cost of maintaining a Ferrari?
- Thread starter Pete
- Start date
Your right Merovingian, the current I.T. industry is in a crappy (terrible?) state. The examples Glebe listed are very far and very few between. They sound like something out of the glory days, 1996-1999 when web developers we're earning anywhere from $80-$200 per hour for standard contracting work and I.T. was the “in” thing. But these days, for example, every man and his dog can maintain or develop a website, administer databases, support networks or design windows applications. Over-supply has killed the industry here in Australia – lay some of the blame on government funding and work visa policy. Then there was that little thing in 2000 where I.T stocks didn’t do so well. Add to that the fact that most major companies have implemented systems that will sustain themselves for the next decade, the current trend of outsourcing your I.T. services to places such as India, China, etc, and what you end up with is a very sad looking industry, where the current applicant-to-job listing ratio in Brisbane is something like 450 to 1 (and apparently worse in Sydney and Melbourne).
Bottom line, and I don’t mean to offend anyone, but I.T. is a mugs game. A once wonderful, pioneering and exciting industry that’s nothing more than another office job, where you’re just another number waiting to be retrenched, fired or made to feel like worthless twit.
Personally, I stopped believing years ago when I picked up a couple of books by two authors called Jan Somers and Robert Kiyosaki, that not only preached self-enlightenment, but showed me the ways to true wealth and happiness.
George
Getting back to the subject of Ferraris, I heard a rumour that a particular Ferrari owner would prefer to drive a Commodore than a Ferrari? 
Is this correct??
Cheers
Is this correct??
Cheers
grubar30 said:
So true... I'm finding it hard to get any sort of IT job. Plus, they're just not paying employees in the sector enough, in some circumstances. For example, I had an interview recently where they said the starting graduate salary is $35,000. Wow. That leaves $28,000 after tax. Not much left once HECS fees are withdrawn, Medicare levy taken, etc... Considering I just completed a 3-year degree and this is what they're offering. (Ignoring that they salary would increase over time, of course).
grubar30 said:
I haven't even got a job in IT yet and I feel that way. Perhaps I should be looking elsewhere...
grubar30 said:
Now, I just need a good business idea...
It
Not sure what this has to do with Ferraris, but I reckon that IT has been oversupplied by so many unis and those 6-12 month degrees. I guess the relevance is that since I'm in IT I dont think that I will ever earn enough to own a Ferrari (hence why I invest).
The other thing you realise once you graduate or while youre at Uni is that while you might have been really good at IT in school, once you realise how many smarter people in IT are out there, you're always going to struggle to get to those $100k or $200k plus jobs.
Not sure what this has to do with Ferraris, but I reckon that IT has been oversupplied by so many unis and those 6-12 month degrees. I guess the relevance is that since I'm in IT I dont think that I will ever earn enough to own a Ferrari (hence why I invest).
The other thing you realise once you graduate or while youre at Uni is that while you might have been really good at IT in school, once you realise how many smarter people in IT are out there, you're always going to struggle to get to those $100k or $200k plus jobs.
Peter Spann went from check-out chick to a multi-million property portfolio, and unless I'm wrong, he did it using nothing more than determination, hard work and simple property investing principles. There's your idea right there...
It sure beats the hell out of changing printer cartridges or designing .NET applications for $50K per year.
Smart thinking.
Guys,
Its not all doom and gloom for IT grads. I'm an IT graduate who's first job was as an analyst/programmer cutting COBOL code for a manufacturing company. That was 15 years ago and my starting salary was $25K which seemed like a hell of a lot back then...
Anyway, I'm almost finished my MBA and now earn well over $100K pa. My career path went something like this:
Akzo Nobel Chemicals:
Analyst/Programmer - COBOL code cutting
Business Analyst - Manufacturing systems
Development Manager
Business Analyst - World Wide Team based in England
Commercial Business Analyst - Asia/Pacific
Cap Gemini Ernst and Young:
Management Consultant - subject matter expert in supply chain systems and processes
Carter Holt Harvey:
Demand Manager MDF - Lead team role accountable for Supply Chain for MDF business.
