Garcia 1

Jose Garcia
CST 300 Writing Lab
September 10, 2017

Software Engineer

When it comes to top paying careers, Software Engineering can be found at the top

according to several websites. The Software Engineer industry is moving forward at a fast pace,

also increasing the need for more people to work in the industry. Based on an article by CNN “A

13% job growth is estimated for 2014-2024” (CNN Money, 2017), getting into a career that

continues to grow generates more opportunities to choose the location and company to work for.

Every new skill acquired during the learning process at California State University of Monterey

Bay (CSUMB) will increase the chances of obtaining a job in a fast-paced moving software

development industry.

As the demand in the software development area increases, more software engineers are

needed. The top paying companies for software engineers include Juniper Networks, Google

pays, Twitter, Facebook, Apple, LinkedIn, Brocade Communications, eBay, Bloomberg L.P., and

Zynga. Based on www.businessinsider.com “1. Juniper Networks pays its software engineers an

average base salary of $128,378” (Shontell, 2013). From the list, one of the most well-known is

Apple, it is a company that is well known for their products as well as their operating systems for

both mobile devices and computers. Other companies in the list specialize in social networks, as

in the case of Facebook and Twitter. These two companies have become two of the main sources

of communication over the internet and as they keep growing, they keep hiring more people.

LinkedIn differs from other social networks because it’s a place focused on making connections

and helps job seekers find employment. As various technology and social network industries
 Garcia 2

continue to grow, the need for more persons with a degree in the computer science field

increases.

A company that sees a need to always move ahead in the technology industry is Apple.

The company always seeks to improve their software in order to stay competitive with other

companies like Microsoft and Samsung. The Apple company headquarters are located in

Cupertino, California. According to www.businessinsider.com, “Apple currently has close to

500 stores spread across 19 countries” (Dunn, 2017). Just for the fourth quarter of 2016, Apple

reported a $46.9 billion in revenue. As a worldwide company that is responsible for creating two

million jobs just in the United States (Apple, 2017), Apple needs to keep hiring engineers to keep

innovating.

Apple provides one of the best operating systems along with the computers that they

make. Being a company that creates both the software and hardware, makes it possible to

provide a more stable device functionality. When compared to other computer brands that do not

develop their own operating system, that makes them more vulnerable to having software related

problems. As the company continues to grow, it also continues to improve not just in their

software development area but also changing the way they power their data centers and facilities

worldwide. They use wind, hydro, and solar power to provide the energy needed to keep their

facilities running around the globe.

Apple not just provides products but it also provides opportunities for software

developers. One way the opportunity is provided is by allowing both individuals and companies

to have access to developing their own apps and being able to have it up on the market through

the Apple Developer Program. The program is a great opportunity for anyone who has a great
 Garcia 3

app idea that will provide a service needed by people or just to develop a game app. Individuals

who have the knowledge of programming can develop their own apps in no time.

Apple, has a history that goes back to April 1, 1976, when it was established by Steve

Jobs and Steve Wozniak. According to the Library of Congress, “Sales jumped from $7.8 million

in 1978 to $117 million in 1980, the year Apple went public.”(Terrell, 2008). The company kept

improving their products and also increasing their profits, reaching its highest profit by 1990

since the company was first established. Their first products came in form of computers, until it

released their first mobile phone, the iPhone back in 2007. Through the years Apple has been

releasing new products on a yearly basis, that include mobile phones, tablets, and smart watches.

Apple has proven they can continuously be successful while making history.

Apple’s current CEO is Timothy Donald Cook, a business executive with a background

as an engineer and developer. He became a CEO back in August 2011 after been the Chief

Operating Officer. As a Chief Operating Officer, Timothy had to manage the company’s sales

and operations areas. Previously before becoming part of the Apple company, he worked for

Compaq, and IBM. His education includes a MBA and Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial

Engineering.

Apple being one of the most popular companies that sell laptops, desktops, and mobile

devices, needs to have the best software engineers to continue being a successful company in

years to come. The price for the products that Apple sells is considered high for some people

when looking to buy any of their products. While there are many other computer brands out

there, at lower prices, quality becomes an important factor when deciding which product to buy.

Apple has proven to offer products with great quality and reliability. When it comes to mobile

devices, Apple has a good reputation built over time. The company keeps improving their
 Garcia 4

security software in their mobile devices, making users feel more comfortable having their data

protected if their device gets lost. Another feature they offer is their iCloud services, which

allows users to have a secure backup of their mobile device in case something goes wrong and

they need to recover their data. As technology keeps moving into a more cloud based era, Apple

keeps improving their iCloud services. As it has been proven in many cases that involve mobile

phones, Apple can be considered to be one of the most secured systems in mobile devices,

making it harder to be hacked. One event to mention was the San Bernardino terrorist attack in

which the government found it challenging to access an iPhone that was iCloud locked and

created a lot of controversy of whether Apple should aid them or not. In this case Apple stood

still on the side of their products and customers right to privacy by denying to help the

government in that specific case because it would had definitely ruined their reputation among

customers as well as open the door for their devices to become more vulnerable if Apple went

against their own security. All of this just proves how strongly Apple trusts their software

engineers because they always continue to improve and take a step forward to keeping data

secure.

