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(I really don't want to come off as bragging, please bear with me.) I'm a programmer and I've got my reasons to believe I'm pretty good at my job. I love my jo

(I really don't want to come off as bragging, please bear with me.) I'm a programmer and I've got my reasons to believe I'm pretty good at my job. I love my job. But it's a job, and the amount of money they pay me to do that is directly proportional to the likelihood I'll accept their offer. For me, working in a management-infested big firm at 200€/hr beats working for a small, agile startup at 100€/hr hands down. I'd go for the big firm even if the startup offered 150€/hr. Why? I can always work on my projects, and I do, on my spare time. If I work at twice the rate, I can take half my month off and take home the same amount of money I'd get for working at the startup. Also, I really don't think we programmers get paid well for what we do. Think about our job: it needs a lifetime of experience and you always have to keep updated. When they say that the best programmers are the one with passions, think about it - there's no other way to be even a decent programmer if you're not very passionate about it, because it needs so much time and practice it is just not possible to be a programmer the same way you can be an accountant (just to say, nothing personal against accountants). My idea customer is one who pays me a ton of money to work with shitty tools on problems he can't even define himself, and then blames it all on me when things go fubar (as long as he pays me). I really don't care - I don't want to be appreciated, I don't want to be cuddled - I'm a professional and I'll give 100% when on shift, I don't need a pat on the back. I will have my satisfaction during the huge amount of spare time that I'll be able to take for myself because you're paying me lots more than a "friendly" customer does.

glenngillen 15y ago
Really? I know at least in Australia and the UK (only places I've filed tax returns so only places I can speak with any degree of confidence) that becoming a professional accountant requires: - 3-4 years (at least) of university - industry accreditation if you want to work for yourself - a minimum number of hours every year spent maintaining that accreditation - trawling through government budget and tax amendments every year to know the impact for all or your clients - knowing the legal intricacies of each country/state/county you operate in to ensure you're doing the best job for you clients, and keeping abreast of any changes to those. There's no way I'd trade being a programmer for having to stomach that burden. And most accountants I know are on a lower rate than most devs I know, unless they're working for a big 4 consultancy.
- georgieporgie 15y ago
  My ex, and accountant and, shortly later, a CPA, was never asked in an interview what sort of outside accounting projects she worked on. Companies didn't ask for a 'passionate' accountant, they asked for someone with who could reliably get the work done on time. The companies she worked for sent her to training and testing on their dime and time.

glenngillen 15y ago

Really? I know at least in Australia and the UK (only places I've filed tax returns so only places I can speak with any degree of confidence) that becoming a professional accountant requires: - 3-4 years (at least) of university - industry accreditation if you want to work for yourself - a minimum number of hours every year spent maintaining that accreditation - trawling through government budget and tax amendments every year to know the impact for all or your clients - knowing the legal intricacies of each country/state/county you operate in to ensure you're doing the best job for you clients, and keeping abreast of any changes to those. There's no way I'd trade being a programmer for having to stomach that burden. And most accountants I know are on a lower rate than most devs I know, unless they're working for a big 4 consultancy.

georgieporgie 15y ago
My ex, and accountant and, shortly later, a CPA, was never asked in an interview what sort of outside accounting projects she worked on. Companies didn't ask for a 'passionate' accountant, they asked for someone with who could reliably get the work done on time. The companies she worked for sent her to training and testing on their dime and time.