Me, Basket Case... Software Engineers, Best Job...

[DaveJ]

So software engineers have the best job in America.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40928038/ns/business-careers/

I've programmed about every day since before the dawn of the internet, and even a few years before then. Yet I'm THE loser who couldn't get a job that pays even the low end of the range is listed in every salary survey.

My current employer enticed me to stay by giving me a carrot-like raise recently, and assurances that I'm a key member of the team and their future, but meanwhile I can't afford to have kids, so I'm basically being weeded out of the gene pool, as I apparently am a defective member of the human species.

I'd ask more detailed questions, but I don't think there are any answers, like, WTF is going on? It seems I am the lowest paid programmer in America. Why doesn't MSNBC write an article about that? Oh, maybe I should check out their mentally deranged social section, since apparently I fit more squarely into that category. Why don't I get media attention????? "The One Guy Everyone Refuses to Hire for no Rational Reason" -- "How Does He Stay So Alienated???" -- "He Must Have Been Raised by Space Beings" -- "The Guy Everyone Loves to Watch Fail...."

Realistically, I can take care of myself. I don't need anything spoon fed to me. I think that the corporate world caters to a different personality type (trying to be polite). Whatever the case, everyone else gets considered first. Only after everything is perfect, EVERYTHING, I mean every other person is attended to... then maybe someone will think that my skills might actually be useful, but until then, nah, too much brain energy is needed.

[roody]

1. Not having kids is wonderful. So much freedom!

[DaveJ]

2. Lol, Yes I've heard

I was just trying to think of some rationale for why I would need money, and that was the first thing that popped into my head. It's really a matter of principle.

What's strange is that I have never met anyone else like myself who actually enjoys programming. To me, it is shear pleasure, like meditation, while others feel it is stressful and they constantly complain about having deadlines?!?! I love having a deadline, the thrill of the race. But I'll never know what it's like to get treated fairly and work side by side with other software engineers at an established company. Because 1) people are arrogant and I cannot convey that kind of arrogance and thus don't fit in, 2) managers feel threatened because I can work more efficiently than they can direct me to work, 3)this city is totally corrupt, people who get hired are friends and relatives, where skill is wildly unrelated to career success. Of course I'm also not from here, so I'm confused by their demeanor and they are confused by me... why didn't I go to NIU or Northwest like everyone else... why didn't I get an internship while living with my parents when I was 20? Well, I'm not from here so I couldn't do that. Bottom line is, it's a corrupt world.

[roody]

3. It is. All fields have their types and flavors of corruption.

As a 57-year-old child-free person, sometimes I say, "Life is too much fun." Congratulations on having a marketable skill that you enjoy.

[DaveJ]

4. That's very level headed

It's hard for me to ignore though. Seems like I'm being punished for doing everything right.

[HillWilliam]

5. I feel ya, Dave

I got lowballed into a job developing across a score of technologies, haven't had ANY raise in nine years.

Last week I got laid off after nine years of bustassin' to be the do-all be-all. Now there's a software development company with no developers.

Back in the market again, sigh.