Career not going nearly as well as investments anymore

[JoeWras]

While I am quite sure that certain levels of coding are being exported. Computer Science/Software Engineering majors are still some of the most in demand STEM majors in the country and graduates from good schools are getting top dollar offers.

Exported at my Megacorp who had a requirement of an MS degree. So it isn't just code mills.

But, yes, they are hiring and getting top dollar. Frequently more than people who were there for 10 years!

Don't ask me what kind of environment that created.

The idea that IT is over for junior or entry level programmers is absurd. It remains one of the best areas to study vis a vis career prospects.

It is not over. It is shortened. Get the job, make the company pay for what it is worth. No matter how valuable they say you are, don't believe them. Take everything you can get, because once you turn 45 or so, you're on The List for disposal.

There's talk that cosmetic procedures are on the rise in Silicon Valley so that one can look youthful. New article about it yesterday. I'm not sure this is a huge trend, but I did see a little of it. One of our directors moved to SV and after a few months there, he colored his hair and got obvious Botox. I thought, "power to ya, Bud." Now people are saying it is part of avoiding ageism? I never really thought that, but the article may have some truth.

 

[indiajust]

engineering took me on the same path, just not as well paid. I spend time at Makerspace's and other low cost high touch activities. Lots of exercise. I continue to explore opening a small business. I've thought about taking up a trade, like metal-working.

 

[segfault]

I'll add that both FIRECalc and ******** (huh odd that that other calculator is obscured), both report 95%-100% success rates for my level of expenses and AA.

I'm fine working more years, but there's no way I'm going to do any more unpaid work.

Well, that makes me wonder what calculators are being censored!

I'm slightly older and have about the same NW. It's not enough for me to retire. My plan is to be FI and have my house paid off by my mid 40s, but I'm not certain I will retire at that point, as there are a number of external factors which might come into play between now and then. Hang in there, whatever you decide, career-wise!

 

[nvgs123]

Don't let your tax dollars go to waste.
Bureau of Labor and Statistics has the info you need for your next act.

https://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/ecopro.pdf

 

[RioIndy]

One month later, I'm now at 825K AND I just got a new job!

Coronavirus is the latest event to do some weird things to the markets though, and this new job came with a lot of concerning red flags, but I'm going to give it my best shot and keep my expenses on the lower side for a little bit longer

 

[ESRwannabe]

One month later, I'm now at 825K AND I just got a new job!

Coronavirus is the latest event to do some weird things to the markets though, and this new job came with a lot of concerning red flags, but I'm going to give it my best shot and keep my expenses on the lower side for a little bit longer

Congrats on the job. I'm coming to this thread pretty late.

With $825k you are set IMHO, especially since you are Canadian and have health insurance.

My advice if you get tired of working in IT, is to go over seas and teach English somewhere (maybe not Asia right now), or do freelance IT work.

The cost of living is so much lower you will probably end up spending $24k per year or less. So you should have plenty of money to both live off of and have your portfolio grow even if you don't work.

You could become a "global snowbird" and not have to go through another winter again in your life. For US and Canadian citizens its very easy to stay in Mexico for 6 months at a time. Thailand is supposed to be a great place for 3 month visits. In Europe, Portugal should also be a nice place to stay for 3-6 months stays.

This would be an easy decision for me if I were in your shoes. I'd be happy to get out of Canada for half the year just to avoid the cold. The fact your living expenses will go way down as well, is an added bonus.

 

[ponyboy]

Wait for a market correction. YOu'll be happy you're still working.

This past decade were the golden years. Almost anyone with money invested did well. It'll be interesting to see the threads when the market makes its correction.

 

[RioIndy]

Wait for a market correction. YOu'll be happy you're still working.

This past decade were the golden years. Almost anyone with money invested did well. It'll be interesting to see the threads when the market makes its correction.

The sky is definitely falling right now!
Markets down like 5% in the last 5 days. I put a tiny bit more money in on day 2 but could not have known that it was just going to get lower. *shrug*
The R word is suddenly showing up everywhere again as well. So I can be very grateful that the timing of this new job is coinciding with this market correction.

 

[ponyboy]

Wait for a market correction. YOu'll be happy you're still working.

This past decade were the golden years. Almost anyone with money invested did well. It'll be interesting to see the threads when the market makes its correction.

I guess my post in Feb aged well for once.

Hopefully you and everyone else were buying the whole way down. I spot checked a couple of my accounts, one was down 2%, 8% and 10% as of Friday. At one point they were down almost 25%.

 

[RioIndy]

Well I have a positive update: my NW just hit 900K for the first time yesterday (with TFSA just under 140k). It's not the BIG ONE, and it could very well drop again with this whole Apocalypse thing we're still experiencing. But it still feels quite nice , and FIRECalc gives me a 100% success rate .

I avoided checking what the NW was in depth of March 2020, but I probably was down to like ~600k-700k .

On the downside: I have been layed-off from my new job due to all this, but they really want to hire me back as soon as they get cash flowing again when the world starts recovering. Now that I'm basically "100%", I am less stressed about it.

And can now move on to re-contemplating if I want more "nice things" or if I want them faster. One big item I am now revisting: might I want a bigger home? If so, in my city with HCOL, that is a SIGNIFICANT increase in yearly expenses, which would mean wanting a NW that is considerably higher, probably like 1.25M-1.5M. Hmmm