Community guides · Careers
How to write a comment that actually lands in r/cscareerquestions
r/cscareerquestions values honest market reality over rah-rah. Replies that say 'this is tough right now because X' get more traction than 'just keep grinding.'
What's hot in r/cscareerquestions now
What people are actually discussing
Top threads from the last month — what's getting engagement right now.
- Computer science is seeing the biggest enrollment drop of any major in 6 years. While ME and EE enrollment have risen by 11% and 14% this year.
- MIT researcher says automating entry-level jobs will backfire. I keep thinking about the team I joined in 2019.
- No, you are not cooked. The golden age is coming (AI hope post)
What this sub rewards
How replies earn upvotes here
- Acknowledge limitations, trade-offs, or uncertainty when relevant. Name the market context. 'Got a job in 2 weeks' in 2021 is a different statement from 'in 2025'.
- Offer multiple options or perspectives, not a single prescription. Offer 2–3 paths (FAANG vs startup vs consulting) with what each costs you.
What good looks like
Real comments that landed in r/cscareerquestions
Two recent highly-upvoted replies. Notice what they have in common — concrete, no preamble, no self-promotion.
"EE and ME? oh boy if those are the chasing for the sake of chasing type of people they are in for a ROUGH time."
"Yep, pretty much nailed the experience. I am not concerned with AI replacing software engineering jobs for a long time. I am concerned with there not begin enough engineers in the pipeline who understand code well enough to work with these AI systems. We are in for a bumpy ride."
The one rule that gets posts removed
Be honest about market conditions; avoid overpromising career outcomes.
Your pre-reply checklist
Before you hit Reply — four quick checks
Does my comment add something specific, not just an opinion?
A useful reply names a number, a method, a personal experience, or a concrete example. If you could replace your draft with "I agree" and lose nothing, rewrite.
Have I read the top 3 comments already on this thread?
If the highest-upvoted reply already says what you were about to say, your comment will sink. Add what's missing — counterexamples, edge cases, the next step — not what's there.
Would my reply still work if my username was removed?
If it only makes sense because it promotes you, your product, or your platform, this sub will spot it. Frame the value as "this solved it for me," not "check out my…"
Did I skim the sidebar rules one more time?
Every sub has at least one rule that surprises outsiders — peer-review only, no images, no specific tags, no off-topic. Five seconds in the sidebar can save you a removal.
Want to draft this reply with the rules already baked in?
Try Redimates — free, 10 replies / week