Anyone else become disillusioned with the IT industry?

[Sinbad]

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

Nor do you become a manager because you have x years experience. Being a good manager is very difficult.

 

[_kabal_]

Good thing I didn't say anything to the contrary

 

[rward]

https://www.freshbooks.com/assets/other/Breaking-the-Time-Barrier.pdf -> The best thing you'll read in a while.

Remember the old joke/tale about the boiler fixer who come down and fixes a boats boiler by tapping it once.
He sends his invoice for $ 5 000 000. The owner of the boat asks why so much and the fixer replies along the lines of "$5 for the hammer, $ 4 999 995 for the past 20 years of experience and knowing where to tap".

If you can find someone/a company that needs you to 'tap that specific spot' and you know how to tap then you'll be able to get whatever pay you want.

Read that pdf linked about - it's an hour out of your life that you won't regret. If you do I'll buy you a beer. (maybe)

 

[Cam]

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.

Yeah this is possible but only if you're a brilliant dev with excellent interpersonal skills. Knowing when and how to play your hand for big increases and having the results to back it up is important. There is a senior dev at my current company that is earning well beyond the tech lead/IT management salary bracket.

 

[w1z4rd]

IT sucks balls. Worst career choice ever. Dont find it rewarding at all Have retired from formal IT stuff. Now I play with drones.

 

[akescpt]

Bloody hell, here I'm thinking 35k after 4.5 years is doing well.

 

[freddster]

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

Sadly, too many of the wrong people end up in management because they know how to program of they have this tech certification or that degree or whatever. You're either born a manager or not. I've seen many managers in my career who couldn't manage a piss-up in a brewery. Placed in management only to make up AA/BEE targets, white woman, white males, one of the better managers was a guy from Zim...(LEGALLY in terms of AA white)

IT isn't an easy career...changes all the time, new stuff all the time, there is so much you can learn, lots of use and abuse companies out there , and they know that whites must keep their job as it is difficult to find something else so they pack in overtime. Those are the cons, pros, IT pays better than most other careers...
adding to that, AA, BEE ...

 

[Sinbad]

Most management skills can be taught. Some people naturally have them, but not having them doesn't mean you're doomed to failure. Just takes time and practice.

 

[BSoD]

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

Perhaps you missed some of my posts. Job 1 was for company A. That company then split into 2 entities and I was assigned to entity B in that case (Job 2). I was there for a year and then moved to Job 3 when I wasnt happy with what they could offer me anymore.

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?

I mentioned management from other professions. I have people that I went to school with that are earning close on 50% more as they have moved in to management in their respective fields. Auditing, financial management etc.

https://www.freshbooks.com/assets/other/Breaking-the-Time-Barrier.pdf -> The best thing you'll read in a while.

I have downloaded it, I'll give it a read. Thanks.

 

[Hamster]

Perhaps you missed some of my posts. Job 1 was for company A. That company then split into 2 entities and I was assigned to entity B in that case (Job 2). I was there for a year and then moved to Job 3 when I wasnt happy with what they could offer me anymore.

Indeed I did


R35k PM after 4.5 years is not a bad salary at all. Your friends earning 50% more are the exception to the norm.

 

[senyetse]

As others have said, 4.5 years is not that much. You're earning the norm.

I have 16 years experience and have progressed to senior technical dev. I'm happy with that as I'm doing what I love and I'm earning a damn good salary. I don't think I want to go into management - politics, responsibilities, stress and k@k.

Maybe you should try a different company/industry?

 

[shadow_man]

IT sucks balls. Worst career choice ever. Dont find it rewarding at all Have retired from formal IT stuff. Now I play with drones.

Not everyone has a huge WA slush fund

 

[halfmoonforever]

you're a coder by all definition of the word. you're looking for some career path that pays you more instead of an idea of a program you could write that will generate an additional few bucks a month? I earn a consistent R5k a month extra with some stuff I wrote several years ago that I only maintain now.

maybe don't ask what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country (replace country with career or family or finances or whatever)

 

[BSoD]

you're a coder by all definition of the word. you're looking for some career path that pays you more instead of an idea of a program you could write that will generate an additional few bucks a month? I earn a consistent R5k a month extra with some stuff I wrote several years ago that I only maintain now.

maybe don't ask what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country (replace country with career or family or finances or whatever)

My contract disallows this.

 

[Pho3nix]

My contract disallows this.

Everyone's does. Create a company. Tell your boss you will be doing some IT repairs after-hours. Make millions !!

 

[rward]

My contract disallows this.

You're probably breaking things in your contract every day.

It's easy to sit back and say "Bah - this isn't working out for me" - It's much harder to say "Bah this isn't working out for me, I'm going to do X, Y and Z to make things better". It's even harder to get up and do X, Y and Z.

From a bodybuilding poster: The hardest lift is the one off the couch

 

[poffle]

I mentioned management from other professions. I have people that I went to school with that are earning close on 50% more as they have moved in to management in their respective fields. Auditing, financial management etc.

You shouldn't be comparing yourself to others based on salary and position, you will ALWAYS end up being disappointed and demotivated, even more so when comparing to people in other industries.

Like others have mentioned, 4.5yrs is really minimal in terms of experience and you are earning a v good salary for that amount of XP. I think you need to decide on which path you want to take, do you want to go the managerial route? Do you want to become a guru in development? You could also look into becoming a systems architect, business analyst etc.

I.T is definitely not flat (Unless the company you work for strictly keeps you at certain level).
As a coder, what about looking at security? Do some free ethical hacking courses, penetration testing etc. With POPI coming into affect very soon, client data security/privacy is MASSIVE, get into one of the consulting firms who are outsourced by financial companies and you're in a whole different world.

Just some food for thought.

 

[rward]

R35k PM after 4.5 years is not a bad salary at all.

I missed that piece.

Jeeeessssssuuuuussssssonaponyeatingcrackersandcaviar!

If I was on R35k after 4.5 years, I would be buying a porsche just to crash it on weekends....

BSOD - is your work challenging you? Are you bored going to the office?

 

[BSoD]

BSOD - is your work challenging you? Are you bored going to the office?

Pretty much. This is why I have my side project and reading interests I mentioned earlier.

Everyone seems to be mentioning money, and while I admit that it is a factor, as I said above, I am wanting a sense of achievement and progression. I am a prime example of why gamification works. Steam achievements? Vitality Active Rewards? Hell, even Visual Studio achievements.

This is what I mean by flat. The money is a by-product.

 

[poffle]

Pretty much. This is why I have my side project and reading interests I mentioned earlier.

Everyone seems to be mentioning money, and while I admit that it is a factor, as I said above, I am wanting a sense of achievement and progression. I am a prime example of why gamification works. Steam achievements? Vitality Active Rewards? Hell, even Visual Studio achievements.

This is what I mean by flat. The money is a by-product.

Well that is up to you then, no-one is going to hand out achievements, you gotta do it yourself in any way you can. Learn something new in I.T. Decide on a path you want to take. Act on point 1 and 2.