Seeking Career Advice: Should I Accept a Job Outside My Field? /u/Nobiscis CSCQ protests reddit

Hey everyone,
I’m reaching out for some advice as I’m struggling to make a decision about my career path and could use some outside perspective.

Background:
I graduated with a Computer Science degree in December and have been working as a software developer “intern” for a research group for the past year. Although my title is “intern,” I’ve been leading and developing all the software projects for the group.

Recently, I received a job offer for a Clinical Applications Technician position with a salary of around $49K. This role only requires a high school diploma and doesn’t use my CS degree. I’m concerned that accepting this position might hurt my chances of getting a software development role in the future, which is where I want to build my career.

Dilemma:
I’m considering reaching out to the recruiter to inquire if there’s a pathway to transition into a Software Engineer/Developer role within a year or two. This would make me more comfortable accepting the job. I regret not asking about this during the interview (I’m new to this, and going forward I won’t make a mistake like this again).

Financial Context:
I’m financially stable for the next year and can afford to continue job searching. My main focus is on what’s best for my long-term career growth, rather than immediate financial gain.

Question:
Should I take the job and try to transition internally, or should I continue searching for a software development position that aligns more closely with my degree and career goals?

Another fear I have is that accepting this job will make it much harder to get into SWE/SWD because of the interview process, scheduling time off for interviews, now having to manage personal projects and leetcode in my spare time, etc. Any advice or similar experiences would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks in advance for your help!

Hey everyone,
I’m reaching out for some advice as I’m struggling to make a decision about my career path and could use some outside perspective.

Background:
I graduated with a Computer Science degree in December and have been working as a software developer “intern” for a research group for the past year. Although my title is “intern,” I’ve been leading and developing all the software projects for the group.

Recently, I received a job offer for a Clinical Applications Technician position with a salary of around $49K. This role only requires a high school diploma and doesn’t use my CS degree. I’m concerned that accepting this position might hurt my chances of getting a software development role in the future, which is where I want to build my career.

Dilemma:
I’m considering reaching out to the recruiter to inquire if there’s a pathway to transition into a Software Engineer/Developer role within a year or two. This would make me more comfortable accepting the job. I regret not asking about this during the interview (I’m new to this, and going forward I won’t make a mistake like this again).

Financial Context:
I’m financially stable for the next year and can afford to continue job searching. My main focus is on what’s best for my long-term career growth, rather than immediate financial gain.

Question:
Should I take the job and try to transition internally, or should I continue searching for a software development position that aligns more closely with my degree and career goals?

Another fear I have is that accepting this job will make it much harder to get into SWE/SWD because of the interview process, scheduling time off for interviews, now having to manage personal projects and leetcode in my spare time, etc. Any advice or similar experiences would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks in advance for your help!