You've got to remember that your IT degree is just a ticket to entry. Keep applying yourselves and always push the envelope on your comfort zone and you'll grow exponentially. I'm not even 35 yet and already a member of an executive leadership team. My next role is going to be GM - Supply Chain then Operations Director somewhere. How do I know this? Because I "think" that is what I am going to be, so I "know" I can make it happen. I am always pushing the envelope and setting myself timelimits before its up or out.
Take that $35K job then suck in all the knowledge you can and keep pushing the envelope.
Go for it,
Michael.
PS I don't drive a Ferrari yet, but I do have a nice little MX5 as a compromise...
Its not all doom and gloom for IT grads. I'm an IT graduate who's first job was as an analyst/programmer cutting COBOL code for a manufacturing company. That was 15 years ago and my starting salary was $25K which seemed like a hell of a lot back then...
Anyway, I'm almost finished my MBA and now earn well over $100K pa. My career path went something like this:
Akzo Nobel Chemicals:
Analyst/Programmer - COBOL code cutting
Business Analyst - Manufacturing systems
Development Manager
Business Analyst - World Wide Team based in England
Commercial Business Analyst - Asia/Pacific
Cap Gemini Ernst and Young:
Management Consultant - subject matter expert in supply chain systems and processes
Carter Holt Harvey:
Demand Manager MDF - Lead team role accountable for Supply Chain for MDF business.
You've got to remember that your IT degree is just a ticket to entry. Keep applying yourselves and always push the envelope on your comfort zone and you'll grow exponentially. I'm not even 35 yet and already a member of an executive leadership team. My next role is going to be GM - Supply Chain then Operations Director somewhere. How do I know this? Because I "think" that is what I am going to be, so I "know" I can make it happen. I am always pushing the envelope and setting myself timelimits before its up or out.
Take that $35K job then suck in all the knowledge you can and keep pushing the envelope.
Go for it,
Michael.
PS I don't drive a Ferrari yet, but I do have a nice little MX5 as a compromise...
IT
I was in the IT industry for 13 years until recently when I changed to a Drafting Career.
The IT industry was very good to me and I got into only because the money was good.
My experience with IT Grads is they are 2 to 3 years behind what is out in the real world and usually start on help desks. Breaks down the ego.
Now the experienced IT guys will always be in the 6 figure money but you have to start somewhere. The problem is the IT area is so wide. Specialise in an area and you can really make the dollars.
Backend enterprise engineering is the place to be and get your industry qualifications. One of the smartest IT guys I worked with had a Degree in Agriculture. The IT degree will get you in the door and nothing more.
I have since moved into Drafting because of money and lifestyle.
The resource area is booming and draftees are in demand.
I was in the IT industry for 13 years until recently when I changed to a Drafting Career.
The IT industry was very good to me and I got into only because the money was good.
My experience with IT Grads is they are 2 to 3 years behind what is out in the real world and usually start on help desks. Breaks down the ego.
Now the experienced IT guys will always be in the 6 figure money but you have to start somewhere. The problem is the IT area is so wide. Specialise in an area and you can really make the dollars.
Backend enterprise engineering is the place to be and get your industry qualifications. One of the smartest IT guys I worked with had a Degree in Agriculture. The IT degree will get you in the door and nothing more.
I have since moved into Drafting because of money and lifestyle.
The resource area is booming and draftees are in demand.
I was in IT for over 30 years. I was fortunate being in almost continuous employment all that time (law enforcement became a growth career path in IT). I left of my own accord- to sell sandwiches of course.
IT was good to me, but I feel I left it at a good time. I haven't missed it so far.
IT was good to me, but I feel I left it at a good time. I haven't missed it so far.
Merovingian said:So true... I'm finding it hard to get any sort of IT job. Plus, they're just not paying employees in the sector enough, in some circumstances. For example, I had an interview recently where they said the starting graduate salary is $35,000. Wow. That leaves $28,000 after tax. Not much left once HECS fees are withdrawn, Medicare levy taken, etc... Considering I just completed a 3-year degree and this is what they're offering. (Ignoring that they salary would increase over time, of course).
I haven't even got a job in IT yet and I feel that way. Perhaps I should be looking elsewhere...
Hi Mero
I hate to be the one to point this out but from memory you're just out of uni, aren't you? And 20 years old?
