# I need help in job decision...



## Thefumigator (Sep 26, 2019)

Hi everyone,
I'm a software developer, I worked in Microsoft .net tech for more than 5 years in a small local software company, where my salary was OK I guess but not enough...
Another company offered me a job as .net developer, this company is a big one and has international presence, and they are also in NYSE.
The salary they offered me was much higher, so I accepted, and I quit the small company where I was working.
The problem with the "big company" is that they threw me to the talent pool. So yes, I'm waiting to be assigned to a .net project or something. So I'm not doing much, and I'm being payed anyway.

This is not what I expected. I like to be working, I want to face a project, a challenge, or something. But every time I have an interview for being part of a particular .net project in the "big company", they underestimate my capabilities, and I end up in the talent pool.

So I decided to write to a job agency and I sent my CV there. They called me and I had an interview. There are open positions for .net developers in the national energy company, a state company that is responsible for all the electricity service in the whole nation. The problem is, the payment is a bit lower.

Some friends tell me not to leave my actual job in the "big company". Because I'm being payed anyway.
Some friends tell me to get into the state company, because most likely it will be good for my purpose of growing professionally.

Guys, I actually don't know what to do. What do you think?


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## Vario (Sep 26, 2019)

One thought is you don't want your skills to atrophy if you are sitting idle at the large company.  Government and state businesses tend to be a stable source of employment even if you are paid less.  However you might find you are even more idle there than you are at your current job.  A possibility might be to stay where you are but find a side hobby/business that you can work on.  Some employers have contract terms that allow them to claim credit for anything you produce even if it is purely your own and unrelated to that business so make sure you aren't subject to that I guess.


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## kapone32 (Sep 26, 2019)

Working for a utility usually means job security. There may also be better advancement possibilities as the employee market will be different in terms of talent pool due to diversity of departments.


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## Vario (Sep 26, 2019)

kapone32 said:


> Working for a utility usually means job security. There may also be better advancement possibilities as the employee market will be different in terms of talent pool due to diversity of departments.


He might also be more idle than he is presently at his current job.


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## natr0n (Sep 26, 2019)

Stay were you are. Maybe create some handy .net softwares in free time or something.


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## moproblems99 (Sep 26, 2019)

I recently went through this and looked at each job as a means to end.  Does either job provide you something that you can use for your next job?  I have stopped looking at each job as being the job I am going to be at forever.  In other words, what do each of these jobs do for me on my path to where I want to go?

Does either job provide a chance for some sort of clearance?  A certification?  Particular skills?  Start thinking about the jobs down the road that you want.


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## Tatty_One (Sep 26, 2019)

I would stay where you are, enjoy the income, in 20 years time when you are working yourself to death you will remember back to today and think how lucky you were .  Many of the big companies just plan ahead based on contracts won and try to recruit qualified decent quality staff in advance of commencement, I completely understand you like to be active and involved but that will come in time, it sounds like where you are at the moment might offer the best long term opportunities, there is a saying in the UK...…"never look a gift horse in the mouth"".


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## kapone32 (Sep 26, 2019)

Tatty_One said:


> I would stay where you are, enjoy the income, in 20 years time when you are working yourself to death you will remember back to today and think how lucky you were .  Many of the big companies just plan ahead based on contracts won and try to recruit qualified decent quality staff in advance of commencement, I completely understand you like to be active and involved but that will come in time, it sounds like where you are at the moment might offer the best long term opportunities, there is a saying in the UK...…"never look a gift horse in the mouth"".



If the company is still in existence. That is why I said a Utility would be better, we have no idea what the business world will look like in that time but Utilities will always be needed. I was actually using my own experience as an example. I started working for a utility in 2001. Got a hit from a headhunter on my resume (or CV) for a big company making more money in 2006. 5 Years pass and the company is closing my work center with no guarantee of further employment. I call my friend at the utility and 2 weeks later I get an interview and rehired. That was in 2011. Due to the fact that it is a public utility I get perks like stock options, pension and a decent rate of pay.


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## r9 (Sep 26, 2019)

Thefumigator said:


> Hi everyone,
> I'm a software developer, I worked in Microsoft .net tech for more than 5 years in a small local software company, where my salary was OK I guess but not enough...
> Another company offered me a job as .net developer, this company is a big one and has international presence, and they are also in NYSE.
> The salary they offered me was much higher, so I accepted, and I quit the small company where I was working.
> ...