In today’s world, full of technology that keeps moving at a fast rate and competition that

continues to get stronger, employers look to find individuals with skills more than just knowing

how to code. The industry of software engineer is not just about creating many lines of codes

but rather it is a way of creating something that will solve a problem. Employers are always on

the lookout for persons who know how to program, have a great level of responsibility, and are

able to innovate. Without programming, there wouldn’t be an industry. Without responsibility,

deadlines wouldn’t be met. If innovation is not present, there would be no solutions for old or

new problems. When employers turn to look at potential candidates to hire, it is important for an
 Garcia 5

individual to show a great background for experience and education that shows they can be

trusted to take on a job.

Many people are just aware of devices because they use them daily on a personal or

professional manner. Software engineers, do the work behind the scenes in order to provide the

public with a user-friendly device. As technology advances, there are more places where

technology is being used. Some areas where new technology devices come into play include

areas like banks where they seem to be moving into a more automated era, agriculture, and the

medical field. New machines are being developed to do more agricultural jobs in places where

people in the past would do it by hand. In the medical field, new or improved equipment is

created in order to offer faster and better services. The demand for software developers had

increased and will continue to be higher in the future for both the public and private sectors.

Previously, many companies would advertise their products or services through newspapers and

other forms of paper adds. Today, there is a higher need for companies to advertise through the

web. This opens more doors for software developers in the app development area. Nowadays

apps can be created to advertise and to transmit different content.

Software engineering jobs provide a great opportunity to develop the skills learned during

the process of obtaining a degree. A great approach that will help in the process of acquiring a

job is to work and complete projects. This will definitely show that an individual is able to code

well as meet deadlines. Finished projects can play an important role when seeking a job because

they are part of your previous experience acquired. Employers will definitely look at hiring an

individual that obtained a degree as well as completed projects, will show both educational and

professional experience.
 Garcia 6

An educational plan is important because it allows for necessary classes to be scheduled

accordingly each semester until the final goal is met, which is graduating and obtaining a

Bachelor of Science Degree in Computer Science. Future classes at CSUMB will allow me to

gain more experience in the programming field and work on assigned projects that will be

similar to projects done in real jobs. Future classes to be taken include CST 205 Multimedia

Design & Programming, CST 338 Software Design, CST 336 Internet Programming, and CST

438 Software Engineering. All of this classes will allow me to gain more skills and improve my

basic programming skills acquired in previous classes that introduced the basics of

programming. Each class will teach a programming skill in a different area, from internet

programming to software design. These classes will enhance programming skills by providing

learning experience in creating projects and finishing them based on established deadlines.

Looking for a job as a programmer can be tough without the proper preparation. A step

to take when looking for a job will be to show potential employers that you are capable of

working on their projects and completing them. A software engineer needs to always stay on

track with the programming languages and be familiar with the desired ones by the company.

Showing an employer that you have excellent programming skills will definitely help you obtain

a job. The creation of a portfolio will be another step to take because it is a way to show all

potential employers that you have previously worked on different projects and shows your level

of experience and skills. Networking with is important because it can lead you to finding an

internship which will also make your job profile look better, as well as help you meet people

who can connect you to companies that will hire you. A good way to build a bigger network of

people is to attend conferences, this will allow you to meet other people on the same path as you

are and can also allow you to meet persons that might be potential employers in the future. In
 Garcia 7

any field, it is important to practice and improve in the Software Engineering field. Practice is

one of the most important steps you can take to make you a better programmer as well as help

you move forward. Learning new programming techniques will also help you become a better

programmer. Another key step to take is to work on projects with other persons, to develop

teamwork experience.

As previously mentioned jobs in the Software Engineer industry are always been sought

out by employers. The demand for prepared individuals will just become greater. Doing more

research not just on the industry but also on an individual company like Apple, has provided me

a broader image of the Software Engineer industry. It shows the different steps to take before

and after obtaining a degree in order to be able to compete against other individuals that will be

seeking and applying for the same job in the future. At CSUMB all the classes will allow me to

establish a great foundation that will make my career stronger in the future.
 Garcia 8

References

Apple Inc. (October 2016). Apple Reports Fourth Quarter Results. Retrieved from

https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2016/10/apple-reports-fourth-quarter-results/

Apple Inc. (May 2017). Two million U.S. jobs And counting.

Retrieved from https://www.apple.com/job-creation/

Braverman, B. (May 2017). Best Jobs in America. CNN Money. Retrieved from

http://money.cnn.com/gallery/pf/2017/01/05/best-jobs-2017/80.html

Bureau of Labor Statistics. (December, 2015) U.S. Department of Labor. Retrieved from

https://www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-technology/software-developers.htm

Dunn, J. (2017). Here's how Apple's retail business spreads across the world. Retrieved from

http://www.businessinsider.com/apple-stores-how-many-around-world-chart-2017-2

Shontell, A. (April 2013). The 25 Best-Paying Companies For Software Engineers. Retrieved

from http://www.businessinsider.com/the-worlds-highest-paid-software-engineers-work-

for-these-25-companies-2013-4?op=1/#-citrix-systems-pays-its-software-engineers-an-

average-base-salary-of-91844-1

Terrell, E. (April 2008). Apple Computer, Inc. Retrieved from

https://www.loc.gov/rr/business/businesshistory/April/apple.html