Venture Outside the Computer Science Bubble

If you're a computer scientist, you likely have a different perspective on computers than people in other fields. Computer scientists tend to focus on learning about technologies and look for ways to apply them as an afterthought, i.e. the solutions looking for problems perspective.

Researchers in other fields often, but not always, take the opposite perspective, focusing on the problem and looking for technologies with which to solve it. The solution may or may not involve computers. If it does, it may not involve the skills that you are trying to market. That said, people in all fields may be prone to misapply their favorite solutions to inappropriate problems.

Computer scientists should frequently seek out and have conversations with people in other fields who rely on computation, in order to understand their perspectives and needs. This will greatly broaden your perspective and help you better serve potential customers, possibly by telling them that there are more effective solutions to their problems than you can offer with your limited skill set. It will help you understand what skills you really should be building, which may be different than what you're hearing in the computer scientist echo chamber.

Note also that demand for specific skills, such as a particular programming language, machine learning, GPU programming, etc. will wax and wane over time. Problem-solving skills will always be in demand.