As quoted from The Star Online, dated June 25th, 2008 on a not so beautiful Wednesday, "According to outsourcing and consulting group Kelly Services, which conducted the 2007/08 survey, base salary in both sectors (the oil and gas sector and the information technology industry) increased by 30% followed by the engineering sector at 28%."
If you're actually in consideration of joining the IT industry after stumbling upon the above quoted, my sincerest advice, seriously think twice, twice. While I have not the slightest idea on the target group surveyed, as in their job level and focus, and I secretly hope to be joining them soon, a quick browse through online job sites revealed the following:
- the average starting salary for an IT fresh grad ranging between RM1800 to RM2200
- a developer with 2-3 years of experience only between RM2500 - RM3000
- a senior developer can fetch around RM3000 - RM3500, on average
- the average starting salary for an IT fresh grad ranging between RM1800 to RM2200
- a developer with 2-3 years of experience only between RM2500 - RM3000
- a senior developer can fetch around RM3000 - RM3500, on average
And so, from what I can see, the salary range is still pretty much the same, especially for the fresh grads, similar to what I was offered when I first job hunted. Of course its a different story if you're hopping into the SAP bandwagon or hired by large MNCs, hence the word average. Taking a developer's salary at RM2800 per month as example, if a 30% increment was really given, it would shoot up to a staggering RM3640, that would totally come handy to cushion the price hike in practically everything. I would totally love that!
Anyway, just to share with you, surviving in the IT industry is not an easy feat, especially if you're doing software developement because you have to be really, really, really interested in what you're doing in which I admit, I am not, to the extend that I hate programming at times, serious. This is coming from a person who has worked in the industry for 3 years plus in various positions, from Associate Consultant to Software Engineer to Senior Software Engineer then back to Consultant again; just different job titles, all still doing the same thing, coding and software developement.
You know what, since I'm feeling pretty generous today, I'll share with y'all some of the experiences working in the IT industry that you might have or have not heard of, just to get a better picture of how things are like in there. Not really applicable if working in front end IT departments, like the banking or insurance sector:
- there's no standard working hours, you start with the rest of the people but ends only when work is done and at times, that would stretch way past midnight
- did I hear someone say OT? What's that? If required, you might see yourself spending your weekends away in the office. Been there, done that
- your best friend is your workstation, you will be spending more time with it more than any other person or thing around you
- you might be working from home, in the office, client's site, in other states or overseas, which can be a good or bad thing and honestly, you'll be praying for less travelling or time abroad once you've had too much of it
- can't help but feel that software houses are slowly phasing out the concept of bonuses from their business and employees, perhaps this was what fueled some of the high increments. Even if there is, its usually one month, two the most
- the pace of change in technology is faster than you can say wtf and guess what, its your job to keep up with it. At one point, its good cause you're learning as you grow, on the other hand, there's a chance that of the stuff you've learnt become obselete
- there's no standard working hours, you start with the rest of the people but ends only when work is done and at times, that would stretch way past midnight
- did I hear someone say OT? What's that? If required, you might see yourself spending your weekends away in the office. Been there, done that
- your best friend is your workstation, you will be spending more time with it more than any other person or thing around you
- you might be working from home, in the office, client's site, in other states or overseas, which can be a good or bad thing and honestly, you'll be praying for less travelling or time abroad once you've had too much of it
- can't help but feel that software houses are slowly phasing out the concept of bonuses from their business and employees, perhaps this was what fueled some of the high increments. Even if there is, its usually one month, two the most
- the pace of change in technology is faster than you can say wtf and guess what, its your job to keep up with it. At one point, its good cause you're learning as you grow, on the other hand, there's a chance that of the stuff you've learnt become obselete
And many more but I'm gonna stop here because trying to come up with additional items is making me feeling more depressed, oh the irony. But of course there are lots of perks working in the IT industry as well but I'll leave that for another day. Like all the wise men says, there's always a good side and bad side in everything, the yin and yang of life cheh wah suddenly so philosophical. Anyway, hopefully what I've mentioned above can be of some insight to those concerned, providing a better picture of working in the industry from the perspective of a software developer.
Sekian, terima kasih.
p/s: Post inspired by the fact that I had to suddenly cancel my plans on a Sunday morning to head back to the client's site for deployment troubleshooting. Bias-ness exists in the post, hence might not be 100% applicable or accurate.
2 comments:
I think im qualified to comment too.
IT Life
I don't know how is other job life but is true that IT = no life. People work, You work, People sleep, sometime you work too. Reason because of while normal people is off then that is the only chance for us to do our things as we unable to disturb the daily process.
Anywhere it depends on how to take it and look at it. Maybe i'm still single and i feel is fine for me.
BTW, i'm a person that not really like programming but here i am. Quite surprise for myself.
p/s : IT ain't that bad also. Still got some light for you.
[adrian] the light at the end of the tunnel is it, lols. Of course, you are more than qualified to comment.
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