To think that computing/IT is a poor career choice?

[iamarobot]

Hi,

In terms of earning potential and barrier to entry, is IT as a career path really a bad one in 2011? I see the news report that there is a shortage, and then there is a story about Indians being shipped in by foreign companies. It's a shame really, as I quite like computers. Maybe I should take a look at the green energy careers leaflet i have around here somewhere....:s

I hope not, DH is in IT and I am a SAHM. He works for a financial services firm in the city. It means that he works long hours but gets really interesting work and good salary/bonuses. But he was at a software company on leaving uni and the pay was rubbish. Moving into the City got him the money. He's been at the same firm for 10 years, progressed really well and does a job he loves. He is not really that techy (well, not compared to some I know). Before we had kids and he was a contractor he earned mega bucks. When I was in HR looking after IT (only a couple of years ago) I used to swoon at some of the day rates we were paying contractors - and they all got 6 month+ contracts.

I would say it is like most jobs, dependent on the sector you are working in for salary/perks. I was HR and earnt lots in the city. Same job in local government would have been £30k less.

YABVU dh is a software engineer and is the main breadwinner with a decent salary. He is very good at what he does though and loves programming.

We are trying to convince DS (year 11 and thinking about A level choices) that ICT A level is worthless WRT studying comp sci at uni, or as a vocational subject unless he is prepared to teach himself. Even his ICT teacher has told him in no uncertain terms he MUST have A level maths, and ideally further maths to study the subject at uni. He is not at all good at maths, and really wants to do ICT because he enjoys it, but it's not an academic subject and won't help him career-wise unless he starts work at 18 in a more "hands-on" field of IT.

DH had also stressed to him that many people in IT TOTALLY adore what they do. They are obsessive about it. DH is like this - he has never been able to conceive of doing anything else for a living and has been producing commercial work since he was about 14 (computer games!). If you don't really love it, you'll struggle.

My Dad worked with computers right for the start - he was a hard ware engineer and like someone said worked with computers when they were punch card and huge main frames !

DH works in IT, and loves it.

His earning potential dwarfs my own by so many multiples I've literally been in tears on more than one occasion when I feel slightly taken advantage of.

It's not that I'm badly paid, but his earning potential is so much greater.

But then he did study at university for several years, including a postgraduate qualification, and he's actively involved in the British Computer Society. He mentors 2 juniors at work too.

However, as other posters have said - there is a clear distinction when it comes to earning power / potential for a career between what you mean by "IT".

Writing software, developing websites, digital design, search engine optimisation, research and development, network design, games development, being a software tester, consultancy = career.

Being the IT dogsbody that "knows about computers" in your average office, or working on the lower rungs of IT support desk, = not a career.

That is the key element that you need to remember.

It's just like any other profession.

Would you call the software consultant with 20 years of blue chip experience or a network engineer responsible for 5 national offices comprising 10k workstations in the same league as ... I don't know... say, the office junior that gets the printer working? I should think not. And therefore the salary commanded and ability to move ranks (and level of stress/responsibility) is similarly not the same.

You can't just say "working in IT" - thats like saying "I work in an office"! It's far too vague.

Wheeel... I think it has changed, and a lot of responses you will get are from adults in IT whose careers evolved along paths that are no longer available. So if you're asking: "will a student choosing IT now be glad they made that choice in 20 years' time?" - well, who knows? I don't, they wouldn't even let me into IT if I were graduating now. The only thing we know about IT in 20 years from now is it will probably bear no resemblance whatsoever to what is out there at the moment. So yes, if you look at that as a glass half full, it's a risky choice. And riskier, because if you are taking a technical path then it's a constant fight to get the projects and training which keep you up to date with the best-paid skills: very easy to end up in a backwater of obsolete technology and at that point yes, career opportunities will pass you by and it's a difficult situation to get out of.

On the other hand, with the right choices you can make very reasonable money, though you have to remember it's a service industry and you will be paid according to how deep the pockets are of the industry you are servicing. I took the view that there's always money in banking, and banks are just big computers, therefore though there will be ups and downs in the industry on average the financial systems sector will always be well paid. If I'd decided that banking was boring and ended up writing systems for the nhs instead, it probably would have been no more interesting but it definitely would have been worse paid.

Too vague a question. You might as well say "office work"

I agree with PigletJohn.

I also don't believe that you are really asking if you are being unreasonable. What do you actually want to know?

its lucrative, if you're up to it. I'm cr*p at it, but I could still earn plenty if I chose ( I dont choose that, I chose to get a poorly paid job that a muppet could do which lets me work part time and close to home) Even what I do now - software testing - I could earn £35k if I chose to take a full time role in Cambridge, for instance. I was originally a developer (pre-kids - when I had some brain cells left) and my peers are on a LOT more than that. I am on a lot less, but my choice. I wasnt a very good developer, but having spent many years in the industry I know how things work and understand the code even if I no longer write it, and this helps make me a decent tester. I dont get the job satisfaction, but I do get to pick up my DS1 from school 2 days a week!

