

Ask HN: Career advice for a glorified web developer - user28416

I'm a CS student about to graduate (from a safety school) with a sub-3.0 GPA. I have been an intern at several places, and have solved a vast number of business problems for my employers. My employers are pretty happy with me, and I get paid more than market rates.<p>I have realized that what I do has never required me to solve any engineering problem; just real-world problems in web applications and operations. I constantly work on my design principles, UX, QA skills. I'm uptight about researching the best practices, and can figure out solutions pretty quickly. That being said, I'm still not an "engineer", I've never dealt with challenging algorithms and have regularly found ways to excuse myself after spending minutes with Algorithm Design Manual. I'm extremely creative, good with products and people. I've always been the guy who edits configuration files, and spends time with web frameworks than the guy who can handle algorithm challenges. I'm at best a fast learner, an amateur hacker.<p>What is your advice to someone like me? Is it a safe bet to continue what I'm doing passionately, or should I jump the "glorified web development" boat?
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msluyter
a) I don't know why "real-world problems in web applications and operations"
aren't also "engineering problems." b) I think you've just described about 99%
of software developers. Few are doing meaty "algorithm" work. Most are just
gluing things together.

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glimcat
Engineering is 99% knowing what to glue together.

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mikeburrelljr
Sounds like you are headed down the right path. Keep following your passion.

