July 29, 2008 at 9:51 am
I disagree w/ Someguy's assessment that the dot com bust was due to outsourcing, I believe it was growing at an unsustainable rate and a correction was inevitable. Not to say that outsourcing hasn't hurt IT in the US, however, many corporations are starting to find out that paying less for outsourced work does not save money long term due to hidden costs.
This is my 21st year in IT & I'm in one of the worst geographic economical areas in the country, Detroit, where I have worked for & contracted to a dozen companies, maintaining a fairly steady employment history in a volatile market. Ten years ago, source code generators & report generators were going to make most s/w developers careers obsolete. I'm sure that one day this will happen, just like flying cars will one day be obsolete.
July 29, 2008 at 12:26 pm
I think most of the dot com bust was poorly built companies, ideas, and business plans. It was a lot of "if we build it, they will come".
Outsourcing seemed to be a result of the dot com bust. After 99/00, it seemed that more and more companies looked at it.
July 31, 2008 at 12:52 pm
Have we been prepared to handle change?
The formula in college is first a program of general classes and then later more specialty classes. The Microsoft certification I'm working on seems to run the same way. The Microsoft Certified Technical Specialist designation includes components that ensure breadth of knowledge. Then there's a choice of more in-depth specific topics. I think there's good reason for the "breadth and depth" formula. I think it produces more adaptable, creative people.
I've often heard complaints about the "breadth" part of the "breadth and depth" equation. Some seem to sleep through general ed, intent on waking up for the specific classes in their major. For some, the dollar signs seem to be attached to the "depth" end making it more attractive. I've heard some complain about "breadth" learning as less exciting. There's the desire to jump from general principles into specific applications. But beware. The analogy of "good foundation" has consistently been attached to "breadth" learning. Do you want your career to rest on a flimsy foundation?
I studied Economics and English in college and used to think of that as a disadvantage in the tech world. But I learned a lot of broad, foundational principles that I find I use all the time. I'm often the go-to person to troubleshoot tricky issues and I think studying logic and problem-solving in school gives me an edge.
I've found that there's a need for technical people to be able to communicate effectively and relate interpersonally with non-technical, business people. Here's another area where those general education classes come in handy.
I received an American public education which is quite a bit different than the classic education that only the priviledged classes used to receive. They learned Greek and Latin. I remind myself that it's never too late to fill holes. Some of the authors of classic literature, such as Edgar Allen Poe believe it or not, represent role models for me.
I think there are few of us who thoroughly understand the technologies we work with daily but rather operate on several layers of abstraction. One can only go so deep and so broad. There's the need for sign posts, advice, self-reflection and feedback. This is one reason why the forum format is worth reading and contributing to.
Yours,
Bill
Bill Nicolich: www.SQLFave.com.
Daily tweet of what's new and interesting: AppendNow
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