I don't see anyone paying someone 50k a year without any experience. IMHO, people have to crawl before you walk, and walk before you run?
Cheers
and this,
Valid points, but the way I see it Merovingian, don’t worry too much about the job you get, be it I.T., picking potatoes or whatever. Your primary goal is to save enough money to invest in your first IP. From there you have the foundations to achieve financial independence and create a truly wonderful life for yourself. I say invest your time and energy into what will break you free from the rat-race, and not those things that will prolong your stay.
Sim
Administrator
MichaelWhyte said:
I'm with Michael here ...
I finished uni at the end of 1994, at a time when the IT industry was quite depressed - especially in Adelaide - a lot of my more highly qualified friends from uni had trouble getting work (most stuck around and did a 5 year double degree in Electrical & Electronic Engineering + Computer Science, but some still couldn't find the "right" job for them)
I started out earning $30kpa doing pretty boring helpdesk work, all the while looking for a programming job (which I thought was what I wanted to do). Finally found one and they paid me around $35kpa - but to get that job, first I did some sideline contract programming work learning to program in an environment I'd never heard of before (all in my own time).
Worked my butt off at this new job, learned a heap of new skills, got offered some work in Sydney around the time the IT industry was taking off (1998).
Doubled my pay by moving to Sydney (of course costs were higher too), and continued to work my butt off, trying my hardest to get onto the cool projects and the new technologies - learning as I went, spending a LOT of my own time picking up new ideas and reading reading reading. Had some good mentors too who really helped me understand a lot of the technology and the best practices on how to implement it.
Eventually I got offered a job with IBM - where in the 4.5 years I've been there I've worked with 3 different new technologies (each builds on the previous). You have to work at not getting left behind.
I've had a knack for staying at the front of the technology curve - but it's taken a lot of effort on my part to get there and stay there. I read a LOT and do a lot of stuff in my own time to make sure my skills are kept up.
The "mugs" in IT are those who just sit back and expect their employers to look after them and train them - bzzzzt !! wrong answer !!
Go do some reading on "free agent learners" (I'm current writing an assignment on this for the Masters degree I'm studying at the moment).
My advice for people getting into IT if you want the big $$ - choose a technology that's hot (or going to be hot) and become an expert in it.
Watch out for technologies and products that are going to be still-born though - don't be bleeding edge unless you have a very large company (eg big = IBM, Microsoft, SAP, etc) pushing that technology (and even then you can get burned - be prepared to jump ship if necessary, never go down with a sinking ship/technology).
Keep an eye on the skills marketplace - when the area you are working in starts to become saturated with new talent, it's time to move on to the next big thing before you lose the ability to command the premium jobs and wages.
My rules for doing well in IT:
Rule #1: the biggest $ are always in sales (unless you are a genius programmer). If you actually want to make real money, consider selling your soul to the sales organisation - watch out for the Porsche Expectations though (everyone else has one, you're obviously not that successful if you don't too) - very dangerous. Of course it's not as much fun as real IT work, but you do get to do more lunches.
Rule #2: there is no money in project management - every programmer who can't hack it tries to get into project management
Rule #3: if you are truely brilliant at project management, don't stay in IT - it's a mugs game. Project managers who can actually manage are worth their weight in gold - develop a reputation for your excellent work and move to whereever the interesting (and high profile) work is, and life will be good.
Rule #4: specialisation is worth more than generalisation, but you have to work harder to maintain your employability
Rule #5: small IT companies usually can't afford for you to get skilled up in the coolest new technologies - they need you to do your same old boring stuff to justify your existance. But you can use small companies when you are starting to get that hard-to-get experience you need to be able to move up the chain
Rule #6: large IT companies can be difficult to get in to, and unless you pick the right one, you will end up in a "body shop" where you never get to work on any of the cool stuff anyway. Some large companies move too slow - pick and choose carefully.
Rule #7: medium IT sized companies working with the newest and coolest technologies with some really good technical background are a good place to be to accelerate your experience - but you have to pick and choose, many medium sized companies are small companies who got lucky - watch out for body shops
Rule #8: the large consultancies are mostly all body shops - avoid. There are some exceptions
Rule #9: working in IT for a non-IT company is dangerous for your career, unless you get lucky and pick one that lets you play with the cool new technology
Rule #10: if you want to get to the cool stuff, stay away from almost all government departments
Rule #11: a large percentage of IT people burn out by 30-35 years of age, plan for this, it will happen to you too.
