What makes you think I am still seeking advice? Despite your insults, I received some good input on this thread. I am all set, though others can feel free to chime in if they like. I will update this thread with my progress.
fan27
Looking to change jobs....here is my strategy
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fan27
so yesterday you were seeking advice, today you don't? You sound like the typical koolaid drinker in that you believe you deserve a higher salary with little to show for (as evidenced in your having to prepare 6 months for a simple job interview in an area of supposed expertise). You have the choice to be one of those (though you can't mix):
a) You are a snake oil sales man and make a living out of cheating others or at least overpromise and underdeliver. There are numerous people who make millions doing that. It may be legal, some may not be, at the very least its immoral and unethical, your choice.
b) You acquire a high degree of skills and training as well as work experience which makes you on a purely expertise level more competitive than others. You make yourself indispensable and do better than the next best applicant. Its not about looking smart here, its not even about working long hours (though it often correlates), but it is about getting the job done at a very high quality level.
c) You are a loser and be one of those many millions of those that are shuffled around on a daily basis by angry and depressed bosses, doing stuff they hate to do, working with coworkers they hate to work with, and then medicate their pathetic life with house, car, and other purchases or indulge in destructive behavior just in order to not have to think about their miserable life style.
Who are you and who do you want to be? If you want to be mediocre in many areas then go on hit your drums and hang around Florida and program alligator sighting software. If you believe you can be part of b) or want to be part of b) then you gotta start focusing. You can hate me for being blunt to you but its the most honest advice you will get here. Stop believing this American bullshit story that you can still get by with being mediocre (like all American parents tell even their retarded kids that they are the best). Sure you can but you will hate your life and be displeased with the results. You can't have it all. The choice is entirely yours.
a) You are a snake oil sales man and make a living out of cheating others or at least overpromise and underdeliver. There are numerous people who make millions doing that. It may be legal, some may not be, at the very least its immoral and unethical, your choice.
b) You acquire a high degree of skills and training as well as work experience which makes you on a purely expertise level more competitive than others. You make yourself indispensable and do better than the next best applicant. Its not about looking smart here, its not even about working long hours (though it often correlates), but it is about getting the job done at a very high quality level.
c) You are a loser and be one of those many millions of those that are shuffled around on a daily basis by angry and depressed bosses, doing stuff they hate to do, working with coworkers they hate to work with, and then medicate their pathetic life with house, car, and other purchases or indulge in destructive behavior just in order to not have to think about their miserable life style.
Who are you and who do you want to be? If you want to be mediocre in many areas then go on hit your drums and hang around Florida and program alligator sighting software. If you believe you can be part of b) or want to be part of b) then you gotta start focusing. You can hate me for being blunt to you but its the most honest advice you will get here. Stop believing this American bullshit story that you can still get by with being mediocre (like all American parents tell even their retarded kids that they are the best). Sure you can but you will hate your life and be displeased with the results. You can't have it all. The choice is entirely yours.
Yes around $150K. I don't see how anyone could misinterpret that since it's how new housing is marketed all the time. ("Pricing from the mid-200's!")
I'm a direct but I know the average software contractor up here is making *at least* $60/hour on the low end. $70/hour is closer to average.
sorry I misunderstood, I do not live in the US nor am I a native speaker. Thanks for clarifying.
They're everywhere now.....there's no escaping them. Approx 1 million came into the USA over the past 15 years.
Still pretty low when you consider there's no benefits in there...healthcare, retirement, vacation, sick time, paid leave, bonus, dental, disability. Someone with a $100k salary is actually getting a total package of $130-140k depending on the quality of the benefits.
If you try to cost-out those benefits as an individual contractor, they would cost nearly $50k annually.
Sure and in the same way as harvesters from Mexico. You are supposed to know more than vba excel and sql
Back in the day I knew contractors with no health insurance. (One poor bastard had a stroke and was wiped out financially - different story) Of course you can't do that now.
Last time I looked, family health insurance was around $1-2K/month depending on coverage. For a 2000 work hour year I was using an estimate of $10/hour just for health insurance.
Obviously contractors don't have 401K employer match but do have more expense deductions available than a direct.
Contractors also generally get paid for every hour they work where directs are generally straight salary with no OT.
Last time I looked, family health insurance was around $1-2K/month depending on coverage. For a 2000 work hour year I was using an estimate of $10/hour just for health insurance.
Obviously contractors don't have 401K employer match but do have more expense deductions available than a direct.
Contractors also generally get paid for every hour they work where directs are generally straight salary with no OT.
Volpunter- Just curious...if pursuing the most financially lucrative career in any field of computer science was the objective, what curriculcum/skill set would you advise a college freshman to pursue in order to position themselves well for the next decade or two? (putting aside one's passion/interest in a particular discipline)
This is a no-brainer: Project Management - get your PMA cert.
Stay away from programming and analysis. Leave that to the awks, the "mud men".