Work less - Good payed more - Good. 
I'm reading the other opinions and both sides have some good points. 
I would keep the job and get some projects on the side that way you get even more money and you are sharpening your tools as well.


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## Thefumigator (Sep 26, 2019)

Thank you guys, you are awesome, any other idea would be greatly appreciated.
I have an estimation to make a desition next week most likely


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## Vario (Sep 26, 2019)

r9 said:


> Work less - Good payed more - Good.
> I'm reading the other opinions and both sides have some good points.
> I would keep the job and get some projects on the side that way you get even more money and you are sharpening your tools as well.


Your first sentence sounds good in theory but if you are sitting around at work with nothing to do but getting paid for it, it isn't an ideal situation.  Its extremely boring and your skills will atrophy from it.  It is also depressing as you do not feel useful.


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## the54thvoid (Sep 26, 2019)

Ignore both jobs and set up a Beer shack on a beach somewhere. Live the dream.

But seriously, I couldn't work a job where I was bored. So, if I was getting paid more but felt I was a non-contributing member of society, I'd be a little jaded. Conversely, if I was paid less but felt valued and was doing something that helped--I'd feel better as a human. But, it depends on what sort of person you are. Do you seek fulfilment or do you seek material wealth?

The other, very pertinent consideration is... what income do you require? If the lower paid job still ticks your financial boxes--don't be greedy, be useful instead.


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## Vayra86 (Sep 26, 2019)

Interesting question. I work in IT consultancy too so In the exact same boat. My company has a LOT on offer when idle (certification, training, special trips, focus groups internally, even some IP one might add to, etc etc) so first look into that. Those are all great ways to expand your network and find opportunities. Doesnt even have to be .Net...

Reason for that is you get paid but you also have an opportunity to expand your knowledge in your bosses time. Quite a unique thing tbh, use it!

Consultancy firms are in a great position on todays marketplace, trading that for a smaller dedicated company is definitely not a career move, but rather one out of personal desire. And there is NOTHING wrong with that IMO - but be aware that is what it is.

You have a low risk high reward position now, make use of it, you can always leave and if you are idle for too long you will get booted at some point regardless.

My target for billability is 95%... so idle time definitely will not last long! Try to employ yourself ASAP, so you can keep hold of the initiative.


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## moproblems99 (Sep 26, 2019)

Vayra86 said:


> My target for billability is 95%



One of my last companies targeted  80-85% billable time.


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## dorsetknob (Sep 26, 2019)

Improve your Spelling and or use a spell checker for a start 
having said that.
I would be inclined to stay where you are and fill any unproductive time with learning/qualification.


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## Tatty_One (Sep 26, 2019)

kapone32 said:


> If the company is still in existence. That is why I said a Utility would be better, we have no idea what the business world will look like in that time but Utilities will always be needed. I was actually using my own experience as an example. I started working for a utility in 2001. Got a hit from a headhunter on my resume (or CV) for a big company making more money in 2006. 5 Years pass and the company is closing my work center with no guarantee of further employment. I call my friend at the utility and 2 weeks later I get an interview and rehired. That was in 2011. Due to the fact that it is a public utility I get perks like stock options, pension and a decent rate of pay.


Of course, but over here, most utility companies are now capped on what they can charge the consumer now, it's no surprise that staffing levels have dropped considerably in the last year since this law was introduced, in my experience there is no such thing as real security just different degrees of it.  I completely get that in many areas of "IT" contracts/projects that companies win come and go, often with lifespans of just 2 - 5 years, damn my youngest daughter who is just 27 is a self employed consultant in the field of systems architecture earning a fortune with a 1st Class honours degree and pretty much every professional certification relevant to her field along with high level clearances and even she is aware that the future is uncertain...……. although granted utilities I agree is likely to be a safer option I would ask the question, which platform will give me the best CV should that security leave me...……….. but to be fair, I am recently retired so I have possibly forgot the uncertainties of the labour market as I have only had 2 jobs


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## phanbuey (Sep 26, 2019)

Sounds like a great problem to have. 

Spend some time sharpening the skills you're great at and enjoy doing; or work on your tool-set/code repository that you use to solve problems.  Or spend some time beating that new videogame .

So many options.

Conferences are great too - the best way to improve your career is to meet people.  Especially if you find people that you can learn from or people who have an opportunity that you would be a good fit for.