Rule #12: always have an exit plan
Rule #13: when you start a new role, be planning for your next role already
Rule #14: network (with people, not computers you idiot) - this is the way to get the best jobs and the sweetest projects
Rule #15: you can't network effectively with MSN Messenger or Skype. You may get lucky, but if you really want to do well, get out there and meet people. For real - meet them face-to-face. I know it's difficult. I know you have to put clothes on. I know you need to shave. But it's important stuff. Computers don't give you jobs, people do. The sooner you come to terms with this, the better off you will be.
Rule #16: you have to actually ask for the good stuff (projects, jobs, contacts, mentors) - it almost never gets handed to you. Never be afraid to ask.
Rule #17: be prepared to move. Only the very largest of companies (eg. IBM) can truely offer you enough diversity to keep you interested and employable for long periods of time. No less than 18 months between moves though - otherwise your resume starts to get too patchy. Make sure you can show a pattern of skills development to explain to potential employers as to why you've moved around so much.
Rule #18: interviews are for you to interview your employer, not the other way around. Make sure you understand what you will be doing, who you will be working with, what projects you will be working on, and what your opportunities will be. If they don't like you asking questions, you don't want to work for them in the first place. It helps here if you have skills they need - otherwise, you might just have to bend over and take what they give you until you DO have the skills.
Rule #19: Skills are everything. Experience is more important, but experience with out of date skills is useless, so concentrate on getting experience with the RIGHT skills.
Rule #20: (very very very important) keep your resume up to date - make sure you list every techology key word you work with, and then PUT YOUR RESUME ON THE INTERNET. Recruiters use Google.
Part B (where I bring the post back on topic !)
Working in IT won't allow you to buy a Ferrari that you can actually afford. Look to investing or business for that. IT can be a good way to start, but it's not going to be the answer.
My opinions only - your mileage may vary.
i agree with sim (and michael)
theres plenty of money in IT, for good people who really know their stuff. the trick is knowing the companies that can recognise good people (most of them cant).
good people are always in demand. there is a lot of mediocre IT people out there. a lot. dont just look at the dollars, you're on a ladder and only certain steps will get you to the top.
if you're in adelaide, theres a fair few defence contractors who usually need people, you should maybe check them out.
theres not a lot of demand for innovative stuff in australia, small country, small market, the economics of r&d just dont add up here. there are exceptions, but they are exceptions
IT is a truly international skill. the tools you use are the same anywhere in the world. if you're the eager type, get a few years experience then head overseas.
[edit] oh and dont trust recruiters, i have dealt with hundreds over the years and can count on one hand the decent ones. they dont care about you, your career, or where you want to be.
theres plenty of money in IT, for good people who really know their stuff. the trick is knowing the companies that can recognise good people (most of them cant).
good people are always in demand. there is a lot of mediocre IT people out there. a lot. dont just look at the dollars, you're on a ladder and only certain steps will get you to the top.
if you're in adelaide, theres a fair few defence contractors who usually need people, you should maybe check them out.
theres not a lot of demand for innovative stuff in australia, small country, small market, the economics of r&d just dont add up here. there are exceptions, but they are exceptions
IT is a truly international skill. the tools you use are the same anywhere in the world. if you're the eager type, get a few years experience then head overseas.
[edit] oh and dont trust recruiters, i have dealt with hundreds over the years and can count on one hand the decent ones. they dont care about you, your career, or where you want to be.
ATTITUDE is the key !!!
Loved the input from Sim - but, from an older bloke, (late 50's, also in IT) in a nutshell, it's ATTITUDE that counts !!!! Sim showed it (teach yourself, bring yourself up to the saleable edge). But, whatever you do, with whomever you work, show the right attitude, and the opportunities will find you.
So what is attitude? It's how you conduct yourself with others, in WHATEVER situation. If you can prevail, no matter what is thrown at you, you will survive. I've constantly been in awe of younger blokes who do FAR MORE than I do - and I learn from them. At the same time, I suspect they learn from me too....
