I agree with and understand your post but (you knew there had to be a "but") I created the job I have now, for all practical purposes for all of the world's companies. There always has to be someone who was first at everything.
Nearly 30 years ago I was involved with the introduction of the first commercially available pre-assembled personal computer. I spent several years in the bay area selling these things to the folks from Silicone Valley and they would come into my store saying "did you know your machine could do this?" Needless to say I learned a whole pot load.
I built the computer center for the UCSF, SF State and City College of SF, among others. I helped each of those schools create their first PC courses. I sold a complete personal computer, in a box, in exchange for actual money, three months before Apple delivered their first pre-assembled machine. And then I moved into corporate America.
When I started there was no one else in the Fortune 100 doing what I was doing. I was hired to be "the PC guy" for a Fortune 50 company without much direct knowledge of the IBM PC, which was just being introduced and adopted by major companies. A few months later I attended the First IBM Technical Coordinator conference in Dallas, expecting to discover all sorts of knowledge from all of the "experts" about the things I just didn't know yet.
I've never been more frightened in my life. I knew more than anyone there, including the guys from IBM's Boca Raton PC group (there were two, who became friends, who knew more... the guys who first designed and built the things). It was a sobering moment. There wasn't anyone to turn to and learn from. As far as using these things effectively in a large corporation (let alone the technical stuff) I was it. Oh goody!
So, I am the exception that proves your rule. Of course, I'm still basically in that same job, so I don't have 30 years experience... I have one year experience, 30 times (that's my dad's way of putting me in my place).
How interesting! I was the geologist who had to pioneer computer mapping for a Midwestern coal company back in the 70's. When I look back at what we did, I am dumbfounded that any of it worked, and what I do NOW on my home PC is far more complicated!
Well now you have done it, with all that you just posted I feel like a worthless slug on a wart hog in comparison. I feel so bloody inferior that I think I will go out and eat a pile of dirt, maybe with nasty old ants in it. I feel so worthless now, I may just become a Democrat,even worse I may become a liberal democrat. Oh My,even worse than worse I may actually understand what in the Hell John Kerry,Algore,and Howard Dean are talking about. AGHHHHHHHHH. I am glad I woke up from that nightmare, I better pinch myself to see if I am still a Pubbie. Seriously, we are lucky to have you and your talents that are IMHO unsurpassed in their totality. all this and a quick,sly wit to boot. Thank God you are on our side!
You have that exactly right. For sure yours is not a typical career path. Which is good, heh, as you don't have the dingbats who came before you to clean up after.
In fact, I managed to carve out a nice life for myself with my ability to clean things up after others have made a mess.
I started out temping. Man, I was one great temp. I'd get in that door and give me a minute and I'd figure it out. Then I'd fix it.
After a while my temporary employers began to ask for me to work for them but I stopped working full time a long time ago. So I offered my services independent like, without bother of a temp agency.
Boom, soon I had banks, law firms, accounting firms and all manner of businesses that called me for "consultant" work and hey, I charged them $25.00 buckaroos an hour.
Now, what with my midlife embrace of the written word, I only have to client that I keep. One is pretty good, the largest property management firm in Baltimore Merryland. They also own hotels, campgrounds and sorts of crap down here in Delaware, where I moved. I thought I would get away, heh, but go on, they have a campground about five miles from my new house. I worked there too...hand to God, went in an managed a campground, fixed up their computer system...boom. But I had to stop because I do not want to work full time.
People with talent, especially in this America place where all avenues are open to those willing to work, can carve out their own life and it's nice.
My REAL passion in life is....yes indeed, BLOGGING. I love it. Make no money at it and have a modest number of daily hits. Although I'd argue my readers may be few but they're very loyal.
But I've got thirty years (or one year times thirty as your Dad puts it) under my belt. I worked like the dickens all my life but you know what I always told my employees? No matter how dead end a job may seem, you can always learn SOMETHING. And no one can ever open up your head and take out your knowledge.
There's a moral there somewhere.