Graduated in CS with Honours, But Struggling Without Programming

I have just graduated in Computer Science with first-class honours. I managed to graduate with that grade due to the effort I made throughout my course, not because I am an academically super intelligent person, but through hard work I achieved 75% out of 100%. The dilemma arises because I do not enjoy programming at all and I am quite bad at it. I was able to pass many exams and projects thanks to tutorials I watched on YouTube and resources I found on Google to study. Today, I had an interview for a QA Engineer position and it went terribly, as the interviewer asked me very complex programming questions that I had not tackled since my second year at university. In general, I do not like programming, and now I have graduated in Computer Science with a very good grade from one of the top universities in the UK. I would like to pursue a career in the technology field as it fascinates me, but not in programming where interviews involve uncomfortable questions about programming. I don’t know, after this interview I have felt like a complete failure, and probably my parents will consider me a total disappointment in time when they see me not working.

Reply 1

catolinani

10

i think you may only be feeling like this because the interview killed your confidence. not sure if youve heard of leetcode, but honestly do recommend it! most of them are questions they use for interviews, so you might come across the same question in a real interview! 🙂
honestly a first class honours is amazing! dont downplay yourself - i know rejection manifest feelings of doubt and lack of worth, but if you were able to get a first, then programming shouldnt really be an obstacle.
of course, the question is do you actually not like programming? or do you only feel that way because of the interview?
i really do wish the best for you, you need to escape your imposter syndrome and appreciate how much youve done for yourself 🙂 you are human you make mistakes, and there are countless other opportunities to retry

Reply 2

Coventry University Student Ambassadors

Official Rep

18

Original post by Anonymous-763

I have just graduated in Computer Science with first-class honours. I managed to graduate with that grade due to the effort I made throughout my course, not because I am an academically super intelligent person, but through hard work I achieved 75% out of 100%. The dilemma arises because I do not enjoy programming at all and I am quite bad at it. I was able to pass many exams and projects thanks to tutorials I watched on YouTube and resources I found on Google to study. Today, I had an interview for a QA Engineer position and it went terribly, as the interviewer asked me very complex programming questions that I had not tackled since my second year at university. In general, I do not like programming, and now I have graduated in Computer Science with a very good grade from one of the top universities in the UK. I would like to pursue a career in the technology field as it fascinates me, but not in programming where interviews involve uncomfortable questions about programming. I don’t know, after this interview I have felt like a complete failure, and probably my parents will consider me a total disappointment in time when they see me not working.

Hey, Coventry University Student Ambassador here! 👋

Please don't be disheartened by that interview! The job market is not only competitive but can also be quite unfair, with many employers expecting graduates to be at a senior level and not taking into consideration the modules we learn at university. In most cases, you will have to relearn everything on the job anyway and learn the specifics of the company’s internal infrastructure.

If you’ve found out that you don’t enjoy programming while at university, that's understandable. There are many other jobs you can get with a computer science degree that don’t focus on programming, such as being a Data Analyst (as a fellow data science enthusiast this is a great role!), Technical Project Manager, UX/UI Designer, Technical Writer, Systems Analyst, IT Consultant, and many more.

If, however, you decided you don’t like programming recently, especially due to an unfortunate interview, take my advice that the interview doesn’t define your potential and skills. You've done excellently at university, and you should be proud of that. Many employers can be inconsiderate toward graduates and have very unrealistic expectations of us. At the same time, maybe their technical interview was just not something suitable for you.

Don't see yourself as a failure, and I'm sure your parents will support you in trying to find a graduate job in a tricky job market. Keep applying and trying, applying for jobs isn’t fun, but I’m sure you’ll find a great one that suits your interests. Best of luck!

Dorna | Coventry University Student Ambassador

Reply 3

highlander928

3

Original post by Anonymous-763

I have just graduated in Computer Science with first-class honours. I managed to graduate with that grade due to the effort I made throughout my course, not because I am an academically super intelligent person, but through hard work I achieved 75% out of 100%. The dilemma arises because I do not enjoy programming at all and I am quite bad at it. I was able to pass many exams and projects thanks to tutorials I watched on YouTube and resources I found on Google to study. Today, I had an interview for a QA Engineer position and it went terribly, as the interviewer asked me very complex programming questions that I had not tackled since my second year at university. In general, I do not like programming, and now I have graduated in Computer Science with a very good grade from one of the top universities in the UK. I would like to pursue a career in the technology field as it fascinates me, but not in programming where interviews involve uncomfortable questions about programming. I don’t know, after this interview I have felt like a complete failure, and probably my parents will consider me a total disappointment in time when they see me not working.

Computer Science First Class is fantastic. You're in a great position. If you're not into programming then make sure you don't apply for roles that require that. You might consider technology related BA ("business analyst") style roles, for example, where you can use your CS experience but without being expected to jump through computer coding interview questions.

Graduated in CS with Honours, But Struggling Without Programming

Quick Reply

Related discussions

Articles for you