And what do these younger "high-flyers" learn from me? Probably that it's OK to do the BEST you can in any given situation, to treat others as you'd like to be treated, and to GIVE information that you've gleaned (rather than holding back - as some do....). I've been constantly amazed at how RELUCTANT some people are at SHARING knowledge. That has never been me, and it's paid off for me. I am always happy to share, to help others along the way (whichever way that is) and it has served me well.
Today, I'm again employed by a leading company in Australia, and will continue to GIVE to the company (and my new workmates) my knowledge, my fervour for "doing my best", and effectively "proving my worth" to them. I'll help younger colleagues in whatever way I can, and add my input to any discussion without fear or favour. If the "powers that be" don't agree, well, fine. At least I tried, and didn't just "roll over and play dead".
After more than 35 years in IT, I've learned a lot - why should I keep this knowledge to myself? The current employees are paying me for my expertise - so I SHOULD NOT be holding back (and I don't). And it is this ATTITUDE that has stood the test of time for me.
I see myself as a generalist rather than a specialist. And that's interesting in itself. Some say "Specialise to win" - but what if you chose the wrong specialty? If you're adaptable, this won't hold you back for too long. But, as a generalist, I find I'm useful in SEVERAL aspects of IT. (And I've got the runs on the board to prove it - but it does take a few years - or decades - to gain this).
I have to agree with several who have responded to the original question. That is, don't expect to run before you can walk. Just do your best, take each opportunity, keep a good attitude about you, and let time work its magic. (that last bit sounds a bit like Jan Somers doesn't it)
Now, you younger ones, go out there and create YOUR future. Do what YOU do the best way you can, learn from your mistakes, and (in short) be more of "the solution" than "the problem" to your employer (or manager), and you will look back in years to come and be happy with your progress too.
I'll finish with a couple of sayings that have stayed with me for MANY years:-
"Your boss doesn't like surprises" (i.e. keep him informed - good, and bad)
"When you're running with the herd, don't stumble - getting up again can be a real bitch!!!" (i.e. be true to yourself)
Best regards,
Loved the input from Sim - but, from an older bloke, (late 50's, also in IT) in a nutshell, it's ATTITUDE that counts !!!! Sim showed it (teach yourself, bring yourself up to the saleable edge). But, whatever you do, with whomever you work, show the right attitude, and the opportunities will find you.
So what is attitude? It's how you conduct yourself with others, in WHATEVER situation. If you can prevail, no matter what is thrown at you, you will survive. I've constantly been in awe of younger blokes who do FAR MORE than I do - and I learn from them. At the same time, I suspect they learn from me too....
And what do these younger "high-flyers" learn from me? Probably that it's OK to do the BEST you can in any given situation, to treat others as you'd like to be treated, and to GIVE information that you've gleaned (rather than holding back - as some do....). I've been constantly amazed at how RELUCTANT some people are at SHARING knowledge. That has never been me, and it's paid off for me. I am always happy to share, to help others along the way (whichever way that is) and it has served me well.
Today, I'm again employed by a leading company in Australia, and will continue to GIVE to the company (and my new workmates) my knowledge, my fervour for "doing my best", and effectively "proving my worth" to them. I'll help younger colleagues in whatever way I can, and add my input to any discussion without fear or favour. If the "powers that be" don't agree, well, fine. At least I tried, and didn't just "roll over and play dead".
After more than 35 years in IT, I've learned a lot - why should I keep this knowledge to myself? The current employees are paying me for my expertise - so I SHOULD NOT be holding back (and I don't). And it is this ATTITUDE that has stood the test of time for me.
I see myself as a generalist rather than a specialist. And that's interesting in itself. Some say "Specialise to win" - but what if you chose the wrong specialty? If you're adaptable, this won't hold you back for too long. But, as a generalist, I find I'm useful in SEVERAL aspects of IT. (And I've got the runs on the board to prove it - but it does take a few years - or decades - to gain this).
I have to agree with several who have responded to the original question. That is, don't expect to run before you can walk. Just do your best, take each opportunity, keep a good attitude about you, and let time work its magic. (that last bit sounds a bit like Jan Somers doesn't it
)Now, you younger ones, go out there and create YOUR future. Do what YOU do the best way you can, learn from your mistakes, and (in short) be more of "the solution" than "the problem" to your employer (or manager), and you will look back in years to come and be happy with your progress too.
