Anyone else become disillusioned with the IT industry?

[BSoD]

A little background on me. I have been working for around 4 and a half years in the development industry. First at a relatively large company in Cape Town. Then as a mobile dev on one of the largest websites in SA and then at medium sized dev house.

After this time, I realised that my career hasn't really progressed. The IT field in general is a pretty flat space. You may have different positions (Software Engineer, Senior Software Engineer etc) but they basically all boil down to the same thing.

I look at my friends in other professions and I see how they are progressing. They have clearly defined career paths, moving into management etc. That seems very rare for the development industry. I have tried creating opportunities, bring forward ideas (maybe I need to try harder) but I am beginning to feel very demotivated.

The economy is in the toilet, prime is sitting at 10.25 and set to increase even more this year. I have a child on the way and will need to look at buying a larger place. And with my current salary (around 35K) that means I will have to look up north for a place. Which in turn means around a 2 - 3 hours round trip to work and back.

I love coding and I love problem solving, but I guess I am becoming more and more aware that doing what you love may not always be the best option.

 

[Nerfherder]

If you code you will always just be a coder. You can only hope to become technical lead and not everyone can be that.

You have the right idea though. I think what is important is deciding what you want to do... also what your company need.

I moved out of dev in that way.

 

[BSoD]

I get the feeling that I am going to have to move out of dev in the near future. I am ambitious by nature and I am feeling unfulfilled in my current line. I want more, and I know that I am just not going to get it. Making that move is proving to be difficult though. But like you said, finding the right company is key. Its not an option at my current place, so another move is going to have to be on the cards soon.

 

[Paul_S]

I don't think this is a problem particular to the IT industry.
Nearly everyone I speak to whether they are in manufacturing, sales, etc. are feeling pretty disillusioned by their work/employers and the economy at the moment.

 

[icyrus]

There isn't much of a pure tech industry in South Africa. A couple of the big international companies like Oracle and Amazon have some resources here, so they are the best bet for pure tech career paths.

The only other real place for set career paths in tech related work is in the financial industry.

Everything else is pretty much small consulting company gigs, a few startups (which you should avoid unless you're a masochist) and soul crushing places like Derivco.

 

[Pixelbender]

A little background on me. I have been working for around 4 and a half years in the development industry. First at a relatively large company in Cape Town. Then as a mobile dev on one of the largest websites in SA and then at medium sized dev house.

After this time, I realised that my career hasn't really progressed. The IT field in general is a pretty flat space. You may have different positions (Software Engineer, Senior Software Engineer etc) but they basically all boil down to the same thing.

I look at my friends in other professions and I see how they are progressing. They have clearly defined career paths, moving into management etc. That seems very rare for the development industry. I have tried creating opportunities, bring forward ideas (maybe I need to try harder) but I am beginning to feel very demotivated.

The economy is in the toilet, prime is sitting at 10.25 and set to increase even more this year. I have a child on the way and will need to look at buying a larger place. And with my current salary (around 35K) that means I will have to look up north for a place. Which in turn means around a 2 - 3 hours round trip to work and back.

I love coding and I love problem solving, but I guess I am becoming more and more aware that doing what you love may not always be the best option.

Spot on. Salaries are very flat and don't really increase with experience, because there is always someone who's willing to work for half of your salary and may not have a kid or two to look after / and/or stay with mom and dad. This is true in the design industry too.

I was even thinking of going into the fmcg industry. But experience lacks.

 

[rward]

Quick question - what have you done for yourself to try get further up the chain?

Have you approached any of your superiors/HR/the boss in any of those previous jobs and mentioned that you want more responsibility or the opportunity to lead a team?

If you have then that sucks

 

[BSoD]

Quick question - what have you done for yourself to try get further up the chain?

Have you approached any of your superiors/HR/the boss in any of those previous jobs and mentioned that you want more responsibility or the opportunity to lead a team?