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## bonehead123 (Sep 26, 2019)

Having almost reached retirement age, and having had many jobs throughout my lifetime, I can tell you that in the end, feeling useful, being able to contribute, and feeling appreciated are worth as much or more than a few extra $$ here & there........

Assuming of course that your salary is appropriate for your skill level and will support your lifestyle, and that your employer is one that recognizes your talents for what they are, then accept whichever position makes you feel the best about yourself.

However, I can also tell you that there is not really much REAL job security left, at least in the US, nor companies that actually place any REAL value to their low & mid-level employees, and therefore will rarely show you no more consideration in job assignments, rewards, or compensation than they will for that other person that sits across from you who is also twittling their thumbs....

So in summary, if you are being ignored, are bored, and/or just not that interested in "hangin around doin nuthin" then by all means move on to something better as soon as you can.  You WILL thank yourself later on.....

Good luck with whatever you decide to do


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## Vayra86 (Sep 26, 2019)

moproblems99 said:


> One of my last companies targeted  80-85% billable time.



There is more to it though than just the cold hard number. Its not like, if I don't get 95% they will say 'cu later' at once. And what matters more I think is how the company approaches recruitment. Ours is set up in individual BUs that each work like a tiny company on its own. Very close team that is constantly on the lookout for opportunities with all of our clients. So it has the characteristics of a small company in flexibility, but is backed by the (financial) power and advantages of one of the world's largest consultancy firms. The network is... immense.

Its different when you work in a smaller consultancy firm though. The national/local ones over here, every time I see those consultants and talk to them, its like we live in different worlds to a certain degree. There's a huge spread in company culture and how it's set up and it influences the way consultancy works for you massively.

If OP is in a company that seems a bit stiff and stagnant, not very pro active in offering and finding opportunities... yeah, I don't know if I'd stay either. Then its just a glorified way to post workers. There are definitely greener pastures... (and if you need one... PM! we're everywhere ). And that's enough of my advertising  Just wanted to say though, working in a nice consultancy firm with good atmosphere can be really quite great.



bonehead123 said:


> However, I can also tell you that there is not really much REAL job security left, at least in the US, nor companies that actually place any REAL value to their low & mid-level employees, and therefore will rarely show you no more consideration in job assignments, rewards, or compensation than they will for that other person that sits across from you who is also twittling their thumbs....



Yep, that's that Anglo-American company culture right there. Its a necessity, but a good company keeps it under control, very strongly, and tries to play it nice instead. My advice: look outside the US for companies that work across the border... it makes a real difference. What you're describing here... I see none of that. And I fall in that category.



MIRTAZAPINE said:


> Only start your move to a new job when a new opportunity is really confirmed.



So much this, too.


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## MIRTAZAPINE (Sep 26, 2019)

Frankly for me getting a job and having them is good enough. For me where I have trouble getting jobs myself, the pool of people with talent is just too big and add to competing with people with experiences. Be thankful for whatever you have, I am forced to take anything coming my way.  Hell even minimum wage is good enough for me because it is really really hard for me to even get one job.

It is really hard to be certain whether your new workplace can fit you or not, judging by how you say about your workplace getting boring I would suggest stay awhile until maybe you have plenty of cash reserve. Boring is a blessing than having to work like a cow taking the jobs of few people. I work like that getting paid close to peanuts. Only start your move to a new job when a new opportunity is really confirmed.


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## moproblems99 (Sep 26, 2019)

@Vayra86 as we were software dev, numbers can mean totally different thing. It was merely just throwing a number out.

That said, if you repeatedly didn't hit 80% when you should have...


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## Beertintedgoggles (Sep 26, 2019)

Sorry if it's been mentioned, but what are the benefits like?  You know, the part besides salary.... Does the state job give you a pension that you don't have to contribute to or have 401k matching?  What are the health benefits (insurance)?  Those are often overlooked and can make up for quite a big gap in salary.


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## 64K (Sep 26, 2019)

My 2 cents would be to look for a job in government. Where I work I get paid decently but the benefits are ridiculously good. I've been here for 13 years and so I get 17 paid vacation days a year, 3 personal leave days, 12 sick days a year and it rolls over so I don't lose any of it. When I retire they will pay me out whatever days I haven't used. I also get 11 paid vacation days and the health insurance is the best around. I only pay $100 a months for Blue Cross and they cover 90% of my medical bills after meeting my $400 deductible. Maximum out of pocket expenses per year are $1,700. I can continue the insurance for $100 a month after I retire until age 65. I also get a pension where half of it is paid by my employer.


