricia Lee is a lead PM for Microsoft’s Xbox
Some CS and software engineering grads wind up in jobs where they get to play with their favorite toys. Others, like Microsoft’s Tricia Lee, get to invent the toys.

Lee earned her 2004 BSCS and her 2005 MSCS in human-computer interaction at Stanford University (Stanford, CA). She had a job offer from Microsoft (Redmond, WA) by January of her final year. “So I spent my last quarter taking fun classes,” she says.

Lee joined Microsoft as a program manager for its Office product suite and spent her first nine months there. Then the fun really began.

For the next two and a half years she worked on Zune Marketplace, Microsoft’s answer to Apple’s iTunes. She helped design the interface for version 2.0 over an eight-month period. “Every screen a consumer looks at is something I planned out,” she says.

After three releases of Zune she was ready for a change, but she wasn’t sure which attractive project to try next. “Microsoft is a buffet table of options,” says Lee.

After some consideration, Lee joined the Xbox team in November of 2008 as lead program manager on a team of three. She’s responsible for defining features and keeping Xbox releases on schedule, which involves working with engineering, business, marketing and design folks. “I try to make sure we’re building the right things,” she says.

Lee says going to work is a pleasure, since she’s fascinated by electronic entertainment. “I work with smart people on a fun team in a great environment,” she says.

Lee plans to stick with Xbox for a while, but she’s considering business school. She advises new grads to chase their passions, work hard, and commit. “But never be afraid to ask for help.”

Microsoft welcomes all cultures
CEO Steve Ballmer says that an environment where a diversity of ideas and approaches can flourish is essential to Microsoft’s ability to innovate and find new ways to solve problems. “To do that, we have to create a workplace that respects, honors and encourages diversity of all kinds,” he says. “That’s why we place such a strong emphasis on building a workforce that is open and welcoming to people of all backgrounds and cultures.”

Kavyashree Devarajaiah is a software engineer at SWIFT
When Kavyashree Devarajaiah was growing up in India, she felt that a career in computer science was her best option. She earned her 2004 BE (India’s equivalent of a BS) with distinction in computer science at Visveswaraiah Technological University (Karnataka, India).

After graduation she worked in Bangalore, India for Symbian India Software Pvt Ltd, a UK-based company. She analyzed, designed, developed and tested key messaging modules for e-mail, SMS and MMS in Symbian C++.

Devarajaiah also developed and conducted presentations to managers, peers and subordinates about various components and subsystems. She set up build machines, conducted overnight test builds, published results and developed test scripts, test cases and conducted simulation testing on hardware.

But Devarajaiah felt her job was stagnating and decided to go back to school. Her background and work experience got her an assistantship at George Mason University (Fairfax, VA) that covered half her tuition and gave her a salary for teaching undergrad courses. “It was a great learning experience for me,” she says.

A school career fair led Devarajaiah to Belgium-based Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (SWIFT) and she received a job offer before finishing her MS in software engineering in December 2007. She joined the company’s Manassas, VA location as an associate engineer.

As a test engineer Devarajaiah makes sure products meet customer needs and quality specifications. She tests cases, reviews documentation and does performance reviews. She enjoys the challenges of project coordination and team leading.

Devarajaiah says that SWIFT management is very supportive and encourages new ideas. Employees are assigned to mentors and given opportunities to lead projects early in their careers. Ongoing training is key to keeping up with technology and continuing education is available.

Devarajaiah says that a combination of technology and management skills is essential in today’s job market. “If you can devise solutions to problems, you will be in demand,” she tells new grads.

A global reach
Michael Shepelak, head of SWIFT Americas HR, says that the company works hard to attract diverse talent globally. “Diversity is part of our DNA,” he states. “We are very proud to note that globally SWIFT has a diverse international workforce that is made up of more than fifty-five nationalities.”

Shepelak adds that SWIFT’s diversity of talent gives the company a competitive edge. “This calls for the best talent with a diversity of thoughts and knowledge,” he explains. “We challenge each other to take a global view of running the business and to compete successfully internationally.”

David Hendershot is a software engineer at Blackbaud
David Hendershot has engineering in his blood. His mother is a network engineer from China, and she got him focused on computers at a young age. He earned his 2008 BSCS with high honors at Georgia Institute of Technology (Atlanta, GA).

Hendershot describes computer science as both an art and a science. “It’s the thrill of making something from nothing,” he says.

As a student Hendershot did two summer internships with the Mitre Corp (McLean, VA) in his native Tampa, FL. He researched the capabilities of embedded devices and presented at a workshop for the U.S. Department of Defense.

Hendershot’s role was to help the network specialist in setting up, configuring and maintaining the local network and server systems. “My internships provided important insight into embedded devices, networking, corporate organization and complex software systems,” he says.

In early spring of his senior year Hendershot attended a career fair and met Blackbaud, a Charleston, SC company that develops software for charities, schools, universities and other nonprofit organizations. He received a job offer before graduation.

As a software engineer Hendershot works on enterprise-level solutions tracking donors and volunteers for nonprofits. He does mostly software development and describes his work as creating little chunks of a program. “We’re always developing new ways to reach donors and organize data,” he says.

Henderson worked with his manager and a seasoned developer to complete an eight-week training program. He’s now in charge of small features and finds the pace fast and the daily problems challenging. “It’s not easy, but it’s worthwhile,” he says. “You can see and feel the difference you’re making.”

Hendershot notes that an internship provides experience, extra money and an idea of what a student might want to do after graduation. “Find several companies that do what you want,” he advises.

Hendershot says that being a minority is a non-factor at Blackbaud. “You’re judged on what you can do and on getting the job done.”

Offers for the best graduates
John Mistretta, Blackbaud’s senior VP of HR, agrees. “Blackbaud always seeks to increase its diversity,” he says. “Diversity makes us look at ourselves in a more holistic fashion, to make sure that we’re aligning our corporate values with the broadly diverse spectrum of nonprofit organizations that we serve.”

According to Mistretta the short-range job market outlook for undergrads is “less optimal than the previous five years. In areas like CS, top-notch undergraduates, those with a work ethic and solid academic success, will still get offers,” he says. “But even they will need to differentiate themselves from their peers.”

D/C

Jon Boroshok is a freelance writer in Groton, MA.

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