Pay in the supermarket with your smartphone or optionally order the groceries online and have them delivered to your home. In addition, self-driving cars and vacuum cleaner robots – all of this is part of our everyday life these days. In the meantime, there is hardly a job that is as diverse as that of a computer scientist. More and more qualified specialists are therefore being sought in order to continue driving the digitalization progress. With a degree in computer science, you will learn all the technical skills you need to get started as an IT specialist. The only question is: which degree is best and what comes after graduation?
Start your IT career as a master or bachelor?
Does it have to be a master’s degree or do graduates with a bachelor’s degree also have good chances on the IT job market? If you ask HR and labor market experts, they usually emphasize that the bachelor’s degree is a full-fledged, career-enhancing degree. Especially in the IT world, this statement is absolutely practical and accurate. Because whether a master’s or bachelor’s degree: with a completed computer science degree, young IT professionals have the best chances on the job market.
Students who start their careers with a bachelor’s degree initially earn a little less than those with a master’s degree. However, by entering active professional life earlier, they have a head start.
Nevertheless: Master’s graduates reach management positions faster. Ultimately, they earn more than Bachelor graduates in all industries, which is regularly shown in salary studies such as that of the Axel Springer subsidiary Stepstone.
However: There is a strong demand for skilled workers in the IT industry. Anyone who has a bachelor’s degree in their pocket and would like to quickly swap university life for business can do so without any problems. Bachelor graduates also have very good chances in the IT job market. It is always an advantage if students start early to gain practical experience in companies.
Work in the company or in your own office
As an IT expert or IT manager permanently in the company Working has numerous advantages: It is easier to regularly look over the shoulder on projects, contact with top management is closer, and depending on the position, the separation of work and private life, which is sometimes desired depending on personal preference, is easier. Because if you are not on standby, as you are responsible for the uninterrupted operation of an IT solution, you can leave your day-to-day work behind you better by leaving the company premises than in the home office.
But highly qualified graduates can do the same enjoy the benefits of free activity. Equipment at consultants, for example in the SAP area, very long-term in-house positions are rather rare; therefore, self-employment is obvious here. This can definitely have advantages, both for the employer or client as well as for the consultant.
- Costs for No office space.
- The home office can make it easier to work through creative and complex tasks in peace, as there are fewer disruptions and journeys.
Working as an IT or SAP consultant in the home office has advantages.
Differences between corporations, start-ups, medium-sized companies
Graduates can work in all spheres of the economy Start your IT career. The size of the company does not play a decisive role in job opportunities, as IT expertise is required everywhere.
- In a corporation, graduates with a degree in computer science usually receive higher salaries both at the start and in the further course of their careers. For this, the need for specialization is greater. As a rule, the areas of responsibility are precisely defined. Generalists are usually more in demand in the top positions.
- In medium-sized companies, salaries are consistently less high than in large corporations. In return, IT graduates can reach positions with a strategic scope more quickly. How easily changes, digitization and innovation are carried out depends heavily on the individual corporate culture. It is therefore important as an IT specialist to find out firsthand about the company before joining a medium-sized company.
- Everything is in motion in start-ups. Areas of responsibility and salary are negotiable. If you are a member of the founding team and co-owner of the startup, you are involved in all opportunities and risks. If you join an existing startup as a new addition, you can expect an unusually varied job. In terms of salary, the limits result from the liquidity of the start-up. In many cases they are not ideal. If there are large bursts of liquidity from investors, the funds are usually invested in marketing, sales and product development. You shouldn’t expect top salaries here. In return, you have realistic chances of a position in top management.
Advantages and disadvantages of the trainee program
In almost all companies, direct entry into the job is possible after graduation, and this is particularly recommended if you have already gained practical experience in companies in addition to extensive professional competence through studies and your own initiative. You will achieve a higher starting salary and accordingly be confronted with higher expectations.
