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This is just only a thought. I have been working hard in a company for less than 35k but where I was living, life expenses are not as high as the US so I could say I don´t have a bad salary after all. I worked 12 hours a day, it was my first job so I can´t afford to fail because was this job or nothing else. This is not life, I didn´t have free time, my life was reduced to wake up, breakfast, go to the office at 08.00 a.m. and stay there working until 09.00 p.m or later, then have dinner and sleep. The next day I had the same routine on tuesday, wednesday, thursday and even fridays. I even had to work at home some weekends but I was unable to wake up early on weekends as I suffered back pain and terrible headaches. Unfortunately, I can't keep this routine more than a year. This is the life you want? Come on, there are more interesting things to do. We are humans not machines.
Average Americans by and large are too lazy and don't think education is important. They can't really be competitive in the global economy. The exception is people gifted with naturally high IQs.
And by lazy and uncompetitive I mean starting at the grade school level. Kids in Vietnam, a 3rd world country, know more about math and computer science by the time they are in junior high than most "professional" adults working in IT in the USA. In comparison, American kids the same age are still crying because the school cafeteria doesn't offer pizza every day. Their parents aren't helping matters. Local parents generally rout the school boards to make sure their kids have LESS homework and studying to do.
I see the OP is in Minnesota, which is a backwater for software development in the first place. Want to meet a bunch of 45 year old software engineers in the Twin Cities? Just go to the REI in Bloomington or Roseville... because that's where they are working.
Your best bet for career longevity is to get an IT manager job with the state government or a federal agency operating in the state like the TSA or DNR. Or even better, get out of IT completely and just get some other government manager job.
Last edited by Chompy Omega; 03-11-2016 at 12:18 PM..
you are completely correct. however in the USA we blame the worker who lost their job instead of the government and employer who created this situation and continue to support it.
We have sold out 90% of the population.
We have no social safety net worth speaking of.
We have limited healthcare.
we have highly costly education creating a roadblock.
But worst of all, worst of all, WE BLAME the victims. We blame them and tell them to "git gud".
The lack of empathy for our fellow Americans is undoing 200 years of hard work.
Your children, My children face a future where the vast majority well be much worse off than their parents.
You don't network through social media firstly... that is to stay connected, at least how I use it
I network in person or Internet. Internet, I join groups/forums and just contribute or talk and get to know people. Same way I do it in person, I go to group meets/events and just get to know people.
In IT space, I heard using GitHub to post your works, be active doing who knows what? Artists used deviantart a while back but I lost contact with what they do. I think performing artists use YouTube mostly now.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ccm123
By keeping your skills current, keeping your skills marketable, networking and staying abreast of the latest technology. It's not any guarantee (there are no guarantee's in life), but it will surely help you stay more competitive. Technology becomes outdated quickly, and education along with being flexible is a great equalizer.
Build relationships with people, by attending job related functions, such as trade shows and conferences.
Be widely known in your industry as a SME (Subject Matter Expert). Keep in touch with old colleagues, professors, vendors, classmates and customers. Help them out and they will do the same! Use LinkedIn to connect and network.
Don't "compete". The best thing ANY American do is find an activity that provides an income without being an employee. Get over the idea you are required to serve an organization or "boss" and do it on your own.
Only loser US CEOs complain about Americans not being able to compete. I am an American, and compete just fine. I do this by thinking harder than my competition. Not working harder.
Today, too many Americans are preoccupied with hating on boogeymen like the 1% to be competitive. On top of that, they lust for the past, and dread the future. Yuck. No wonder this country is rotting.
Only loser US CEOs complain about Americans not being able to compete. I am an American, and compete just fine. I do this by thinking harder than my competition. Not working harder.
Today, too many Americans are preoccupied with hating on boogeymen like the 1% to be competitive. On top of that, they lust for the past, and dread the future. Yuck. No wonder this country is rotting.
You Are making way too much sense to bebposting on CD.
Only loser US CEOs complain about Americans not being able to compete. I am an American, and compete just fine. I do this by thinking harder than my competition. Not working harder.
Today, too many Americans are preoccupied with hating on boogeymen like the 1% to be competitive. On top of that, they lust for the past, and dread the future. Yuck. No wonder this country is rotting.
I think this is pretty much it. Just be better than your competition, and you will make it.
I'm an immigrant myself, but never was paid less than my american-born IT co-workers. Having become a citizen long time ago, I've worked with other immigrants and H1B workers. What I've seen is mostly "best worker wins", but maybe I was just lucky with extremely fair employers .
I started working as a consultant a few months ago, and I deal with client's data. There are plenty of businesses who don't want people outside of the US handling their sensitive data. So, even though my role is not customer facing, I feel like my job is pretty secure. Still, I'm determined to become the best I can be at this job, because that is the only way to stay competitive!
American pride, arrogance, lust for war, ethnocentric/tribal values and lack of global awareness will be it's downfall.
When you put more priority on professional athletes/celebs/unearned wealth over education/hard work ethic/learning a trade, you know the ship will be sinking.
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