I'll finish with a couple of sayings that have stayed with me for MANY years:-
"Your boss doesn't like surprises" (i.e. keep him informed - good, and bad)
"When you're running with the herd, don't stumble - getting up again can be a real bitch!!!" (i.e. be true to yourself)
Best regards,
Hi Mero,
Lots of great posts above, especially Sim'
Well this thread is headed way off track, but it's an interesting tangent, so here's my 2c
Personally, my experience is in the small-to-medium-business (non-corporate) world of IT, as a software developer.
Several of my friends entered the corporate world after uni, and the ones who made the most money earliest were the ones who either relocated to remote mining sites (eg BHP), or went overseas to the UK or USA (after gaining a year or two of local experience first).
After uni I worked a couple of years for a small company of about 20 people, primarily as the in-house database programmer (writing then modifying an app that the company ran on).
A couple of my friends were doing the same (for other smallish companies).
In my friends' cases they quickly became the all-purpose software and hardware guru's of their respective companies and pretty much had free reign to play with and try out new technologies that came along, so long as their core job functions (the in-house database programs) were ticking along smoothly, and bugs squashed / new features added at a good pace. They became fairly good at several technologies and also seemed to enjoy the leeway they were given and the responsibility and broad scope of their jobs.
In my case it was similar (except for the hardware part... I predominately stayed within the software realm) and great fun. Did that for a couple of years and when my main product (the in-house database software) became fairly "mature" some customers of the company started asking where they could buy the in-house software and to cut a long story short, I began working for these companies implementing customised versions of the original in-house software. I was still employed by the first company but kind of subcontracting through them, which meant I was able to negotiate a healthy pay rise.
After doing that for a few more years I then realised I could do this for myself and then triple my hourly rate (although it actually worked out more like double not triple, due to the time/cost overhead of running your own company).
So at the end of a project I parted on amicable terms and started my own company (8 years ago now). My first clients were ones I had written software for already, and they had other apps they wanted written.
Thankfully I have never had to advertise because word of mouth keeps me busy. My clients kept referring me to others and on it goes. There has always been more than enough work to keep me happy. One problem is when there is too much work on at once, and then trying to find competent programmers to subcontract for me!
While there have been ups and downs (for example very late/non-paying clients) on the whole I have been enjoying my self-employed lifestyle greatly. Each setback is a learning experience also (for example invoice often to minimise/identify a slow/non payer).
Flexibility of hours is one excellent benefit. So is the increased hourly rate. The flip side is that it you only get paid for the actual hours you work on a project for a client, not all the hours you are physically at work. Handling the other aspects associated with running a business takes time and is non-billable.
I have worked from home-offices and external offices, and prefer the home-office environment (but make sure it is well separated from the rest of the house so you can get in the "zone" when programming... a problem I had when I first started out. And make sure to get outside at least once a day to see the real world and get some excercise... but that's a whole 'nother topic... working from home)
I'm not saying go straight out and start your own company (self-employed in the Kiyosakian sense), but it could be a career path at some stage if you so desire.
If you are a programmer, what I find interesting about writing software is learning in detail how a particular business works, so you can then model their info-flow electronically. Companies often have similar needs, but each have their own lingo and ways of doing things. For me this keeps the job fresh and interesting.
While I mostly agree with Grubar's statement that "every man and his dog can maintain or develop a website, administer databases, support networks or design windows applications", I would have to take exception with the last item on the list, "windows applications", for the reason that while a lot of people CAN do it, not that many can do it WELL.
Several of my projects have been rescue missions where I take over development of some software that was very badly written to the point of unusability, and, to use a realestate metaphor, I have to make the call whether to demolish-and-rebuild, or do a major renovation. Usually depends on how solid the foundations are
Here is a great quote by Bruce Sterling from The Hacker Crackdown
Anyway, just some top of the brain stream of consciousness to give you some more things to think about.
Oh yeah one more tip... read lots of tech books to keep on top of your chosen technologies. I loved it when amazon came online, I used to get large bags of books delivered twice a year. Nowadays I subscribe to safari.oreilly.com which is much better value and makes the books full-text searchable.
