Wow.
After 7 years, 2 layoffs (both economically related), and nearly 2 years of unemployment (jobs not available for RPG coders in this area), I have been with a company for 2.5 years now and I'm just getting back up to $60K.
I made $68K 7 years ago, and I'll have to work here for at least 5 years to get back up to that level.
During my unemployment I searched the job boards, applied to all jobs within a 100 mile radius, and still got nothing. I got very lucky to find the job I did get.
Here's the things that I noticed:
1. Jobs being advertised , and when contacting the headhunting firm on the initial day of advertising, they already had people on second interviews. This practice happened to me a LOT. This was just a form of resume fishing, and really tends to piss one off.
2. Jobs being advertised where they wanted to have: An RPG programmer who was also an MCSE, who would manage operations of not just the As400, but all PC's, be a PC troubleshooter, etc. These listings were clearly designed to ask for so much that an american worker could not have all of the skills necessary to fill the job, thereby letting the company use an H1-B. I saw one job advertised on Dice that was so absurd that I couldn't believe it. It literally had
3. Jobs being advertised at extremely low salaries: Looking for a 10-12 year senior level position, $30k Salary. Also purposely underpriced to pre-reject an American.
4. Consulting jobs being posted where the rates were $25-30/hr all inclusive for travel. I did some consulting work in '97 and '98 and my rates back then were $60/hr and the going rate in my area was $85-100/hr. Consulting rates are still very depressed in the midwest, but are opening back up. But the number of consulting jobs are still only a fraction of what they once were.
5. Consulting jobs requiring an American to be on-site, while the same company used outsourced developers in Bangalore. The remote access double-standard just still baffles me.
Ok, there's my 2 cents worth. Again.
----- Original Message ----
From: Rich Rijnders <rich@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: Jon Paris <Jon.Paris@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>; "MIDRANGE-JOBS@xxxxxxxxxxxx" <MIDRANGE-JOBS@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Wednesday, November 28, 2007 12:26:13 PM
Subject: Re: [MIDRANGE-JOBS] MIDRANGE-JOBS Digest, Vol 5, Issue 184
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Ask them if they are looking for a "junior" or "intermediate" surgeon. Are
they going to start importing those right out of some foreign college who
will do the work for $10/hr?
On 11/28/07 11:15 AM, "Jon Paris" <Jon.Paris@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
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On 28-Nov-07, at 11:54 AM, Joe Pluta wrote:
I defy you to tell me there aren't skilled RPG programmers
available in the
US. And yet companies like TCS make tons of money providing
consultants for
RPG jobs.
Like Joe I have no interest in getting into the political aspects of
this discussion (both of us staying out probably balances the
political ying and yang <grin>) - but I would to like to make one
point that is so often missed in this debate.
I have found that the issue is _not_ a lack of skilled RPG
programmers - it is a lack of _affordable_** RPG programmers. I have
had many customers ask me how they can find junior and intermediate
RPG programmers to fill positions they have available.
I don't know what the answer to that is. I have suggested that they
contact local community colleges etc. but most are unwilling to take
on kids with no experience. It seems to be a catch-22 situation.
** "affordable" is in the eye of the beholder. One customer I know
in California is looking for an intermediate P/A - initial pay at
around $60K - but they can't find anyone at that salary level. I
would have said that was a reasonable amount for an intermediate
position but ...
Jon Paris
www.Partner400.com
www.SystemiDeveloper.com
midrange.com
