Posted on 09/27/2001 5:18:01 PM PDT by mlmr
This is a general question for techies and the people who love them. I have a relative who is married to a techie type. Consultant for 20 years. Subcontracted to one of the big 5 occasionally for project managmement. Business systems, inventory, financials, POS, materials tracking, delivery...you name it using IBM midrange systems. Made between 75 to 125 per hour (which is big money in this area) depending where he was working plus expenses.
Their lives changed and there were some family illnesses, deaths, and other problems. He really hasn't stayed on top of the changes. He has woken up to find his client base eroded and has been paralysed about retraining. What direction to go in, what to focus on, who's going to hire a 50 year old newly retrained guy? Is he ever going to be able to make dollars at previous levels? What kind of training does he need? He has even tried to get a job with the state and didnt make the cut. Is this a lost cause?
His wife is nearly hysterical. They are living on the retirement fund and between the taxes and the market, it isn't going to last long. They will lose their house. They have five kids, a mortgage and a car payment. He is stuck.
I totally agree with this advice but would add one thing.
Tell him to make the moves and find the energy and drive to start his own business.
The time to think and act is NOW.
Don't let him set himself up to fail again by being at the whim of an employer.
Tell him to find a product or service he believes in and build a customer base of his own.
It won't be easy, but the rewards can be phenomenal.
I've been through it. Using up the retirement account just to scrape by until someone tosses a few scraps at you. It stinks!
With a lot of work and God's help, my family made it. Your friend can too!
Good luck and God bless.
The military insurance company USAA has already begun moving to North Phoenix. They will eventually have 15,000 jobs at their headquarters. We have military hardware and many technolgy companies in the Valley of the Sun.
I am almost 53, a retread after being in theology for many years. I began taking courses in computer science 3 years ago. I do not expect to see $75-125 an hour, but I am happy with what I can make. I can remain a minister, publish religious books, and make a good living. I work out of my house most of the time. I also teach at a college.
The two best certifications for income are Cisco (mentioned often above) and Oracle. My guess is that the Cisco CCNA would be easy after a boot-camp (rapid training school). I have had contacts from companies simply because I am listed for having a CCNA. Once I got an offer because of the A+ certification.
Being old and having experience are not bad things. Skills matter. Network security is going to be very hot. Unix is hot and should grow in importance (Unix/Linux).
My wife and I have been through many difficult times financially because of her disability and the evil of corrupt church officials. God has provided. Losing everything is not all bad. We have been close to that. We have given up many things. We went from a luxury house to a one room apartment (not one bedroom). We survived. We have seen how important other things are.
We now have a beautiful home with a pool, a large yard, and a hot tub. I have plenty of debt to pay off, but I love this city, my work, and my home. I am thankful to God for the people (good and bad) who got me here.
Just a quick note in addition to Centurion2000's. Final correction : CCNA = Cisco Certified Networking Associate
MCSE's direct translation is: Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer.
I'm a newbie to IT, and sometimes a little too detail-oriented for my own good.
His biggest problem will not be obsolete skills but rampant, unsurmountable age discrimination. I searched for a new position for three full years while employed at a well paying but horrible job. Updating my skills, taking courses was good but it produced no results whatsoever. After finally giving up, I stumbled on an internal opening for which I was totally unqualified. But the manager, a man much younger than me, was a European, and as I had found previously, Europeans don't have these hang ups about people's age that we seem to cling to. Without blinking once, he gave me a break (and I don't think he even saw it that way, i.e. he recognized my skills, without looking for a perfect set of acronyms on my resume, the way most other fools in this business do.) I'm still doing this job, love it and I gotta tell you it's the least stressful job I ever held.
My best advice to your friend, as trivial as it may sound, is to make himself appear and act younger than his age. Emphasize his generic computing skills, quick learning being one of them, and seek out them darn forinners in management positions.
I've learned a lot here this evening. Best of luck to your friend.
When will you do us a favor and become half-mute?
The proper spelling is genetically, however, I won't hold that against such an august person as yourself.
You have been so proud of your status here as the "resident cynic," do I threaten you?
Things are tough all over, and I'm supposed to feel sorry for someone whose skills are suddenly no longer in demand? Can he build a new Whatchimicallit?
Don't blame me, I can't even play the piano.
Here are my two cents... First off, I've got computer certifications out the ying-yang, but the best they will do is get you an interview... Of course, without them, you probably won't be able to even get in the door, unless you know somebody... FWIW, I'm a Novell Master CNI, I've got 4 different Novell Master CNE certificates, Microsoft MCP, Cisco CCNA, CompTIA A+, Network+, Server+, and a Certified Technical Trainer. I worked as a Novell instructor for 4 1/2 years, and I've been working with Novell network since 1989.
The fastest areas of growth that I've seen are in network infrastructure and security, and general networking, primarily with Microsoft & Linux. I don't mean to start a flame war here, but as you may have noticed, I'm pretty heavily weighted towards Novell's products: Well, they are miles ahead of Microsoft's, but Novell couldn't market themselves out of a wet paper sack! I tell people who ask to get themselves certified in Microsoft and Cisco, and to learn Linux... More importantly than the certifications though, is to learn the software and technology! I can't tell you how many companies I've seen try to hire good NT techs, only to have the interviewee be unable to answer the most basic of questions!
Get training, but more important, get a few "hand-me-downs" computers, set up a little network of your own, and learn to work with the software! While you're at it, get certified as well...
In my case, I'm the "Novell Guru" at my company, but I have to get my Microsoft MCSE ASAP! I hope to have it my the end of the year, but that's going to be doubtful, given that I'll need to take 7 tests...
Mark
I always wanted to get at my ELCA pension fund after I left the LCA (its forerunner) in1986. The moment I needed the money a huge check came in the mail. It was my escape fund to become independent.
The Clintons created the largest economic bubble in history.
I believe the word "bubble" here refers to an artificial growth spurt that will inevitably burst. I agree that it was not the Clintons' actions or inactions that directly caused this phenomenon.
I just think OK meant the word "bubble" in the derogatory sense that it normally indicates.
However, you are finished here - how does that taste, old man?
There isn't room in this tub for both of us; sundown, or your a roasted goose.
You know, if I had actually made a comment to you prior to your "butting in" to a comment I made to another poster, I could understand your hostility, but I think you are just picking a fight.
Every once in awhile, you say something clever, tonight is not that while.
LOL. Prof - your use of "your" shows you are an alcoholic. Bottoms up!
However, you are finished here - how does that taste, old man?
Now, what sort of threat is that?
Project management is very much in demand. He has valuable skills that most large/medium businesses need. He should perhaps work on refining his skills using the latest equipment, but I see no need to get a completely different tech job.
Your friend should start making phone calls to all his old business associates. Find out what concerns they have, what their business needs are. With that info, develop a plan and fill those needs. Old business contacts are the best source of new income.
First you call me an "old man" which is okay since I already told everybody my age, 61; now you say I am an alcoholic, what's next, a fashion critique of my mother's penchant for military footwear?
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