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## CrAsHnBuRnXp (Sep 26, 2019)

the54thvoid said:


> But seriously, I couldn't work a job where I was bored


Thats what Im doing now. I work doing desktop support and currently been doing Win10 projects floating here and there between companies so it's not exactly stable but the pay is amazing for this type of work. Currently where I am at, they only have me building the Win10 machines and 1 other guy deploys it and he's slow as shit doing it. Im 4 departments ahead of him and I started in June and he's barely done deploying the first department I worked on. 

I prefer to be busy. I just dont want to be bored, but there is just so much mind numbing work I can handle. Id prefer to stay at home at this point but alas there are bills to be paid.


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## Beertintedgoggles (Sep 26, 2019)

For anyone that is bored as all hell and want to "better" yourself or just have something to do:  https://ocw.mit.edu/index.htm  As stated on MIT's site:  "_MIT_ OpenCourseWare is a web-based publication of virtually all _MIT course_ content. OCW is open and available to the world and is a permanent _MIT_ activity."


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## moproblems99 (Sep 26, 2019)

Beertintedgoggles said:


> For anyone that is bored as all hell and want to "better" yourself or just have something to do:  https://ocw.mit.edu/index.htm  As stated on MIT's site:  "_MIT_ OpenCourseWare is a web-based publication of virtually all _MIT course_ content. OCW is open and available to the world and is a permanent _MIT_ activity."



Check https://www.edx.org/ if you want course work.


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## bonehead123 (Sep 26, 2019)

Oh yea, bennies, gotta have me some


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## Grog6 (Sep 26, 2019)

I'd do what you do, stay with the big company as long as it lasts, because eventually they 'll get rid of you.

Develop your skills while you're not stressed, and when they push you toward the door run, and enjoy the next place.


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## Thefumigator (Sep 26, 2019)

Thank you guys, you rock

I live in Uruguay, south America...
Things are very similar in UK and USA, with some exceptions. 

Its mandatory for any company, no matter if its private or state, to pay for your social security (for retirement) and health. state company no longer give benefits as they did before. The "party" is over.
The "big company" I'm working now also includes Blue Cross and Blue Shield for every worker, but I haven't been accepted in Blue Cross, because of high blood pressure. So I got the regular health care instead. I was hoping to be accepted as I suffer from major depressive disorder and the regular health care has been very basic in the past 5 years of treatment.

I'm afraid that my numbers are a bit on the red. Inflation skyrocketed in the past few years, and now I'm selling all my stuff, like guitars, effect pedals, amplifiers, and some synthesizers. I will only keep my main synth and one electric guitar and that's it, everything will have to go. I also have 2 laptops, one will have to go.

I think I will stay where I am for now, and in the meanwhile I will code some .net applications... I will need ideas, because I don't really know what kind of app could be useful. Maybe I should open another thread to listen to your ideas guys.

Thank you


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## moproblems99 (Sep 27, 2019)

Thefumigator said:


> I think I will stay where I am for now, and in the meanwhile I will code some .net applications... I will need ideas, because I don't really know what kind of app could be useful. Maybe I should open another thread to listen to your ideas guys.



If you are just doing it to keep you skills up, write your own versions of apps you use every day.  One thing that is always useful, is project management software.


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## LFaWolf (Sep 27, 2019)

Interesting, as almost everyone recommends you to stay at your current job. As an employer, and previously managing small to mid-size dev teams, if you have been passed over consistently and left in the talent pool, I think you could be canned very soon - on your way out. Seriously, have you talked to your manager? Are you worried of not "rocking the boat?" You really should talk to your manager or team lead.

Think about this in terms of a basketball team or any team sports. If the coach always calls your number last, or never even call your number, do you think you will stick around much longer? That means you are expandable. For whatever reason when the team lead or Project Manager picked his or her team, and you are always being passed over, there must a reason, no? What would your manager think of you? He or she must think - why would every PM or team lead passed on you? There must be something wrong or skill deficiency in you.

I don't know if I would recommend you to take the job from the utility company. I would think it would offer more of a job security.

As for the .NET learning, join the .NET Foundation. Poke around github, but more importantly, learn or improve your .NET Core skills. For anyone on the .NET platform, Core is the future. Sign up Pluralsight (free for 30 days). There are tons of .NET Core courses there. Good luck!


