[throwaway2019Z]

From my experience both interviewing and hiring, a physics degree absolutely will not help you in tech. You will have more credibility than any non-STEM graduate, but employers will constantly wonder if you've bridged the gap created by your lack of a CS degree.

[cjhanks]

I guess my experience has been the opposite. On every software R&D team I have been on, there has been about an even mix of computer science, physics, and mathematics with a few sprinkles of data science from the biology fields. Especially by year 5 or so - who can tell the difference between a computer scientist that knows physics and a physicist who knows computer science?

The only skills a person needs to learn coding is the desire to learn coding and the persistence to do it.

[throwaway2019Z]

This has been my experience within teams as well, but it was clear to me that we were hired in spite of our degrees rather than because of them.

I do not regret my physics education, and I would encourage young people who are passionate about the subject to pursue it. However, I think that they should go in knowing that unless they intend to stay in academia/research/defense, a physics degree is, at best, a signal of intelligence, and, at worst, a signal of overspecialization in a disparate field.

[maxxxxx]

I have worked with physicists. The ones that had respect for software engineering and learned it were excellent. I loved their math skills and they often provided interesting insights. there were others that kept writing crappy research code and didn't want to learn SW engineering practices. That didn't work too well.

[kirRoyale]

One might even say - "The only skills a person needs to learn is the desire to learn."

[otras]

I would say GP's claim applies best for the first job, where that question of the gap is most visible.

I studied physics and later entered tech. The first proper development job was the hardest to get, because it was an uphill battle to prove competency.

[wwweston]

To generalize the problem (because, hey, I got a math degree): someone inside one specialization often doesn't know how to account for what another specialization represents in terms of the skills and capacities involved.

Which means to handle that case, you more or less have to learn to do it for them. Half of which means learning enough about the target specialization, half of which is a skill that has a lot in common with pitching a startup.

[jjeaff]

I would think that might be true right out of school. But with a little bit of experience and maybe some cool projects under your belt, I would think a physics degree would look very good for some of those really specialty, high paying jobs.

But I can definitely see how it wouldn't help at the onset.

[alkonaut]

What does “tech” mean in this context?

[human]

Very good question. By tech does he mean designing quantum computers or does he mean coding UI at Facebook. Very different.

[alkonaut]

Yeah I mean to me “tech” means technology, and I’d put Tesla and SpaceX as more “technology”-companies than Facebook.

[walshemj]

So you think a CS chitty is automatically the best possible career in development no wonder you used a throwaway handle.

I would have said having a good grounding in physics or engineering can be a plus having to work from first principals rather than using memorised algo's for w=example.

[throwaway2019Z]

"So you think a CS chitty is automatically the best possible career in development no wonder you used a throwaway handle. I would have said having a good grounding in physics or engineering can be a plus having to work from first principals rather than using memorised algo's for w=example."

Then you should have said that rather than whatever it is that you just typed.

I make a new throwaway every month so I don't get attached to HN karma - which often clouds your thinking for fear from judgment from the community.

If you actually read my posts, I have a physics degree.

[walshemj]

So I am dyslexic sue me.

And your excuse for a throwaway account is "not readily believable"

[throwaway2019Z]

Nice work. Completely ignore the most relevant part of the comment.

Great job contributing a negative amount of value to the discussion then following up with a childish "sue me."

[agumonkey]

except when you will fix their broken power supply with a pencil lead and al foil