In my years consulting for companies in their traditional IT departments, what you describe is all too common -- and utterly depressing. Since, however, moving

In my years consulting for companies in their traditional IT departments, what you describe is all too common -- and utterly depressing. Since, however, moving into the embedded systems space, I rarely see this kind of scenario, anymore. I see it as the effect of the commoditization of IT skills, coupled with the mundaneness of the kinds of software produced in typical IT shops. It's a sign of maturity (which to me had the stench of death). I'm grateful to now (10 years+) working with deeper-skilled engineers, and getting to work on truly new products and technologies. My advice is to embrace the discomfort you're feeling about yourself -- change is definitely indicated. Seize the day.