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## Tatty_One (Sep 27, 2019)

Thefumigator said:


> Thank you guys, you rock
> 
> I live in Uruguay, south America...
> Things are very similar in UK and USA, with some exceptions.
> ...


Off topic slightly but references to some of these things have been made...…… I never thought I would find myself saying this but it makes me realise how lucky we are (most of the time) in the UK, my last job before I retired in April of this year gave me 30  days annual holiday per year, on top of that I could buy an extra 5 if I wanted it (I did ), it is employment law that every employer must offer what is now called over here a "stakeholder pension" where both the employer and employee have % of salary minimum contributions, I also got for free £250,000 life cover, sick pay was 100% of salary for 6 months, 50% of salary for 6 months thereafter, we have the national health service for everything medical from seeing a Doctor for the Flu to Cancer treatment and everything in between, all completely free (well apart from taxes), not perfect after 10 years of under spending because of global recession and on top of that we get a state pension, now at age of 66 for both men and women (15 years ago women got theirs at 60, men at 65), the downside to all of this is taxation and more taxation and the fact that social care has declined so if you are ever at the point where you cannot look after yourself anymore and need to be in supported housing in old age then the government can take your home to pay for it.


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## bug (Sep 27, 2019)

@Thefumigator This is highly dependent on your personality and what you want to do. If you absolutely need to do something  (like me), you can try starting a hobby project while parked in the talent pool. That way you'll be both learning and getting the higher paycheck. If you must do things and can't get a hobby project off the ground, then switch.
Either way, imagine where you want to be in 3-5 years and then figure out which path gets you there


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## sepheronx (Sep 27, 2019)

My wife is a .net developer.  She hates programming but everyone from India and their dog took programming as a career.  The pay up here in Canada sucks big time for them.  She used to be a teacher but did .net instead.

So if you like it, stick with what you got.  You are lucky to have a job that pays you well and you do jack all.  I lost interest in my job and I just do same routine every day for the last 11 years.  Its terrible but it pays for the roof over my and wifes head.

You wont be rich working for someone else.  While you are doing what you do, why not make applications on the side and start your own business in something?  Then you can hire me and pay me good to be your spokesperson for the company.  Cause I am handsome (at least what my mom tells me).


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## Tatty_One (Sep 27, 2019)

sepheronx said:


> My wife is a .net developer.  She hates programming but everyone from India and their dog took programming as a career.  The pay up here in Canada sucks big time for them.  She used to be a teacher but did .net instead.
> 
> So if you like it, stick with what you got.  You are lucky to have a job that pays you well and you do jack all.  I lost interest in my job and I just do same routine every day for the last 11 years.  Its terrible but it pays for the roof over my and wifes head.
> 
> ...



I am pretty sure even Freddy Krueger's mum thought he was handsome at some point   In my experience Mum's are not an endorsement, I mean my Mother in Law even thinks my wife is beautiful


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## sepheronx (Sep 27, 2019)

Tatty_One said:


> I am pretty sure even Freddy Krueger's mum thought he was handsome at some point   In my experience Mum's are not an endorsement, I mean my Mother in Law even thinks my wife is beautiful


Lol


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## phill (Sep 27, 2019)

I'm in a similar boat.

I find myself wanting to progress in the company I'm in but with the pay being so low and no chance of it changing any time soon, I will have to find else where to work because I can't support my family well enough and to me this is unacceptable.  They won't do anything but having taken on other peoples jobs that had been made redundant their jobs now fall on my shoulders, so I'm still on the base wage I was when I started two years ago and doing more and more and moving up the chain and I can't afford to live.  I can't deal with their false promises or care too much to a degree about what they are promising me to do in the future or in six months, I can't wait that long.

I've been speaking to the head of IT today about it (among other times) and he understands the issues but can't do anything.  So now I'm on the look out for something else and I'm hoping to take a jump and get further up the ladder.  It's what I'd like to do anyways, so I don't mind the jump I just hope someone will give me that chance to show what I can do.


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## Thefumigator (Sep 27, 2019)

LFaWolf said:


> Interesting, as almost everyone recommends you to stay at your current job. As an employer, and previously managing small to mid-size dev teams, if you have been passed over consistently and left in the talent pool, I think you could be canned very soon - on your way out. Seriously, have you talked to your manager? Are you worried of not "rocking the boat?" You really should talk to your manager or team lead.
> 
> Think about this in terms of a basketball team or any team sports. If the coach always calls your number last, or never even call your number, do you think you will stick around much longer? That means you are expandable. For whatever reason when the team lead or Project Manager picked his or her team, and you are always being passed over, there must a reason, no? What would your manager think of you? He or she must think - why would every PM or team lead passed on you? There must be something wrong or skill deficiency in you.
> 
> ...



