Work outside IT

[TheBigYinJames]

The grass is always greener and all that. IT contracting pays pretty well on the whole. Once my monthly outgoings are down a bit more, I might consider a change, but I have a strong suspicion they'd just get replaced by different outgoings.

IT is generally easy and pays really well for the effort put in. I think where it suffers is that it is generally inconsequential and badly understood (and thus not respected) by people generally. There's not very much 'honourable' about writing a credit card transaction system for a shop that sells treadmills, or a data access layer for an application which processes MoT renewals. Being paid well is a great compensation but it doesn't really help with this 'worthiness gap'

[Bagpuss]

I remember a flat I lived in once where the khazi broke. I poked my head around the door to see the plumber there with the floor absolutely covered in poo and him as well with it all the way up to his elbows.

I remember thinking “No amount of money can be worth that”…

A job where you def need to consider wearing a good aftershave

[Marina]

Everyone fancied being a roofer all of a sudden!

How about a thatcher? You see lots of thatched houses around, and I've heard there's a desperate shortage. Can't be that hard, once you get the knack of it. That's assuming you can still get the straw.

P.S. I wonder if anyone has considered designing fire-resistant mould-retardant waterproof artificial straw?

[voodooflux]

I'm a geek so I love computers and enjoy working with them. Don't enjoy many things about corporate environments though.

Can you see yourself doing something else one day, or is this it?

An interesting question, and one I've been pondering myself recently. Like yourself I'm a total geek and I still get a kick out of what I do (creating software and websites) when the respective project is busy, and when the work is quiet/dull I find time to read around and pick up new stuff - that's the great thing about this business, there's always something new coming along.

I really can't see myself doing anything else for the forseeable future - I need the creative/technical challenge and I can't think of any other line of work that would be as fulfilling in that respect.

I probably need to get out more.

[Platypus]

How about a thatcher? You see lots of thatched houses around, and I've heard there's a desperate shortage. Can't be that hard, once you get the knack of it. That's assuming you can still get the straw.

Apparently, not well paid though. Even in my expensive and extensively thatched neck of the woods.

[VectraMan]

It's not the trade that makes you rich, it's running a successful business. Your trade can be a good starting point for that; but if you're any good at business, why aren't you already running one in IT?

I agree. And if you can do the work yourself, IT is a very low risk way of starting a business. All you need is a couple of hundred quid for equipment and software, £20 per month for an internet connection with webspace, and then your only problem is not personally running out of cash whilst you do the work.

I always have the dream of the software product that sells itself on the internet: nothing to ship, no customer service, just sit back and watch the cash roll in. The funamental problem with being a plumber, contractor, or any other kind of personal service, is that you're always going to need to work to generate money.

[Platypus]

Anyone had any thoughts about moving in to non IT careers?

When I grow up I want to be a postie. Obviously not for the money.

[voodooflux]

When I grow up I want to be a postie. Obviously not for the money.

For the uniform?

[Lucy]

It's not the trade that makes you rich, it's running a successful business. Your trade can be a good starting point for that; but if you're any good at business, why aren't you already running one in IT?

The bit I forgot, he invented some plumbing tool, that's what made him what was considered to be 'rich' back then.

[Platypus]

The fundamental problem with being a plumber, contractor, or any other kind of personal service, is that you're always going to need to work to generate money.

Quite so: there are only X hours in the week so your income is always limited.

I've often wondered if you need a "killer app" to make a fortune, or just some piece of nonsense you can sell to Daily Express readers for £20 a shot.

e.g. I cobbled up some code which generates pub quizzes, for my own use. Mentioned it to a fellow IT worker who remarked "blimey you could sell that and make money!". I remain sceptical.