Anyone else become disillusioned with the IT industry?

[BSoD]

Be careful - it's one thing to be proud of tangible achievements, like building something, or solving a hard problem. Titles, becoming a "manager" or "lead" is often just false currency - something you're given as alternative compensation i.e., they pay your ego, instread of your bank account. If you don't actually prefer the actual act of leading or managing, and if it doesn't come with a significant pay increase I would be careful of valuing it as real progression.

I have been in yearly review meetings where we've discussed engineers, who wanted "career progression", so we would promote them to a different level or make them a "manager" with mostly hands on duties, since it was free to do so (they didn't get paid for it - titles are free). Last year, I turned down a "Managing Director" job, to keep my "coding job" since at the end of the day, it really is only about how much you enjoy your job and how much you get paid - everything else is just fluff.

Thank you, this is a very good point and something that I have considered in the past. I guess, all I am really after is a sense that my career has progressed. And I am not sure how to measure that.

 

[poffle]

In that sense, for me, it would be about my own knowledge and skills to see progression. Year one you make a calculator, by year 5 you coding financial calculation systems (just an example).

 

[BSoD]

In that sense, for me, it would be about my own knowledge and skills to see progression. Year one you make a calculator, by year 5 you coding financial calculation systems (just an example).

In that way you could have been an accountant and programming on the side. That to me is more about personal growth than career growth. But I get what you are saying. Looking back at work you did 3/4 years ago is always cringe-worthy.

 

[halfmoonforever]

I don't see the contradiction?

You say you don't expect recognition but then the very next sentence say that you deserve it for going above and beyond. that's the contradiction

So basically I must shut up, sit down, do the bare minimum and be happy with what I get?

cguy said it best, however no, don't just shut up and do the bare minimum. If going above and beyond is what you feel you should do and do it best, do it, just don't expect *drum roll* that pat on the back for it.

 

[BSoD]

You say you don't expect recognition but then the very next sentence say that you deserve it for going above and beyond. that's the contradiction

Your original quote only had half my statement. What I said was

if I do my job, complete my tickets, do I expect recognition? No, that is what I am there to do. But going above and beyond does deserve some recognition.

I get what you are saying though. But then, how do I get ahead in a career where extra effort gets you nothing but disappointment?

 

[raind33r]

Problem with a lot of companies ...
Only way to get ahead, money wise, is to go into management.

Why can't a technical person be rewarded equally?
Say the guy/gal worked themselves up in technical skills and are brilliant at what they do. Not everyone has the aptitude to be managers. But in most companies it's the only way to "get ahead".

I know when my company underwent a transformation it was touted that there would be 2 distinct career paths, tech and managerial, where the sr./lead/boffin tech(s) could potentially earn the same as his/her manager.
that of course has never materialised.

 

[Spacerat]

Problem with a lot of companies ...
Only way to get ahead, money wise, is to go into management.

Why can't a technical person be rewarded equally?
Say the guy/gal worked themselves up in technical skills and are brilliant at what they do. Not everyone has the aptitude to be managers. But in most companies it's the only way to "get ahead".

I know when my company underwent a transformation it was touted that there would be 2 distinct career paths, tech and managerial, where the sr./lead/boffin tech(s) could potentially earn the same as his/her manager.
that of course has never materialised.

The problem for the company if the tech orientated guy moves to management to 'get ahead' is that the company loses twice. Firstly, they lose a good tech guy. Secondly, the tech guy is often a poor manager, so they lose there as well.

The company I used to work for also had the 2 paths. It worked fine and the senior tech guys were paid very well...

The only way I could 'get ahead' was to work myself stupid on the side for 6 years to build my own customer base and products. Little sleep and little family time. Made huge sacrifices. Now I am on my own (going 6 years), I do everything apart from the admin. Having the time of my life and have a good income. It's not for everyone though.

No use blaming someone else for your lack of personal/career advancement. Only blame yourself for not doing something about it.

 

[krycor]

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.

This.. I think often put their life situation or even age into the equation and feel a bit aggrieved but always remember that from a career point of view, whether you re/start at 20 or 40.. it's still only 4.5yrs experience. <-- this is something i kinda have to remind my own parents about sometimes as expectation vs reality.

Where age and experience do make a difference is how fast you climb up the ranks i've seen and then you become the exception others point to lol. Re-Management.. in specialist fields have a technical manager becomes invaluable vs a generalist.

This is very important in cases where the manager is actually partly a project manager, technical specialist manager and plays role of solution architect too. I've seen this happen many times and then it really depends on skill set as a 'good' management transition is where the person is able to in still his values onto people being managed such that they become good/great thus the team actually benefits. Sadly i think most people fail transition and/or companies don't cater for management training.

 

[jamieb22]

Why not develop your own ISV? This is a real challenge!

 

[shooter69]

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)

You are making more money than some managers. You are definitely making more money than most devs with only 4.5 years in the dev experience. So I do not think anything for you is flat at this moment.