Thanks for the point of view. In this "big company" there are many teams, so there are many Managers, leaders and directors for each team. There is a team assigned for each project, and when they hired me, I did a technical test which was long as hell, like 2 hrs and half, and they set me as a "Semi Senior Advance .net developer". Which is OK, considering my weakness are t-sql queries.

There's something I didn't tell, but it is important. After being hired I spent half a week in the talent pool, and then they called me to join a team. One of the guys was leaving after 4 years in the company so they thought I could be filling that hole. It was so so at the beginning, but I didn't like it, it was nothing to do with .net development. It was more like "application support" so I had to learn how the applications worked in order to give support for them.

I was always in touch with my team mates and I asked them many things about the applications but even tho they tried hard, they weren't able to help me much, they were not familiar with the task I was doing. So the team was broken, the project was too fragmented.

Also my PM was a complete a**hole, He treated everybody as junk. And I couldn't stand him. 3 or 4 weeks later he traveled to the US to visit the customer. And the customer complained about many things about my team mates and, of course, about me. "He is not like the other guy" the other guy had 4 years of experience. So my PM sent me a threat, won't telling the details, but I had a panic attack. I resisted the whole day anyway, trying to dissimulate, and when I went home I thought about it a long time... I made myself up and wrote my resignation letter.

But guess what. My mentor, the People Director and my Team Director didn't accepted my resignation. They asked me why I was quitting, I showed them the threat my PM sent me. I told them, this is substandard, you cannot treat anyone like this. No matter how bad you perform, you just can't threat a person. This is not acceptable. "Have you ever looked to the other IT companies around you?"

They were astonished. So they told me to take some days off to relieve my pain after the panic attack, and they supported me, they told me "look, we are going to fix this, let us fix this and we will find another project for you, but please, don't quit, give us another chance."

I was like "OK"... later on I receive a message from my PM with his apologies, which I accepted.

So, while being in the talent pool, I had a few interviews, one from a Team Director that needed someone familiar with Azure Analysis Services, and SharePoint. I was so sorry but I have no idea of those technologies. The other interview was from another TD that needed someone with knownledge in WPF, I was almost there, almost there... I'm familiar with WPF but far from being a mastermind.
My mentor told me he was like 4 months in the talent pool. That I shall not worry much about it....



bug said:


> @Thefumigator This is highly dependent on your personality and what you want to do. If you absolutely need to do something  (like me), you can try starting a hobby project while parked in the talent pool. That way you'll be both learning and getting the higher paycheck. If you must do things and can't get a hobby project off the ground, then switch.
> Either way, imagine where you want to be in 3-5 years and then figure out which path gets you there



Most likely I will make applications in .net... Visual Studio is free. Also comes with Xamarin which is not very mature but good enough for android/ios small applications.



sepheronx said:


> You wont be rich working for someone else.  While you are doing what you do, why not make applications on the side and start your own business in something?  Then you can hire me and pay me good to be your spokesperson for the company.  Cause I am handsome (at least what my mom tells me).



You are hired as spokeperson for my company. 'Cause I'm more like the silent type.



phill said:


> I'm in a similar boat.
> 
> I find myself wanting to progress in the company I'm in but with the pay being so low and no chance of it changing any time soon, I will have to find else where to work because I can't support my family well enough and to me this is unacceptable.



Man, I swear, that if I ever get rich by doing my own business you'll be the first one to be hired and get into my boat. I swear that If I ever have such luck, you and your family would never have to worry about anything again. I swear. Resist.

EDIT: anyone in difficulties will be on my boat.


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## phill (Sep 27, 2019)

Thefumigator said:


> Man, I swear, that if I ever get rich by doing my own business you'll be the first one to be hired and get into my boat. I swear that If I ever have such luck, you and your family would never have to worry about anything again. I swear. Resist.
> 
> EDIT: anyone in difficulties will be on my boat.