Lots of great posts above, especially Sim'
Well this thread is headed way off track, but it's an interesting tangent, so here's my 2c
Personally, my experience is in the small-to-medium-business (non-corporate) world of IT, as a software developer.
Several of my friends entered the corporate world after uni, and the ones who made the most money earliest were the ones who either relocated to remote mining sites (eg BHP), or went overseas to the UK or USA (after gaining a year or two of local experience first).
After uni I worked a couple of years for a small company of about 20 people, primarily as the in-house database programmer (writing then modifying an app that the company ran on).
A couple of my friends were doing the same (for other smallish companies).
In my friends' cases they quickly became the all-purpose software and hardware guru's of their respective companies and pretty much had free reign to play with and try out new technologies that came along, so long as their core job functions (the in-house database programs) were ticking along smoothly, and bugs squashed / new features added at a good pace. They became fairly good at several technologies and also seemed to enjoy the leeway they were given and the responsibility and broad scope of their jobs.
In my case it was similar (except for the hardware part... I predominately stayed within the software realm) and great fun. Did that for a couple of years and when my main product (the in-house database software) became fairly "mature" some customers of the company started asking where they could buy the in-house software and to cut a long story short, I began working for these companies implementing customised versions of the original in-house software. I was still employed by the first company but kind of subcontracting through them, which meant I was able to negotiate a healthy pay rise.
After doing that for a few more years I then realised I could do this for myself and then triple my hourly rate (although it actually worked out more like double not triple, due to the time/cost overhead of running your own company).
So at the end of a project I parted on amicable terms and started my own company (8 years ago now). My first clients were ones I had written software for already, and they had other apps they wanted written.
Thankfully I have never had to advertise because word of mouth keeps me busy. My clients kept referring me to others and on it goes. There has always been more than enough work to keep me happy. One problem is when there is too much work on at once, and then trying to find competent programmers to subcontract for me!
While there have been ups and downs (for example very late/non-paying clients) on the whole I have been enjoying my self-employed lifestyle greatly. Each setback is a learning experience also (for example invoice often to minimise/identify a slow/non payer).
Flexibility of hours is one excellent benefit. So is the increased hourly rate. The flip side is that it you only get paid for the actual hours you work on a project for a client, not all the hours you are physically at work. Handling the other aspects associated with running a business takes time and is non-billable.
I have worked from home-offices and external offices, and prefer the home-office environment (but make sure it is well separated from the rest of the house so you can get in the "zone" when programming... a problem I had when I first started out. And make sure to get outside at least once a day to see the real world and get some excercise... but that's a whole 'nother topic... working from home
)I'm not saying go straight out and start your own company (self-employed in the Kiyosakian sense), but it could be a career path at some stage if you so desire.
If you are a programmer, what I find interesting about writing software is learning in detail how a particular business works, so you can then model their info-flow electronically. Companies often have similar needs, but each have their own lingo and ways of doing things. For me this keeps the job fresh and interesting.
While I mostly agree with Grubar's statement that "every man and his dog can maintain or develop a website, administer databases, support networks or design windows applications", I would have to take exception with the last item on the list, "windows applications", for the reason that while a lot of people CAN do it, not that many can do it WELL.
Several of my projects have been rescue missions where I take over development of some software that was very badly written to the point of unusability, and, to use a realestate metaphor, I have to make the call whether to demolish-and-rebuild, or do a major renovation. Usually depends on how solid the foundations are
Here is a great quote by Bruce Sterling from The Hacker Crackdown
Anyway, just some top of the brain stream of consciousness to give you some more things to think about.
Oh yeah one more tip... read lots of tech books to keep on top of your chosen technologies. I loved it when amazon came online, I used to get large bags of books delivered twice a year. Nowadays I subscribe to safari.oreilly.com which is much better value and makes the books full-text searchable.
Great posts Sim, Les and Mmerlin,
You prove the cliche, 'The harder you work, the luckier you get!'
Attitude is the one of the major keys to success in ANY industry.
Cheers
You prove the cliche, 'The harder you work, the luckier you get!'
Attitude is the one of the major keys to success in ANY industry.
Cheers
