Ok, as the previous post noted, I’ve graduated with a BS degree in Software Engineering.
Now ….. time to see what road I should walk down.
Current Situation: I currently work for Intel, they have a lab in my university and I take care of it. Nothing much happen there most of the times. they conduct a training session (a week time) every 6 months or so. The rest of the year I just sit in my home and wait for any small stuff work like receiving packages and stuff.
Possible moves:
1) I stay at my current job, and hope for promotion to somewhere where my Software engineering knowledge is used.
I like this option because any promotion means I move abroad. Hopefully to a country that have a good game development industry. I don’t have to do anything for this option but wait.
2) I apply for a job at Aramco, the biggest company in the region.
I’ll get a great income, and I assume a fair amount of work that will keep me happy. the problem is the job there start from 7am (I’m not a morning person) to 4pm. Also, Aramco is a leading oil company, so the type of programs I’ll work with is a bit … not my type, I like graphical, experimental, multimedia …. in short, not oil related. I guess I can suck it up for the last problem, experience is experience.
3) I try my luck and see if a game company will take a guy from Saudi Arabia to work for them.
so far I believe this is my dream scenario. problems include the hardship to actually find a company that will take me (I’m still green).
4) I continue my education to get a Master.
much thanks to the Saudi’s authorities who are giving many scholarships to continue education locally and abroad. The problem is that I’m not a great student, I got a GPA of 2.58 out of 4 (Major GPA is 3.1 out of 4). Also, I tend to believe that in the computer related fields, you get more knowledge and experience on the job, not in classes. and they wont give you a scholarship to study game programming
best looking move:
I guess number 2. I’m still 22ish years old, so maybe if I spent 5 years there getting experience, I might have much better luck with the game companies. I tend to focus on game programming because I think that you should work in what you love, and care less for the money.
well, if you have any thoughts that might light my way, please tell me :)
Thank you for reading, have a nice day.
Related Articles
3 users responded in this post
Salm 3lekum.
If you want my advice check if it’s really good for you to go to aramco. Recently I heard many bad things about the work environment there and I seen many people who quit their job there. One of my friends is ther eon the IT department and he is a recent KFUPM graduate from CBC program, he told me he have been working a lot of overtime without being payed for it.
One of my friends who quit told me after he quit that he figured out that his former boss was exploiting department funds and ordering “new furniture” and labeling previous furniture unrepairable so he can take it home. Even worse every employee has a right to order a laptop in their department for their needs.. his boss ordered one in his name and took 2 laptops without telling him.
I say you really have a good job if you are getting paid to take care of the inter labs.. I recently saw them when I came to visit some friends in KFUPM. It looks new so that lab has a lot of future… my advice is to consider the thought that in the future that lab might be a busy bee hive and will expand in the future… one thing for sure about it. If you are employed in the start of something you are in a good position in the future.
To be honest I find that you seem to have a lot of time in your hands.. why not spend it developing and improving skills.. you can then create an applicational CV and post it around. I work in a recruitment office and personally I see that one important factor is what have you been doing with your free time before you came to us.. did you spend 3 years doing nothing.. or were these 3 years fruitful. It’s a very important question that could make us decline a person.
Btw if you are interested to know.. there is room to develop video games here.. there are a lot of great Arab artists around and there is even more programmers.. they only need to work togeather..
check out this site for some arabic artists http://www.arcream.net
Thanks for the Advice Ahmed. :)
I hear what you are saying, I’m also turned off by the working enviorment in Aramco.
Another friend gave me the same advice, since I have lots of free time, I should just spend it learning new skills. Currently I’m going through Managed DirectX, after it I’ll go back to J2ME.
hmm, the site you listed in the end is either down or something is missing in the URL.
Anyway, thanks a lot for reading this and the good advice.
Have a nice day :)
sorry it was typoed. it’s actually http://www.artcream.net
Leave A Reply