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That's because agencies commoditised it because they don't understand computing, only keyword searches. And HR bought the idea because they don't understand either.
You want C# SQL Java, we have it.
You want a good programmer?? We don't make moral judgements.....
True dat. Permie salaries haven't moved in well over a decade. I was on £55K as a permie in the late nineties and if anything the pay has fallen, but the cost of living has doubled easily.
That's because agencies commoditised it because they don't understand computing, only keyword searches. And HR bought the idea because they don't understand either.
I got into computing by accident. I was aiming to become an actuary or an accountant. Did a degree in maths and had to find a job for my third year (a sandwich course, not sure if you still get those but they rock!).
Ended up working at Lockheed Martin and was going to do the maths behind visor holograms for fighter pilots. Got there and everything had changed. They said 'can you program' I replied 'no' and they said 'here is a book on C++, learn to program because we need you to fix this software'.
I did not even know how to run developer studio at that point (I had to be shown as I have never seen Windows 95/NT before). I learned and eventually realised that I could make as much money programming as I could working as an actuary and have an awful lot less work to do too!
I reluctantly went back to university and could not wait to be done with the course and get back to being a software engineer.
Of the guys in my year from school only 2 of them were on more money than me before I started contracting and one of them was Shane Williams, the rugby player.