Are Good Paying IT Jobs Dead?!

[Toxick]

Originally posted by LazarusL2003
I have been reading this thread with great interest since I’m currently looking for work myself.



Well, thanks for the chance to vent. Tomorrow is another day to search the web for that “great position”!

http://www.computerjobs.com/homepage.aspx

http://jobsearch.monster.com/jobsea...=660&sort=rv&vw=b&cy=US&re=14&brd=1,1862,1863

For the record, maybe it's just me, but I've never had much difficulty finding computer programming jobs. I don't even have a college degree (yet), but I've been a software engineer for about 8 years now. Along with the various side-projects that are available.

Maybe all the people having such trouble finding computer jobs are just looking in the wrong places?

I do know that it's a little tougher right now. Because of the war, a lot of companies are tightening their belts, and they're not hiring new people, but this thread dates back to 2002, and I know 2 years ago, jobs were available - cause I got one.

Even so, someone who has experience, and knows what they're about shouldn't have that much trouble finding work.

 

[LazarusL2003]

Originally posted by Leopold Stoch
You should move to China and look for a job.

I have actually thought about this. But you have it backwards. Get the job then move to China. The jobless rate there is higher than it is here. I have seen jobs advertised in Hong Kong and Shanghai but they are for Microsoft administration. I’m a UNIX person. I’m also not qualified for the jobs I have seen.

 

[LazarusL2003]

Originally posted by itsbob
Were your intelligence dealings with China? Maybe you've been had!?

Nope, I’ve never been to China. Just HQ.

 

[LazarusL2003]

Originally posted by Toxick

For the record, maybe it's just me, but I've never had much difficulty finding computer programming jobs. I don't even have a college

This will change. Have patience.

Maybe all the people having such trouble finding computer jobs are just looking in the wrong places?

It's possible.

people, but this thread dates back to 2002, and I know 2 years ago, jobs were available - cause I got one.

Two years ago, I had a good job too! What counts is the hear and now.

Even so, someone who has experience, and knows what they're about shouldn't have that much trouble finding work. [/B]

You may have the “gift of gab” that’s so important in interviews. I find that people with this ability get the job with minimum qualifications for the position. I think my problem is with the perceptions of the hiring company.
My security clearance and background is very attractive to companies contracting in the intelligence community. Till they find out about my future wife, that is. Companies that know nothing about clearances fear I will get a better offer from the former companies. It’s a bit of a trap. No worries though. Sooner of later, something will open up.

 

[Kain99]

All companies are feeling the economic crunch! Beyond that, finding qualified work in this area is now a dime a dozen situation.

Unfortunately for us all.... Not every company wants to hire the best. You cost to much and demand to much.

True story.

 

[jazz lady]

The economy has definitely had an impact on jobs in the area, but I still see plenty of opportunities out there. You also have to look at the changing skill sets for IT professionals and adapt accordingly. Just as COBOL programmers are a dying breed, other skill types are going away and being replaced by newer technologies.

I have been an IT professional for almost 20 years now and I consider my career a continuous learning process where I'm always adding new skills to my toolset. It's not enough any more to know ONE skill unless that skill is in great demand. But the one constant is change; what's hot today is yesterday's news tomorrow and that demand will be gone someday.

 

[itsbob]

Originally posted by jazz lady
The economy has definitely had an impact on jobs in the area, but I still see plenty of opportunities out there. You also have to look at the changing skill sets for IT professionals and adapt accordingly. Just as COBOL programmers are a dying breed, other skill types are going away and being replaced.

I have been an IT professional for almost 20 years now and I consider my career a continuous learning process where I'm always adding new skills to my toolset. It's not enough any more to know ONE skill unless that skill is in great demand. But the one constant is change; what's hot today is yesterday's news tomorrow and that demand will be gone someday.

A cute smile.. and dimples work too!!

 

[jazz lady]

Originally posted by itsbob
A cute smile.. and dimples work too!!

But that only gets you so far. You can only about your skills (or lack of!) for so long.

 

[itsbob]

Yeah, but it's got me this far!!

Actually retired and had to go back to school.. glad I did too.

 

[jazz lady]

Originally posted by itsbob
Yeah, but it's got me this far!!

Pics?

Actually retired and had to go back to school.. glad I did too.

Not retired, but finishing going back to school. I'll be glad when it's over in a week and a half!

 

[cityboy]

Blah, blah, blah.....

Instead of limiting yourself to just IT jobs you could look for other employment within these companies such as in administration or communications. Then as IT positions open up the company will already know what an asset you are, and you already know the companies policies, people, clients, and so forth, then you could apply from within the company. That would be a foot in the door, unless your a terrible employee they might just fire you before you get a chance to see any IT positions open up. More advice would be to look for an IT position in DC. They have tons of jobs. Don't limit yourself to southern maryland. DC pays top dollar.

 

[jazz lady]

Re: Blah, blah, blah.....

