Reply to: Anyone see that programme last night?

[sasguru]

I don't think they will, and I don't mean that specifically in GJ's case. A whole sub-section/layer call it what you want of jobs have gone offshore from the UK IT industry. They ain't coming back in our life-time. The affect is that there are rafts of people that are unable to find work and are unable to re-train into other areas.

WHS. And you definitely get discriminated against when you're 40 if you're a techie. I've done it myself when hiring - Lets say I have a 40 year old who wants £50K and has been in IT for 20 years but has 5 years of the relevant technology. Or I have a 27 year old who has just the 5 years of the the relavent technology but wants £35K. The extra value provided by the older bloke is unlikely to be £15K worth if he's just a a techie.

[oracleslave]

Try to keep positive, things will improve.

I don't think they will, and I don't mean that specifically in GJ's case. A whole sub-section/layer call it what you want of jobs have gone offshore from the UK IT industry. They ain't coming back in our life-time. The affect is that there are rafts of people that are unable to find work and are unable to re-train into other areas.

[SuperZ]

A bit harsh! The guy was in his 50's with 2 young kids living in a leafy Surrey suburb, probably a little late to start learning C++ to save his family home and lifestyle.

If computers disappeared tomorrow most people on here would be driving cabs, it's not easy to completely change direction. Take it from someone who knows, I have to compete with people in their 20's where I'm near 40 with only 7 years IT experience. For the first time in my life I think I am being discriminated against because of my age.

Personally I think you've been a bit unlucky, and I don't think 40 is an age for discrimination to come into it.
Try to keep positive, things will improve.

[cojak]

All of the people on the programme were lifers in their chosen fields, when they were hoyed out, they were fish out of water. They had all done over 20 years in these jobs and thought they'd be there for life.

One guy the "Middle East Sales Manager" kept bursting into tears every 5 minutes. I kept shouting at the TV, "Grow a pair mate! FFS! Get off the floor and start punching!" No wonder no-one wanted to employ that sap.
His wife had more balls than him, she started a business straight away putting on live music for private functions.
He ended up driving a cab.

Thanks all,

Sounds to me like I made the right decision...

[Doggy Styles]

These people hadn't had any of that for 20 odd years so it must have come as a bit of a shock frankly.

It certainly does. That's an argument against permiedom, and against long (2 years plus) contracts as well.

You lose the edge. Or never get the edge if you've just been ejaculated from a cosy 'job for life' after 20 years.

[gingerjedi]

I don't think my comments were harsh, just truthful. I admired all the people on that programme, from the Journalist who lost his job, the car workers who had the balls to stand up to their former company and were rewarded with a decent payout. The builder who left his family to go and get a job on the oil rigs and always kept his sense of humour. I think most impressive were the children of these people, who despite the huge pressure they were under always had a positive outlook.
I think in the contracting sphere we operate in, maybe you get used to the constant knockbacks, you just ignore it and just keep punching till you get something. These people hadn't had any of that for 20 odd years so it must have come as a bit of a shock frankly.

I forgot about him, I loved the bit when the jobcentre women typed in 'journalist' on her search tool which returned 0 results, she then said that when this happens the best thing to do was to widen the field of the search which returned 0 results.

[GCR99]

A bit harsh! The guy was in his 50's with 2 young kids living in a leafy Surrey suburb, probably a little late to start learning C++ to save his family home and lifestyle.

If computers disappeared tomorrow most people on here would be driving cabs, it's not easy to completely change direction. Take it from someone who knows, I have to compete with people in their 20's where I'm near 40 with only 7 years IT experience. For the first time in my life I think I am being discriminated against because of my age.

I don't think my comments were harsh, just truthful. I admired all the people on that programme, from the Journalist who lost his job, the car workers who had the balls to stand up to their former company and were rewarded with a decent payout. The builder who left his family to go and get a job on the oil rigs and always kept his sense of humour. I think most impressive were the children of these people, who despite the huge pressure they were under always had a positive outlook.
I think in the contracting sphere we operate in, maybe you get used to the constant knockbacks, you just ignore it and just keep punching till you get something. These people hadn't had any of that for 20 odd years so it must have come as a bit of a shock frankly.

[original PM]

surely if he was decent sales manager he would have sold more and so kept his job......

[gingerjedi]

All of the people on the programme were lifers in their chosen fields, when they were hoyed out, they were fish out of water. They had all done over 20 years in these jobs and thought they'd be there for life.

One guy the "Middle East Sales Manager" kept bursting into tears every 5 minutes. I kept shouting at the TV, "Grow a pair mate! FFS! Get off the floor and start punching!" No wonder no-one wanted to employ that sap.
His wife had more balls than him, she started a business straight away putting on live music for private functions.
He ended up driving a cab.

A bit harsh! The guy was in his 50's with 2 young kids living in a leafy Surrey suburb, probably a little late to start learning C++ to save his family home and lifestyle.

If computers disappeared tomorrow most people on here would be driving cabs, it's not easy to completely change direction. Take it from someone who knows, I have to compete with people in their 20's where I'm near 40 with only 7 years IT experience. For the first time in my life I think I am being discriminated against because of my age.

[GCR99]

'Jobless'

It's been mentioned in Business/Contracts but I'm surprised it hasn't cropped up here.

What did you think (I didn't watch it)?

All of the people on the programme were lifers in their chosen fields, when they were hoyed out, they were fish out of water. They had all done over 20 years in these jobs and thought they'd be there for life.

One guy the "Middle East Sales Manager" kept bursting into tears every 5 minutes. I kept shouting at the TV, "Grow a pair mate! FFS! Get off the floor and start punching!" No wonder no-one wanted to employ that sap.
His wife had more balls than him, she started a business straight away putting on live music for private functions.
He ended up driving a cab.

[Spacecadet]

No - cojak was referring to "Jobless"

will have to catch up on iPlayer!

[Spacecadet]

Yeah, I watched it - had it on in the background.

Handy how the four 'celebs' each had different emotions towards the task - similar to all the emotions real jobless people experience.

Real or setup?

well edited like most "reality" tv

[TheFaQQer]

I might have got my wires crossed, I was talking about this:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/tv-and-rad...ebrity-tourism

No - cojak was referring to "Jobless"

[Clippy]

I might have got my wires crossed, I was talking about this:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/tv-and-rad...ebrity-tourism

Yeah, I watched it - had it on in the background.

Handy how the four 'celebs' each had different emotions towards the task - similar to all the emotions real jobless people experience.

Real or setup?

[Spacecadet]

I thought it was a broad spectrum, the guy from the printer firm was 'middle east sales manager'.

I might have got my wires crossed, I was talking about this:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/tv-and-rad...ebrity-tourism