Trainee programs usually last one to two years. Using them entails a discount on the starting salary. However, this should not be an obstacle if the motivation of the company is right. Why does the company offer a trainee program? The purpose is often to provide newcomers with specific knowledge for later promotion to management.
A study by the Staufenbiel Institute has shown that many companies are pursuing such a strategy. As part of the trainee program, the newcomers pass through various departments and locations and thus gain a deep insight into the company. You will learn what is important and what changes you can later initiate as an IT manager, for example.
Trainee program yes or no?
The answer must be worked out individually. Let the company explain to you which perspectives the trainee program opens up and which insights you will receive in its course.
Start in the IT industry as part of self-employment
Get involved in IT To make the branch independent is an excellent idea. IT freelancers are in great demand. Even if the advantages of self-employment are appealing: is it advisable to set up a business immediately after graduation?
As with all career issues, there are several perspectives here. On the one hand, it is clear: Anyone who founds a company earlier and starts building their own company can gain a head start. On the other hand, the professional experience you have gained makes starting your own business a lot easier. An established professional network helps even more. That is why most IT experts decide to gain experience as an employee after completing their university studies.
During the first few years of the career, the ability to realistically assess supply and demand in the IT project market also develops. This is the ideal preparation for potential self-employment. Realistic knowledge of market demand is one of the foundations of successful start-ups.
Young IT founders should ask themselves questions like:
What does my business plan look like?
Also if the business plan is primarily used to receive investor money, subsidies or financing … Even if the investment needs of an IT freelancer are often rather low …: There are many arguments in favor of drawing up a business plan, even if no one from the outside requires it. Because the structure of this document, in which the goals of your own company are described in detail, helps. Anyone who writes a business plan concentrates on the essentials, on the path that actually leads to success.
How do I position myself?
The question of positioning is a constant concern of the self-employed. Rule of thumb: Those who know the needs of the market as well as their own strengths and skills have the necessary ingredients for perfect positioning. And positioning means:
- As a founder, I know which of my skills and offers I will use to bring my future customers forward.
- Exactly I can formulate that clearly and thrillingly.
- That’s me, and that’s the reason why companies become customers of me and use my services as an IT entrepreneur.
Do I work as a freelancer or do I found a corporation??
Self-employed, freelancer, freelancer: these terms have different meanings. While self-employed and freelancers are more general generic terms, the term “freelancer” has a special meaning that is relevant for tax and legal purposes. Because those who belong to the “liberal professions” can look forward to a number of special regulations. For example, there are no obligations for accounting or for paying trade tax.
IT professions do not per se belong to the liberal professions defined in the Income Tax Act (as is the case with freelance journalists). However, some jobs by IT experts are classified as “catalog-like” jobs. Then you can still take advantage of freelance work. However, it depends on the detail. The tax authorities decide on a case-by-case basis.
Important: Be careful when choosing the type of company
Talk to a trusted tax advisor about these aspects. Securing yourself here and choosing the right type of company is of fundamental importance. Wrong decisions are often difficult to correct later.
Is a doctorate worthwhile?
Anyone who is still aiming for a doctorate after graduation usually chooses this path not least because of the desire to research and at the university. Because in view of the dynamism and the great demand in the IT labor market, IT experts do not necessarily need a doctorate to make a career. A doctorate is also not a requirement for management positions.
Every seventh IT graduate is doing a doctorate
Nevertheless, about every seventh computer science graduate chooses the extended route via a doctorate. These academics appreciate the high degree of freedom and the opportunity to concentrate on researching a specific problem over a longer period of time. The title associated with the dissertation is well received in companies with corresponding priorities, as it suggests that its holder combines competence and perseverance, thinks scientifically and likes to break new ground.
Doctoral students in IT are often financially supported
Contact points can be the federal states, but there are also funds from other offices. Ask your contact person at the college or university. One thing is certain: a doctorate does not have to be financially lean if it has been properly planned.