MarieM wrote:This whole thread has been interesting and eye-opening.
Re: the thread and corporate environment: One of my kids is totally a team player and is doing well in a corporate environment. He loves his cube, his benefits and his employer-issued laptop. He's doing a great job and has been recruited by his employer's vendors. His brother just shakes his head and goes his own way.
I think myself and one/some of your sons are around the same age. I loved working at SAP, but a downside for me was the type of people I worked with ... it was very 'love or hate'. I fit into the 'hate' in my team I guess? Other teams I worked with were great though, so I can't really point to one item and address it as the problem with myself or the company.
Similar to BK's past, I now work for a company where I feel part of a family. I speak to the Director of Tech and the CIO here and there and I really put myself out there and I'm recognized. Although the company I work for now is much smaller than SAP so it's easy to get that family feel. I actually would feel guilty if I had to leave ... that's how nice my work environment is.
andyzee wrote:My belief for the longest time has been that IT is turning into modern day sweat shops. Yes, you get paid pretty good, and you don't get dirty, but conditions are crap in other ways. Ridiculesly long hours, comp time you can't use, constant fear of outsourcing, project becoming more and more stressful, work queues building to the point that you can never finish it all. I'm just amazed that the term "gone postal" hasn't changed to "gone IT" If ever there was a reason for the return of unions, it's IT.
I partially agree. It depends upon the industry, your goals, career path, etc. Primarily most of the points you're making pertain to individuals within development, software development, etc. In my role I support internal customers so I really don't fear outsourcing. Some days and weeks are killers and some weeks are really slow, it depends what problems arise. Various projects are always going on, but it's nothing big enough to require me to work over 40 hours.
On the other hand people that choose to be consultants and/or contractors often get the shorter end of the stick, but they're paid rather well (normally) so there are comprimises that have to be made.
A buddy of mine was a coder for Lockheed and quit not too long ago. He was being paid $50K a year out of college (that's average) and putting in 60+ hours a week and worked weekends. He was always pushing to meet deadlines and just couldn't cut it. I think this is what you're thinking of andy. You have to remember though that IT is an extremely large field and generalizations don't always hold true across the industry.
I don't get paid highly above average, but for what I do and the amount of work I put in, I get paid very well. It all depends on the individual and what they feel is important.
andyzee wrote:With regards to outsourcing to India, how is someone sittling at a keyboard or a phone in India, any different than an illegal immigrant sitting in the US? Laws need to be changed accordingly.
First of all, no one from mexico is coming over here as a skilled worker, much less with a degree or computer experience of any sort. Assuming an illegal could troubleshoot computers and help customers, we'd see the same problem with illegal mexican reps as we do indian reps.