State of the Market

[SchumiStars]

This is one of the reasons why IT is such a hard sport. Having to keep skills up to date.

I remember coming out of a long contract and everyone was using Git repos. It took me a long time to understand how to use it effectively. Even now, I struggle with merge conflicts.

Although it does look as if I'll be retiring early at this rate anyhow. October, 2026, round the corner and market is flat.

[jamesbrown]

Yeah, I think to be a succesful contractor you need to go one of 2 ways. 1. Some out of date, hard to find niche skill, that is still in demand because there are still enough systems using it in big enough companies that will pay well for the skill or 2. Some cutting edge skill that is in demand but hardly anyone else does it yet. In between you don't have an edge in the market.

I guess 1 is your Z-Systems or Cobol for Billy.
2 might be latest AI stuff.

Java used to be 2, but these days its almost ready to become a 1!

Or perhaps consider the world outside of bloody IT .

[willendure]

Yeah, I think to be a succesful contractor you need to go one of 2 ways. 1. Some out of date, hard to find niche skill, that is still in demand because there are still enough systems using it in big enough companies that will pay well for the skill or 2. Some cutting edge skill that is in demand but hardly anyone else does it yet. In between you don't have an edge in the market.

I guess 1 is your Z-Systems or Cobol for Billy.
2 might be latest AI stuff.

Java used to be 2, but these days its almost ready to become a 1!

[malvolio]

I spent 20 years working on niche systems with niche languages. Those skills brought me steady work with diverse clients including McDonalds, Lockheed Aerospace, stock exchanges, banks and even a trucking company. When I came to Europe from Canada most companies were in the process of sunsetting those system except for the banks.

When the banks started sunsetting systems based on my skillset I had no choice but to focus on a niche area of business instead. My old niche skills are no longer mentioned on my CV and years of working in a niche part of banking have kept me busy ever since. Except for about 4 months in the last 10 years, I've been busy the whole time.

You can't rely on technical skills forever, especially with massive foregin competition that will work for peanuts. If you have decades in the IT industry, your value increases parimarily with business knowledge.

I agree, actually. When I realised I was on my fifth language and ninth operating system I deliberately moved into business consultancy and service architecture. I kept up with the tech, but only as a set of capabilities. Leave the detail to the experts!

[herman_g]

But then you work on archaic systems and dead languages. Such skills are obviously both rare and in demand. So hardly typical of the bulk of IT people.

I spent 20 years working on niche systems with niche languages. Those skills brought me steady work with diverse clients including McDonalds, Lockheed Aerospace, stock exchanges, banks and even a trucking company. When I came to Europe from Canada most companies were in the process of sunsetting those system except for the banks.

When the banks started sunsetting systems based on my skillset I had no choice but to focus on a niche area of business instead. My old niche skills are no longer mentioned on my CV and years of working in a niche part of banking have kept me busy ever since. Except for about 4 months in the last 10 years, I've been busy the whole time.

You can't rely on technical skills forever, especially with massive foregin competition that will work for peanuts. If you have decades in the IT industry, your value increases parimarily with business knowledge.

[malvolio]

Well, this old ticker's still coining 700/day.

But then you work on archaic systems and dead languages. Such skills are obviously both rare and in demand. So hardly typical of the bulk of IT people.

[sadkingbilly]

It's not coming back.

I read that youtubers contributed £2billion or something to the economy.

Why would the gvnmt want to help us old timers out?

Face it boys we are grandfather clocks in a digital, crypto world.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.bbc...knpm6v36go.amp

Well, this old ticker's still coining 700/day.

[SchumiStars]

It's not coming back.

I read that youtubers contributed £2billion or something to the economy.

Why would the gvnmt want to help us old timers out?

Face it boys we are grandfather clocks in a digital, crypto world.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.bbc...knpm6v36go.amp

[sadkingbilly]

I'm turning stuff down, weekly.
just sayin'

[avonleigh]

You made your decisions, and you have to accept and live with the consequences.

Used to say that a lot during my first marriage :-)