From: dennis (dennis@stk.com)
Date: Wed Jun 09 1999 - 06:53:19 MDT
Terry:
Here's my 2 cents worth. I definitely don't agree with what Rob wrote. Going the
management route limits your employability, is no guarantee of higher wages, and
makes you the butt of pointy hair management Dilbert jokes.
I've seen 3 general ways to break the six figure barrier.
1. Stock options on a successful startup. You take home slightly less than an average
salary with a possible big payoff at the end (this entailing several years). I know some
people who have made between a quarter million and 2 million this way. The work
can be fascinating and challenging. You generally work on the cutting edge. This
is the route I've chosen, take a look at www.stk.com.
2. Work as a consultant on a popular in demand package. I have 2 friends who consult
on SAP software. One made 120K last year, the other leads 14 other consultants and
his income is way out there. The downside is the amount of travel. These people
are constantly on a jet.
3. Start your own successful company. This has the highest possible payback.
Many try, but the mix of skills and luck make this the most difficult to be successful at.
Those I know who have been successful, have good people and business skills in
addition to technical skills. And they are all workaholics.
Specific technical ability (JAVA versus C++ versus VB) is not as important as your ability
to learn needed technology in depth on your own and a good experience background. You will
switch languages several times in a 10 year period, but you must always use it to solve some
problem or perceived need. Figure out what you enjoy technically compared to the highest
paying skills in the national want ads, then go for it. All the financially successful people I know
have a common trait, persistance.
dennis ivey
http://www.stk.com
dennis@stk.com
Rob Harris Cen-IT wrote:
> > I have no formal programming training - I have a degree in worthless
> > Journalism and with a family I don't have time to go back to school
> > right now...
> >
> > Any advice? Comments? Etc?
> >
> >
> Yeah, don't learn Java or C++. Object orientation may not last much longer,
> so just read an entry level java book or something to familiarise yourself
> with the general concepts of OO just in case. The language isn't important -
> they're all very similar.
> VB is definitely the way to go, along with Access and Oracle. Don't worry
> about new de facto technology until it is at least on the horizon, just keep
> making your $70,000 (jammy git !).....
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