Woodford Predictions

bostonerimus

One positive is that coding is in demand.....the negative is that a lot of it is farmed out to places like India and domestic software consultancies want experience.

BananaRepublic

economic wrote: »

Are there jobs for someone like me?
- 34 years old, maths degree from top uni
- been in banking for 10 years
- intermediate level python been learning for 5 months but no practical experience

For someone like you the best way in to software is as a consultant/advisor to a company that makes banking software, assuming you have good banking knowledge. Actually writing software would probably mean taking a big step backwards in terms of salary. That said, a company might allow you to do a little programming as part of your role.

BananaRepublic

greenglide wrote: »

Why not?

Having been in software development over many, many years (started 1972, retired last year) it was an "interesting" career.

In my case there was lots of diversification into interesting side shows and spent the later years reprising Cobol design and development on mainframes.

I do agree that getting into big data, automation, machine learning these days wouldn't be easy without a good degree or a huge helping of luck.

It is nowhere as secure a career as actuarial work for example. Friends in actuarial work and government labs have regular career reviews and promotions, and good pensions as well as job security. And there is rarely any training. In software it's all too often amateurish, and more a case of who you know. There are no qualifications, so you prove what you know at interview by blagging. In most companies the people who make the money are the managers not the engineers. Job security can be poor, companies often fail. And some years ago companies discovered that Indian engineers are much cheaper and easier to get. Of course you can do well. I contracted for many years, hence I'm financially secure, but otherwise it's more luck and social skills than ability.

Where I now work the technical director is incompetent, but he can impress non techies with charm and spiel. I've worked with some very good managers, but incompetence is not uncommon. Brown nosing is often the route to the top.

talexuser

https://www.hl.co.uk/news/articles/neil-woodford-exclusive-video-and-our-latest-view

lisyloo

Why not?

Having been in software development over many, many years (started 1972, retired last year) it was an "interesting" career.

The question wasn't directed at me but my twopenneth is that it WAS an interesting career.
The problem is now that you are competing with people in India who are a 6th of the price not to mention eastern europeans and chinese.
I would not recommend it NOW.

If I had my time again I would consider a trade and being self-employed. Preferably not something too physical as that's not something you can do in your 60's or 70s (or look to being the boss by then).
The advantages are that you can live whereever you want if you have practical skills.
Software development is nice and comfy in a warm office, but your lucky if you can do it in Cornwall and Devon and some people find themselves restricted to London (depending on seniority, age and skill set).

I'm 49 and I would certainly urge anyone younger to do something they love. Luckily for me (like you) I do enjoy my job, but there's an element of luck in there as opposed to sensible planning as like many youngsters I didn't recognise the wisdom of older people.

I have about 27 years experience but when I look at job adds I find them demanding and the market competitive. For example being an Oracle developer/DBA is not enough you have to have half a dozen things (high availability, disaster recovery, exadata, golden gate) etc. for most jobs.
If it's very competitive and you have 10 out of 12 skills but someone else has 12 then they may well get the job.

Some copaies do take on people with no experience and train them up (mine does but we don't do python) but the money will be low.

MallyGirl

lisyloo wrote: »

Software development is nice and comfy in a warm office, but your lucky if you can do it in Cornwall and Devon and some people find themselves restricted to London (depending on seniority, age and skill set).

This is true but the concept of the homeworker is growing in popularity in this industry. You have to start in an office to grow your skills but then the location becomes less important. I used to work in an office in St Albans and one of the developers lived in Spain - he could commute there via Luton on a weekly basis in no more time than it took me trogging round the M25. I have been a homeworker for 14 years now and it has been great for the flexibility that a family life requires.

BeatTheSystem

I am aged 49 recent. A MRI shows a leaky disk in the neck. The consultant suggests that he sees many people that have spent years at computers with this condition.

For me engineering software is / was interesting but why pursue a career that can damage your health? I believe this will be a big problem in years to come. Fortunately my symptoms have dissipated this was the final warning for me.

Also, the software industry now is populated by code Nazi's that care more about their craft and keeping their CV's up to date with the latest bollox than actually achieving the users objective.

I have for a long time followed this:

http://wiki.c2.com/?SevenPrinciplesOfSoftwareDevelopment

I would rather have a developer produce me the simplest code to satisfy a solution than a complex one trying to show off how clever they think they are.