Thank you sir


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## bug (Sep 27, 2019)

phill said:


> I'm in a similar boat.
> 
> I find myself wanting to progress in the company I'm in but with the pay being so low and no chance of it changing any time soon, I will have to find else where to work because I can't support my family well enough and to me this is unacceptable.  They won't do anything but having taken on other peoples jobs that had been made redundant their jobs now fall on my shoulders, so I'm still on the base wage I was when I started two years ago and doing more and more and moving up the chain and I can't afford to live.  I can't deal with their false promises or care too much to a degree about what they are promising me to do in the future or in six months, I can't wait that long.
> 
> I've been speaking to the head of IT today about it (among other times) and he understands the issues but can't do anything.  So now I'm on the look out for something else and I'm hoping to take a jump and get further up the ladder.  It's what I'd like to do anyways, so I don't mind the jump I just hope someone will give me that chance to show what I can do.


The way this usually works is between you and your significant other, only one gets to do what they like while the other does what they have to and bring home the bacon.


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## danbert2000 (Sep 28, 2019)

You should probably put a year in at your current company, just as a matter of not looking flakey on your resume. Also, it may be that at the end of that year you're actually working on good projects. I would also work on your interview skills and treat the meetings about working on a project like applying for a job, even though you already have one. If you aren't representing your skills well, then you may never find a project and they'll kick you out anyway.

As for the money, if it's within 10% then you could make that up with a raise within a year. It's definitely important you don't burn out. But I would be patient until the year is up, and then you'll have a clear conscience and a good reason for leaving.


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## moproblems99 (Sep 28, 2019)

Thefumigator said:


> Which is OK, considering my weakness are t-sql queries.



Ah good ole T-SQL.  Land of Sub-queries, ROW_NUMBER() OVER ( PARTITION BY ... ), and STUFF()


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## LFaWolf (Sep 28, 2019)

Very good. Seems like you do have the backing of upper management, which is more than most people can ask for. Your position seems safe for at least 3 more months. If I were you, I would stay there for at least a year, or maybe two, which is the minimal time frame for people to change jobs. What you can do for the next 3 months - forget about creating any app that is irrelevant with your work. Concentrate how you can improve your skills that pertain to your current job. From what I can tell your company does contract work for a lot of large corporations. For large corporations many of their apps were written in WPF, so I would definitely up your skills in WPF.  WPF is a tough skill to master. Poke around github and get some application ideas, then create your own version of the application. 

However, do keep in mind, Microsoft is moving to UWP. WPF eventually will be phased out but it won't be for many years. UWP would be a skill set to learn on your spare time after the 3 months period.

Think about how you at this point of your career that you want to move up. I want to share this with you - http://mattbriggs.net/blog/2015/06/01/the-role-of-a-senior-developer/

Honestly, it is an exciting time to be a developer. There are so many open source projects, so many great new tools to learn!


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## Thefumigator (Sep 28, 2019)

LFaWolf said:


> Think about how you at this point of your career that you want to move up. I want to share this with you - http://mattbriggs.net/blog/2015/06/01/the-role-of-a-senior-developer/
> 
> Honestly, it is an exciting time to be a developer. There are so many open source projects, so many great new tools to learn!



That's a good read, actually, after reading it I realized that I was somewhat right most of the time. I just could never express the ideas so clearly.


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## Liquid Cool (Sep 29, 2019)

I'll toss my opinion in to the ring...

Considering the percentage of Hydro electricity in Uruguay(Last check it was over 95%) and the fact that you mentioned it is a state owned endeavor.  "If it was me"  I would immediately take the position if it was a government backed Hydro Concern and your government doesn't have a policy of firing employees during recessions/depressions.  I wouldn't be worrying myself with how much I was making...I'd be more worried about not having a position at all.  I say this because your poverty levels we're more than 1/3 of your population just 20 years ago's(during the Banking Crisis) and could easily surpass that level in a real downturn.  Again, if it was me...I also would not have my savings in the Peso.  U.S. Dollars would be my top choice.  I'd avoid metals*...at all costs.

I say this because of the asset bubbles that are apparent all throughout South America(and most of the world) are showing signs of teetering over the edge.  While Uruguay is stronger than a few of it's neighbors(and known to be a safe banking haven), during large downturns there will be no countries that get hit harder than South American countries.  Many of these markets have expanded 10x or better since the asset bubble was not allowed to be fully unwound in 2000 and again in 2008/9.  29 trillion in green shoots will only carry you so far.

Again...from my perspective...I'd be planning a multi-decade downturn into my own personal career plans if I lived in Uruguay(or the US).

Best Regards,

Liquid Cool

*initially


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