Re: -I- Greetings...

Emma Wignall <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
[snip]
> The experience I have, knowing a number of IT professionals working at
> various international companies in the UK is that many of them are using
> countries such as India for the majority of their design where they have
> many employees, but it is left to the UK/US sites to fix all of the mistakes
> and bad practices.  

unfortunately, corporations seem to be more concerned with cash flow and 
how the high-ups can skim off as much as possible without getting caught.  
and typically they don't know or care if the actual product is shoddy.  if 
they can trick people into buying it (and they can), it doesn't really 
matter.  and because IT is still relatively new and shrouded in mystery 
for your average joe, the customer thinks they have no right to expect 
anything better than what they get.  

> I can perfectly understand why companies would want to
> employ people from countries where lower wages can be paid but I don't think
> it's fair that there are (UK & other) sites whose employees are permanently
> at risk of being laid off if they don't manage to fix all of the bugs (which
> they didn't necessarily make) and get products released on time

if it makes you feel better, there are plenty of slackers in the west, 
too.  lots of people signed on for IT degrees for the money, and never 
really learned and/or had the right skills to do the right job.  or, you 
know, they just don't care as long as they can scrape by and get their 
paychecks.  not unlike the higher-ups, although they're selling out for a 
lot less.  my husband's been in this field since about '95, and he's 
worked with a lot of people who had no clue what they were doing.  one of 
the reasons he's stayed with his current job is that he has a small circle 
of competents and at least one other guy who's very good.  

> Sorry for the rant (I did warn you), just a little concerned about the
> future.

you're just a bit late is all.  a few years ago anyone who could struggle 
through html with a "for dummies" book could get hired at an outrageous 
salary, and now many of those jerks are ensconsed.  it's just that a *lot* 
of people jumped into IT at that point, and now you have to distinguish 
yourself from the endless sea of wankers in the field.  it sounds like 
you've done the right thing, trying to get some experience and actually 
learn things.  that's good!  eventually it will pay off, as long as you 
keep up.  and once you get your foot in the door, if you're actually doing 
a good job it will be noticed.

Aimee the Magdalene

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