Originally posted by cityboy
Instead of limiting yourself to just IT jobs you could look for other employment within these companies such as in administration or communications. Then as IT positions open up the company will already know what an asset you are, and you already know the companies policies, people, clients, and so forth, then you could apply from within the company. That would be a foot in the door, unless your a terrible employee they might just fire you before you get a chance to see any IT positions open up.

I think that is very good advice. The hard part is getting your foot in the door. I had a similar problem with a limited skill set when I started out, so I took a job as a IT trainee on a different skill. I have now parlayed that into a very nice career.

More advice would be to look for an IT position in DC. They have tons of jobs. Don't limit yourself to southern maryland. DC pays top dollar.

The other side of the coin is how much of your time are you willing to sacrifice for those $$$. I'm not willing to commute 3-4 hours a day to do it, although it's been offered many times, and I don't want to live there. I make good money down here, have a 9 mile commute, and fill my car up with gas every two weeks. Factor in the commute time, wear and tear on your vehicle, and the stress of the commute into those $$$ and see how much you're REALLY making.

 

[cityboy]

Re: Re: Blah, blah, blah.....

Originally posted by jazz lady
I think that is very good advice. The hard part is getting your foot in the door. I had a similar problem with a limited skill set when I started out, so I took a job as a IT trainee on a different skill. I have now parlayed that into a very nice career.


The other side of the coin is how much of your time are you willing to sacrifice for those $$$. I'm not willing to commute 3-4 hours a day to do it, although it's been offered many times, and I don't want to live there. I make good money down here, have a 9 mile commute, and fill my car up with gas every two weeks. Factor in the commute time, wear and tear on your vehicle, and the stress of the commute into those $$$ and see how much you're REALLY making.

I understand that. I commute everyday to work in DC for the government. But to find a job in Southern Maryland that is comparable to what I do I have to take a huge paycut, I also carpool with someone, and take a commuter bus home in the evenings three nights out of the week so that takes care of the gas and the wear-n-tear on my car. I prolly spend just as much as you do on gas and wear-n-tear because the commuter bus picks up at the end of the road that I live on in Mechanicsville, and that's also where the kiss-n-ride is. But I do spend about 2.5-3 hours on the road everyday going to work. I would love to find a job in the county but to work on base it seems you have to have to be a veteran or former military, or work for the feds, I work for DC government, not the federal government, so I can't apply for any of those positions. The base does no good if it can't employ the residents of the county who are not military transplants.

 

[Toxick]

Re: Re: Re: Blah, blah, blah.....

Originally posted by cityboy
I understand that. I commute everyday to work in DC for the government

I heard one time nigh-on several years ago that the DC Metro was supposed to branch off to Waldorf.


Anyone else ever hear that? Any truth to it?


Man - if I could park in Waldorf and take the Metro to DC, I'd take a job up there in a heartbeat.

 

[czygvtwkr]

Sorry to offend but people I know with real degrees (Computer Science or Computer Engineering from an ABET accredited school) are doing very well and still in high demand. Those that took the easy route are now getting paid what their degree is really worth.

 

[jazz lady]

Originally posted by czygvtwkr
Sorry to offend but people I know with real degrees (Computer Science or Computer Engineering from an ABET accredited school) are doing very well and still in high demand. Those that took the easy route are now getting paid what their degree is really worth.

What do you not consider REAL degrees? Are you talking strictly government employment or IT hiring in general?

 

[mainman]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Blah, blah, blah.....

Originally posted by Toxick
I heard one time nigh-on several years ago that the DC Metro was supposed to branch off to Waldorf.


Anyone else ever hear that? Any truth to it?


Man - if I could park in Waldorf and take the Metro to DC, I'd take a job up there in a heartbeat.

As crowded as Waldorf is now, I could not even begin to imagine how much more it would be...

 

[czygvtwkr]

Originally posted by jazz lady
What do you not consider REAL degrees? Are you talking strictly government employment or IT hiring in general?

IT in general.

Some of my college friends that got CS and CpE degrees 4 years ago when I got my degree are now pulling in over $150k. Of course they do things like program in C++ and help design computer chips.....not plug in a network card or scan a document.

 

[cityboy]

A real degree?

So what is considered a real degree? Are you talking about people who go to community colleges or accredited business colleges? Some people can't afford or do not have the option to go to a state university, or private university. You do what you have to do. Not everyone has dual income parents to pay for their college, or grandparents who are sitting on mountains of cash, so I would think about what you just wrote. A degree is nothing more then paper no matter where you go paper is paper. Its what you learned in college whether it came from Southern Maryland College or Johns Hopkins.

 

[jazz lady]

Originally posted by czygvtwkr
IT in general.

Some of my college friends that got CS and CpE degrees 4 years ago when I got my degree are now pulling in over $150k. Of course they do things like program in C++ and help design computer chips.....not plug in a network card or scan a document.

Gotcha.

But it also has to do with what skills you have. People with hot DB skills like Oracle and SQL*Server or Web development, especially Java, pull in that much, too. A lot of them don't have a CS degree, either.