If you have then that sucks

I have done the following :

At my first place, there is a minimum of 4 years till you can be considered for an SSE position. If you qualify for that, you then need to write a test and pass. After that, you need to go to an interview.

The second place, as it split off from the first, followed the same process. Only as it was so new, the only distinction between an SE and an SSE was your title.

Finally, at my current place, the organisation is very flat. I have asked what I can do to get ahead and was told that i am a "very valuable" employee but there is not currently a need for someone in a more senior role than the one I am currently in.

 

[AdrianH]

I look at my friends in other professions and I see how they are progressing. They have clearly defined career paths, moving into management etc. That seems very rare for the development industry. I have tried creating opportunities, bring forward ideas (maybe I need to try harder) but I am beginning to feel very demotivated.

I have been programming since 2000 professional, 1995 as a hobby. Back then when I started working, I wanted to move into management or project management as it seemed to be the norm. 16 Years on though, I realise that I do not want to be in management, I don't want to have to deal with people issues and problems, I want to spend the most amount of time in what I enjoy doing the most, system design and development.

If your post is about you want more money but you feel that as a developer you are hitting a ceiling, I can tell you that I know several develops that have 15+ years experience in software development earning more than their managers, but without the responsibility, stress and other nonsense that lands on your desk.

 

[rward]

I have done the following :

At my first place, there is a minimum of 4 years till you can be considered for an SSE position. If you qualify for that, you then need to write a test and pass. After that, you need to go to an interview.

So there was a structure in place for advancement. Did you take it?
Was the 'career plan' your friend had laid out shorter than 4 years?
4 Years really isn't that long a time, don't lawyers have to be working for a hell of a lot longer to get anywhere?

The second place, as it split off from the first, followed the same process. Only as it was so new, the only distinction between an SE and an SSE was your title.

Did you apply for it here?

Finally, at my current place, the organisation is very flat. I have asked what I can do to get ahead and was told that i am a "very valuable" employee but there is not currently a need for someone in a more senior role than the one I am currently in.

That may happen in a small to medium company. I know someone trying to get a position at UCT but the only way in is to wait for someone to retire.

So you've worked for 3 companies who you never asked "Where do you see me in 5 years time"?
If your company isn't helping you grow then you should probably reconsider working for them and try find someone who cares about their employees.

 

[BSoD]

So there was a structure in place for advancement. Did you take it?
Was the 'career plan' your friend had laid out shorter than 4 years?
4 Years really isn't that long a time, don't lawyers have to be working for a hell of a lot longer to get anywhere?

I was forced to leave the company when the split occurred. This happened when I was there for 3.5 years so I was not eligible.

As for my friend, the career path was laid out in 6 month increments, with goals and achievables set for each milestone]

Did you apply for it here?

Yes, I was told that I could write it, but they only had a test that was based on Web technologies (as I mentioned, I was a mobile dev). I said that it was fine and that I wouldnt mind writing it anyway. At that point I asked what the promotion entailed. I was told that, it was merely a "name change" as they expect all of their developers to act as "senior developers". I asked what the point was of the test then and they said I could add something to my CV.

That may happen in a small to medium company. I know someone trying to get a position at UCT but the only way in is to wait for someone to retire.

Unfortunately I am beginning to realise this.

So you've worked for 3 companies who you never asked "Where do you see me in 5 years time"?
If your company isn't helping you grow then you should probably reconsider working for them and try find someone who cares about their employees.

I have actually asked this at all three places. Place 1 said that typical advancement takes 5-7 years so I would be in the same place on the same team doing the same work. Place 2 promised me a leadership position, that 1 month after me adopting the project was scrapped. And my current place has stated that they want to expand their mobile division and see me occupying a leadership role in the future.

I think my main issue is that all I have had are promises and when it comes time to delivery, I have mainly gotten excuses. Perhaps it was me, but at Place 2 there were 17 resignations in a few months (roughly 20% of the workforce).

