if someone doesnt eventually end up in management, have they failed?

[silverpig]

I think, in most situations, that anyone that excels at their job will eventually be responsible for managing other employees.

Which is kind of odd, because being a good computer programmer and being a good manager are two completely different skill sets.

Sure, a good programmer could be a good manager, but companies often take good programmers and turn them into poor managers.

Similarly, there might be a below average programmer who could actually be good at managing other programmers.

 

[brianmanahan]

I want to go the management route for my last 10-15 years of my working life.

i am hoping to save enough money that i can just skip out on the last 10-15 years of normal working life (retire at 45 or 50 or so).

 

[Engineer]

i am hoping to save enough money that i can just skip out on the last 10-15 years of normal working life (retire at 45 or 50 or so).

I'm with you 100% on that, but I'm not going to make it. If I had to do it over again and know what I know now, I would have saved more earlier in life. Hell, I should be saving more now but it's hard with kids in college (or almost in college).

 

[jpiniero]

i am hoping to save enough money that i can just skip out on the last 10-15 years of normal working life (retire at 45 or 50 or so).

That would be prudent, considering the ageism in IT/Software. Esp since you don't want to go into management, getting a job is going to be impossible at that age.

 

[Engineer]

That would be prudent, considering the ageism in IT/Software. Esp since you don't want to go into management, getting a job is going to be impossible at that age.

LOL, I used to think that until I got there (45 now). Jobs are plentiful if you have experience in the right fields. Hint: It's not the 45 and older crowd that's having the most trouble getting jobs right now...just look at the 25-35 crowd for an example. They're all still living at home with the 45-55 crowd supporting them! :biggrin:

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

I'm with you 100% on that, but I'm not going to make it. If I had to do it over again and know what I know now, I would have saved more earlier in life. Hell, I should be saving more now but it's hard with kids in college (or almost in college).

I would have chosen an entirely different career path.

I would have gone into finance with my sites set on being a broker.
1) You can be a complete idiot so even average inelegance should be good enough.
2) You can make a lot more than engineering
3) Even when you are wrong, it doesn't matter. Try that with engineering.

Ya, seems like a cake walk.

 

[dbk]

Nope.. not everyone can be a manager

 

[Engineer]

I would have chosen an entirely different career path.

I would have gone into finance with my sites set on being a broker.
1) You can be a complete idiot so even average inelegance should be good enough.
2) You can make a lot more than engineering
3) Even when you are wrong, it doesn't matter. Try that with engineering.

Ya, seems like a cake walk.

:biggrin: I'm only averagely inelegant! Well, actually, I'm grossly inelegant!

But I do see your point!

 

[IndyColtsFan]

Managers like to portray their jobs as the ultimate goal for people to aspire to, but no, you're not a failure if you don't become a manager. Managers are primarily pencil and paper pushers. The real money is in specializing in technical skills, sales, etc.

My last organization had a shocking number of incompetence in management, even including upper management. I am so glad to be gone from there. Those who answered "yes" in the poll are the people I just roll my eyes at -- they're the people you need to stay away from.

 

[IndyColtsFan]

That would be prudent, considering the ageism in IT/Software. Esp since you don't want to go into management, getting a job is going to be impossible at that age.

Nah, that might be true in Silicon Valley (lol at the "management" at those companies) but in the real world most of us live in, I don't think that is the case especially in consulting.

 

[brianmanahan]

I would have chosen an entirely different career path.

I would have gone into finance with my sites set on being a broker.
1) You can be a complete idiot so even average inelegance should be good enough.
2) You can make a lot more than engineering
3) Even when you are wrong, it doesn't matter. Try that with engineering.

Ya, seems like a cake walk.

you might be able to switch, since you have years of experience telling everyone to buy RIMM/BBRY :awe:

 

[brianmanahan]

Those who answered "yes" in the poll are the people I just roll my eyes at -- they're the people you need to stay away from.

maybe they were just mad because i didnt include a comedy option

 

[Tweak155]

"Celebrating the 5th year anniversary of you asking me this question!"

 

[Imp]

maybe they were just mad because i didnt include a comedy option

You definitely should have... Because people will have to read my post to actually get that I wasn't serious.

I'm with you 100% on that, but I'm not going to make it. If I had to do it over again and know what I know now, I would have saved more earlier in life. Hell, I should be saving more now but it's hard with kids in college (or almost in college).

...I'd go to community/technical college and get the exact same job two years earlier in 2007 by avoiding the worst of the effing recession. And I learned to start investing in mutual funds in 2009, stocks in 2010. Maybe if I started a year earlier, I'd have lost 50% of my money or bought at the bottom.

Or I'd have skipped grad school when Bitcoins were $1/each or less. Too damn busy doing pointless academic work to notice.

 

[MongGrel]

i am hoping to save enough money that i can just skip out on the last 10-15 years of normal working life (retire at 45 or 50 or so).

I'm 52 and still doing R&D work mostly, and still want to shoot my wife in the head for various stupid things shes been doing over the years, our house should have been paid off long ago.

Have a bit of savings going still, but still won't be retiring early I guess.

GL with that one, hope ya do it but it's always variable over time, depending on what you do market wise, and how badly the GOP has power and fucks everyone up the ass.

And I learned to start investing in mutual funds in 2009, stocks in 2010.

I still have an old SEP from the early 90's that took ages to recover I didn't even touch for a long time after that market fiasco years ago.

Fortunately I have a few others have done better, but that thing I still want to fire bomb the guy administering it, I'm not sure after some of the advice he gave me at the time I wouldn't have grounds to sue his ass.

 

[alzan]

No, it just means the Peter Principle is (temporarily) not in effect.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Principle

 

[brianmanahan]

I'm 52 and still doing R&D work mostly, and still want to shoot my wife in the head for various stupid things shes been doing over the years, our house should have been paid off long ago.

quoted for evidence at the trial :awe:

 

[Bateluer]

Nope. Not everyone wants to, or is cut out, to lead and manage others. Quite a few people are at their best doing what they're best at; and oft times, thats not in management.

 

[Dannar26]

Some people would be shitty leaders. Hell, a lot of people ARE shitty leaders.

Not everybody has the urge to be a douchebag micromanager. Far too many people get off on being able to give an order. Fewer of us don't feel or temper that urge. And those are the people fit to lead...