Koos Kleven, software engineer at WhitePages, has complied some words of wisdom to help CSE grads transition into the real world.

1. EG RA DS
CS . The
REAL
W orld
VS
Koos Kleven has
joined your party

2. The world map:
! What I found in industry
! How I ve adapted & coped
! How you can prepare

3. What I found in industry
! Focus on money
! But balanced with a focus on the
user
! Focus on maintainability
! Focus on methodologies

4. What does monetize mean?
! Don’t worry, I actually already knew
! But wow, this does come up a bunch
! This is not a bad thing and here’s why:
– You’re providing a service (sometimes for
free)
– This means you can continue!

5. Lots of focus on the user
! !"#$$%"#&'"()!"*+,"()-."/0*11'12"*+,"'34'/#',"
#&'"5$61#"7'+89+''61",'198+9+8":$6"'+89+''61;"
! <&'"$+0="8$$,">1'6"91"*"&*44=">1'6?"
! .3*@40'1A"
– B>19+'11"C'*6/&"/&*+8'1"$D'6"E@'"
– F&9#'"G*8'1"G6$"

6. Maintainabilitie H(H("y
! F&$*2"#&91"91"*"&>8'I$0,"/$,'"J*1'"
! K':*/#$69+8",$+'"698&#"
! C'0:L,$/>@'+E+8"/$,'"
! <'1E+8A":$6"1$"@*+="86'*#"6'*1$+1"

7. Whoa, Dijkstra!

8. Methodologies?
! M890'2".3#6'@'"G6$86*@@9+82"N'*+2"C/6>@"
! B>OO5$6,1?"
! -$"#&'="@*P'6Q"
! R.C"

9. Coping / Learning
! Knowing my priorities
! Be honest
! Getting feedback
! Knowing when/how to fight for
the product

10. Priorities
! !"0'*6+',"5&$"1'#1"#&'"469$69E'1S"
! !"0'*6+',"5&="#&'=T6'"1'#"#&'"5*="#&'="*6'"
7&*D9+8"#&'"J98"49/#>6'"&'6'"91"%'=?;"
! !"0'*6+',"&$5"#$"*68>'":$6"*"/&*+8'"$:"
469$69E'1I$6,'69+8"7'3*@40'A"#'/&",'J#;"

11. Honesty == Best Policy
! .66$61"#&*#"*6'"190'+#0="98+$6',"*6'"#&'"&*6,'1#"
#$"U3S"
! !:"=$>T6'":*009+8"J'&9+,2"@*%'"1$@'"+$91'?"
! !:"=$>"&*D'"*",9V'6'+#"$49+9$+2"#*/W>00="4$9+#"
9#"$>#S"

12. exp!
+4 2

13. Getting feedback
! )$@4>#'6"4'$40'"*6'"1$"@>/&"+9/'6"#&*+"*6#"
4'$40'SSS"
! )$,'"6'D9'5"/69E/91@"/*+"J'"&*6,"#$"#*%'2"J>#"
86'*#"#$"0'*6+":6$@S"
! M//'4#"#&*#"=$>"*6'"56$+8S""N'*6+"*+,"86$5?"

14. John McCarthy, father
of Lisp

15. Fighting for your product
! F&="5'"U8&#A"
– G69,'I6'4>#*E$+"9+"$>6"/$,'"
– X$6"#&'">1'61"
– X$6"$>6":>#>6'"1'0D'1"
! ($5"5'"U8&#A"
– G'*/':>0",91/>119$+"
– C'00"9#?""F&*#T1"#&'"/$1#Q""F&*#T1"#&'"J'+'U#Q"

16. Scott earned
the power of
CODE

17. Get a head start
! Take up side projects
! Get a job, volunteer, contribute to
open source projects
! Maintain interests outside of
Comp Sci.
! Keep on learning

18. Side Projects
! -$"#&'@":$6":>+"Y"'34'69'+/'"
! -$"#&'@"J'/*>1'"4$#'+E*0"'@40$='61"+$E/'"
#&*#"=$>"&*D'"*"&91#$6="$:"8'Z+8"#&9+81",$+'S"
! [1'"19,'"46$'/#1"9+"9+#'6D9'51S""(*D9+8"1$@'"
>+9]>'"19,'"46$'/#1"1'#1"=$>"*4*6#":6$@"$#&'6"
/*+,9,*#'1S"

19. +23
exp
!

20. Volunteering
! ^$$,":$6"#'*@5$6%"'34'69'+/'"
! ^6'*#":$6"6_1>@_"J>90,9+8"
! M5'1$@'":$6"+'#5$6%9+8"
! ^$$,":$6"5&$'D'6"9#"91"=$>"D$0>+#''6":$6"

21. +1337 exp!

22. Git on git hub
! )$+#69J>#'"#$"$4'+"1$>6/'"46$'/#1"
! ^'#"=$>6"/$,'"1''+"
! B>90,"/6',?"
! `$9+"=$>6"/$@@>+9#="

23. Challenge accepted

24. Get a job
! N'*6+"&$5"#$"5$6%"59#&"4'$40'"
! ^*9+"'34'69'+/'"59#&"&*6,",'*,09+'1"
! ^'#"1$@'"8$$,"1#$69'1":$6"#'009+8":>#>6'"
/$5$6%'61?"

25. +500 gp

26. Interests outside of CS
! )$@4>#'6".+89+''69+8"*4409'1"#$"+'*60="
'D'6=#&9+8S"
! (*D9+8"*+"9+#'6'1#"$>#19,'"$:")C"@'*+1"@$6'"
*6'*1"#$"5$6%"9+"*+,"*"86'*#'6"6*+8'"$:"1%9001S"
! <&'6'"91"+$#&9+8"@$6'"'@40$=*J0'"#&*+"*"
)$@4>#'6".+89+''6"59#&",$@*9+"%+$50',8'S"

27. Stay up with current tech
! M05*=1"J'"0'*6+9+8"
! B6'*,#&"$:"%+$50',8'"91":*+#*1E/?"
! -'4#&"$:"%+$50',8'"91"*01$":*+#*1E/?"
! <&'"a<T"1&*4',",'D'0$4'6"

28. You WIN!
+101
010
exp

29. Questions?
('6'T1"*"/$>40'"#$"1#*6#"=$>"$VA"
• ($5"/*+"!"1#*=">4"$+"/>66'+#"#'/&Q"
• F&*#"1&$>0,"!"J'"0'*6+9+8"+'3#Q"
• -$'1"@="!<"$J"&'04"@'"!KNQ"
• F&*#"91"=$>6":*D$69#'"!-.Q"

30. !",69+%"#$$"@>/&"/$V''":$6"#&'"
+'',0'"#'/&+9]>'"