 

[gkm]

@BSoD, you are aware that you only have 4 years experience out of a 40 year career? That being said, in small companies without a deep structure, progress is often tied to salary, rather than fancy titles, so I do not think you should get too stressed about the title side. Also, in many other industries, after 4 year, you will still be the most junior of the juniors, like the UCT example above. So, I do not think you can become disillusioned with IT after only 4 years, because you are not yet a manager over many. If you really want to do it to yourself to become a manager, your will probably be able to achieve it faster in IT than in other industries. So, while you should also make sure to develop your skills and increase your value in the company, I do not think you should stress too much about titles, which as you say are only something on paper.

 

[Brawler]

Do you have a degree?

 

[BSoD]

Do you have a degree?

Yes, I have Honours in CSc.

 

[rward]

I
I have actually asked this at all three places. Place 1 said that typical advancement takes 5-7 years so I would be in the same place on the same team doing the same work. Place 2 promised me a leadership position, that 1 month after me adopting the project was scrapped. And my current place has stated that they want to expand their mobile division and see me occupying a leadership role in the future.

I'm not trying to knock you down or anything so please don't take my questions that way. ( I don't think you are ).

It does sound like you have had a pretty raw deal so far which is unfortunate.

The only thing I would advise is to get a timeline on when your current place is wanting to start that mobile division and push them to get it going. If that does come through then explain your new responsibilities and get a raise and title update.

If it doesn't come through and they keep it as 'the carrot on the stick' then get out of there and find some place that will hire you in a more senior position. If you are worth it then someone will.

 

[cguy]

BSoD, why do you want a leadership/management position? Pay? Title? Or do you think you would make a better manager than developer?

Have you considered overseas as an option? Far less emphasis on titles - senior developers are actually senior developers (10-20+ years experience, earn more than most managers, etc.). SA tends to have a stricter career path expectation where managers always earn more, and development is short-term and often considered a young person's game. There are a few exceptions, where developers can earn R1m+/y (I know some Amazon employees do) - perhaps look at what you need to get one of these roles?

Since someone mentioned UCT, I have several friends there who took 10+ years to make the jump from Senior Lefturer to Assoc. Prof., and another 10+ years to become full Professors. Overseas, it is often harder to build a career in management, since promotion depends more on the company growing, and you building a larger team. Without growth, your career depends on who is leaving the company, rather than how good you are at your job, which is very frustrating. In contrast, there is nothing stopping developers being promoted (to higher level development roles) as they become better at their jobs.

 

[BSoD]

BSoD, why do you want a leadership/management position? Pay? Title? Or do you think you would make a better manager than developer?

There are a variety of reasons I think.

1) I want to feel a sense of progress in my career. Its been 4 and a bit years and while I have improved technically, I feel like my career is pretty much the same.

2) It is partly about payment. But only so far in that I feel that, in South Africa, you can only match other professions in terms later remuneration if you are in management. I know there are a few exceptions that earn a lot, but thats what they are, exceptions.z

I have considered moving overseas, but my wife is very close to her family and I can't see her moving.

 

[Hamster]

3 jobs in 4.5 years.....tsk tsk tsk

 

[Sinbad]

4.5 years is not very long to see progress.
As to your statement about matching remuneration only if you're in management, I've often earned more than my immediate manager. It comes down to what value you can add. So it comes down to your skills, attitude, etc. What differentiates you from the million other grads out there with the same experience and qualifications?

Take the initiative to improve yourself. Find out what courses you can take that are relevant and useful (and different). Management love initiative.

I've been in IT for 24 years now. Still love it. Still techie. But now, moving more into management, as I find that my experience can help others grow, while taking some of the load off my shoulders. Been a key man dependency most of my life, its a relief to pass on the yoke. But purely from a work life balance point of view. I still love the challenge, and the thrill of solving a problem...

 

[_kabal_]

Becoming a manager is easy. Becoming a senior developer is not. You don't become one just because you have X years experience.