Reply to: Permie salaries - In IT why would you ever accept them?

[scooterscot]

I recall graduates from our year in the mid-90's jumping on to the IT wagon like a gold rush. It's was like investing your life savings in a startup with no previous track record. Silly silly silly.

[lilelvis2000]

Salaries in software development suck.

... but you do it just to run on the spot and not make any career progress. (For most people programming turns out to be a dead-end job).

My best decisions have been

1. going contracting
2. getting out of programming

Amen brother. Now to keep the kids from getting into it.

[Cenobite]

What did you change to, if you don't mind my asking?

Business analysis: it's not been offshored to the same extent as programming yet.

[Zero Liability]

What did you change to, if you don't mind my asking?

[Cenobite]

Salaries in software development suck.

Every developer worth their salt is putting in a fair amount of self-study every week just to keep the job they've got. When I was permanent it was always: "here are some new technologies we're using, we can't afford to give you training or let you learn on the job, you'll have to do it in your personal time". I wouldn't have minded doing this if it meant you got anywhere, but you do it just to run on the spot and not make any career progress. (For most people programming turns out to be a dead-end job).

My best decisions have been

1. going contracting
2. getting out of programming

[Zero Liability]

Oh, are we doing the '40k is near poverty' thing again?

It's so cute how far removed from reality you are. Bless.

If we're talking about maximising your potential income, it may not be near poverty but I suppose the point is you could be doing better. Though I imagine 40k may not necessarily go that far if you're raising kids.

[lilelvis2000]

In almost any walk of life!

Except in Dentistry, Solicitor, Architect, bus driver, pilot, accountant, medical. I'd wager that IT is the most ageist profession after BBC News Presenter.

[AtW]

Oh, are we doing the '40k is near poverty' thing again?

Talking of which, what's the latest on that debt lady who had two B2Ls, restaurant, lots of debt and IT job - she used to write blog on BBC?

[vwdan]

Oh, are we doing the '40k is near poverty' thing again?

It's so cute how far removed from reality you are. Bless.

[scooterscot]

Goodness you guys need to find a new career in real engineering.

An income of less than <80k net and it's beans on toast time.

[oracleslave]

Permie jobs in consultancies seem to pay the best. The problem is you tend to get shipped everywhere from Redcar to Bournemouth and beyond on a weekly basis.

[stek]

I was on 60k perm in Leeds c2010 and that was a bit less net that I draw as the optimum now as a contractor. As perm I got hols, pension (tho that looked tulipe) and not much else.

As a contractor I get the same like I said, hols = bench time, pension = warchest, I know which I prefer......

Perm only lasted a year, fell out with boss but he was a twat....

[SpontaneousOrder]

Plus most people on 40K aren't actually very good (not that the 40k indicates so - but you get to that ceiling just by hanging around for n number of years), so contracting might not offer much more.

[PerfectStorm]

A lot of folks (me included) worked their way up- from the £10K (no dividends!) up through 12, 15, 20, 25, 28, 30 etc. - from THAT perspective, it's easy to see why people get to 40 and think "well, I've got by on less!"

Also there's the fear of striking out on your own and not knowing if you'll still have a job by Christmas. If you haven't got a safety net of money then "go contracting!" is easier said than done. It took some serious safety net for me to give it a go, and I'm glad I did.

[jamesbrown]

The head of software development would struggle to get £70K. Would be outsourced to a Bob for $10 an hour.

I think what would surprise people is how much non-IT is paying. For example a bricklayer gets £500 a day now.

Nice collection of random numbers.