Hi Richard and Mark :)
Richard pointed out several things I have been wondering about for some
time...
- Every college in North America (and I presume everywhere else
to... is turning out "Computer Scientists" these days... I put quotes around
the title since the definition sure changed since I was taught by Fred and
Lloyd (both turned Professor after 15-20+ years in the industry)
- Consultants sure seem to know whatever the manager wants 'em to
know... versus what we (the IT staff) need 'em to know!
- Managers seem to know less and less about IT reality and more and
more about "Ladder Climbing"
These reasons are adding to the problems of IT ... and the employment
picture... why hire a person who has 15 - 20 years experience but no diploma
stating 'System Administration Major" for X dollars when you can hire a
person with <3 years experience with the aforementioned diploma for (X-Y)
dollars?
I was taught this lesson (and so expected to see it when I got to the
40 year old bracket (uh oh... I am there! hehe) by my Dad when he had
Tektronix offer him this awesome 'early retirement package' back in the
early '80's because he as a 30+ year employee was costing them more than 3
10+ year experienced employees would... even tho' those 3 employees wouldn't
have his experience and knowledge of the chemical milling department he had
built and run for them... Simple Economics at work is what Dad told me... he
pointed out that he was taking the deal because the alternative was to be
phased out with out the retirement deal!! (read laid off, contract not
renewed or the term of the day!)
There is work out there... and the economy will pick up again... but we
will need to learn the new reality and deal with it... along with it's
managers and new rules...
Art "watching and prepping ... " Bahrs
----- Original Message -----
From: "Richard Barker" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Thursday, January 31, 2002 2:59 AM
Subject: Re: [HP3000-L] Employment
> Interesting Email from Mark.
>
> I suppose in some this had to happen, I've been in the consultancy game
for
> 8 years now and have enjoyed a healthy income in that time (still I have
> nothing to show for it, apart from a large liver), but was expecting the
> bubble to burst at some point. I think the point is now.
>
> I'm British, but choose to live in mainland Europe, Belgium actually,
> occasionally I glance at the job offerings in the UK and am shocked by the
> salaries, 20 - 30k, I left the UK 8 years ago, ok on 24k, so I would hope
to
> earn a lot more than that now. I had a stint in Australia, Brisbane
(worst
> place in the world, BTW) as a permie, ok a manager, but got the equivalent
> of 40k GBP and could barely make ends meet. Ok my finances are my problem
> and especially my wife's.
>
> I always thought it's an HP skill, problem, but judging by my friend,
who's
> an Oracle expert, he can't find a decent contract anywhere. The problem
for
> me, is how easy it is to get into IT. I've met so many contractors who
can
> barely do their job, don't even know the most basic of computer skills,
yet
> still manage to find work as the market was desperate.
>
> The problem has been supply and demand, whenever you have a get rich quick
> scheme, like being an IT consultant, you get everyone jumping on the
> bandwagon, so few managers, have any idea about IT, so even the most
> inexperience contractor can blind the boss with science. The biggest
'con'
> seems to be NT Network specialist, nearly everyone I've encountered, has
> been utterly useless. As a result the supply has finally outweighed the
> demand, IMO.
>
> I also have started learning Java, which I'm finding extremely difficult,
> I'm still not convinced by the hype. As the most basic demands of an IT
> language, Database interaction and Reporting, seem to be the most
difficult.
> Even when I did the Sun course, the teacher, couldn't understand why I
would
> even need to access a database.
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Mark Wilkinson [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
> Sent: Thursday, January 31, 2002 2:16 AM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: [HP3000-L] Employment
>
> I, like may others have been sat on my butt for quite a few weeks now
trying
> to find suitable employment without much success. OK, I've had a few phone
> calls and a couple of interviews but I'm 38 years old and the number of
jobs
> that my diverse experience and skillset "fits" is diminishing. J2EE is the
> flavour of the day even though (IMHO) is it the biggest, most cumbersome
> sledgehammer I've ever seen trying to crack relatively small nuts.
>
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