My dp writes code and loves his job.He's always been employed,higher tax band and there is always plenty of work out there when he looks.His sister and bil in IT are absolutely loaded(mortgage free and will prob retire at 50) due to specific skills(they have no qualifications unlike dp who has 2 degrees and various qualifications).The key is to pick a language in demand and keep one step ahead.

Having said that I couldn't work in IT if my life depended on it. Nobody should do it unless they're naturally blessed with an IT brain-I'm not.

LapsedPacifist, that's an interesting point you raise.

DH is a mentor for a couple of junior graduates at work and he's said pretty much the same thing - that some people try to enter into the IT market because of massively unrealistic preconceptions about what's needed.

An example is that DH does a lot of the 2nd level interviews at work, and some of the roles they recruit for aren't specifically techically focused... I don't know much but I do know he's mentioned stuff like business analyst and sort of client-facing analysis roles... that sort of thing.. like inbetween programmers and the clients.

So they recruit people NOT with software engineering, comp sci, engineering, hard science degrees - it's much broader.

And the amount of people that turn up to the interviews with a non-technical degree and answer the questions about "why do you want to work in a blue chip IT company" with something like "oh I've always been really good at using Word" or some other such thing is shocking. They genuinely think that if they can understand how to fix a computer or use a standard office software package it's enough computer knowledge to blag it into an analyst role.

and that is something that a-level IT and the softer introductions to "working in IT" is to blame for. the reality doesn't match expectations.

I have had to listen to a fair few rants about this veyr subject at the dinner table - usually when my youngest brother is around as he's also in IT. Sigh!! But sometimes it can be interesting to hear that they'd rather hire someone with some technical knowledge into a non-technical role because they can learn client-facing stuff, rather than interview loads of totally inappropriate non-technicals that just don't get what it's all about.

Do any of you IT experts know how to get a job in the US?We fancy a stint abroad and dp's skills(banking) seem to be in demand but it's like looking for a needle in a haystack when you look for jobs that will sponsor a visa.

But MrsHeffley that's kind of the point a lot of posters have been making.

Saying your DH is in the banking sector in IT is kind of too vague.

Is he a programmer? Is he a designer who focuses on digital contracts? Maybe a website coder? Is he a search engine optimisation expert? Does he have 10 years in software testing? Has his career been in IT training or technical copy writing?

Give some specifics!

You wouldn't say "My DH works in medicine, how can he get a job", would you?

He writes code.Sorry it's like another language to me,all means nothing.He told me all his different titles over the years but have to admit to me he just works in IT sorry.

Lapsed thats wrong my dh has a Computer Sciences BSc and did not well at Maths A level. He said you don't need to have Maths what a load of rubbish.

Yabu, it's a great career choice with lots of potential. Think you need to do some more research.

My dh is obsessed by writing code, he first wrote a programme for the BBC micro when he was 7 . I cannot stand it, but yes his earning potential dwarfs my own I am afraid.

My dh has said that that IT (hardwar, plugging in computers and sorting out hardware issues) is rubbish and there really isn't any career path to it, the earning potential is not that good, but software developing and web design is where the big money is.

mrsheffey get a job in the UK with a company with a US parent or subsidiary. After a year, and if you meet some reasonably tough criteria, they can sponsor you for an L1 visa to transfer to the US branch.

The chance of getting a sponsored H1B these days is very low unless you have either extremely specialised skills or you work for an outsourcing company (who generally recruit from India for obvious reasons.)

You do know that you can work anywhere in the EU without a visa? Germany, Sweden and Finland all have booming IT job markets.

piglet software development is part of IT. What you are describing is being a hardware technician. It is skilled manual labour and pays appropriately. It is not what most people think of when they think of a career as IT.

Wow....and the thread continues to baffle me. As a principal level programmer with 11 years, who has had significant management responsibility too including contract negotiation with massive companies, I've never even been into the higher tax bracket.

Please tell me all of you eulogising about the money work in London. Please. Otherwise I think I'm going to scream. And before you ask, I'm male. I really must have had the piss taken out of me!

"11 years, who has had significant management responsibility too including contract negotiation with massive companies, I've never even been into the higher tax bracket."

You are the type of person my DH loves to find.

What has been holding you back?

Please look objectively. Are you able to move around as needed, or have your skills become obsolete? Two common ones (talking to DH as I'm reading the latest replies here.)

There must be a reason, because on paper you look like a fine senior employee. What's the reason your pay packet doesn't reflect that?

maybe you work in the public sector?

maybe your employer is exploiting you?

maybe you need to change jobs?

maybe you aren't very good?

(sorry!)

p.s. we're not in London. north of England, if that counts (but DH does a lot) of travelling, with regular flights to Bristol to the dept HQ - at least once a month).

Errrr Cheryl dp is in Devon(only just in the HT band and must have one of the very few jobs paying well down here) but he could get double what he gets in London.We're considering him doing a London stint and coming back at weekends.

All you lady IT people did you know there is an EU grant for training to encourage more women,dp is mighty hacked off about it(he feels discriminated ) but I thought you all may be interested.