Last week Search400 reported salaries for iSeries professionals showed a slight increase over the previous year. We wondered if that was true for Search400 members and asked you to tell us about your situations. Are you seeing salary increases? Are you having to do more to get those increases?
We also heard from members about our poll, asking Are you concerned that IBM's eServer consolidation strategy will decrease the demand for iSeries skills? And they shared their thoughts on skills iSeries professionals require to move forward.
Need to have more than iSeries skills
In the real world, pure iSeries professionals don't really exist anymore (except at IBM), I work for a software development company (second-tier IBM BP), and in the early phases of my career there were just IBM shops, but these days (for at least the last two years) I'm finding myself working with Linux, MS BackOffice products, etc. and also had to get a Windows 2000 Server MCP on top of my IBM certification.
Paul Zimmermann
Microsoft Certified Professional
IBM ISeries/AS400 Certified Specialist
Independent workers feel pain of recession
As an independent, my experiences counter that of your statistics. My clients have considerably cut down the number of billing hours I work. This effectively cuts my income by a third.
There are very few potential customers out there. Many of those that are there are offering rates that are less than half of my current rate.
This is the worst situation I have seen since the recession of 1991 - 1992. In many ways it is worse.
Dave Abramowitz
Salary outlook bleak
We received no salary increase here this year. There were no increases throughout the company, as salaries were frozen this year due to the downturn in the economy. There are two positions in the IS Development department that have not been filled since the departure of two employees. There was also an increase in what an employee pays for medical benefits this year. There has been no word as of this time about what will happen next year.
Larry Hawks
Your iSeries roots will serve you well in the long run
You may have left out the most probable situation from your 'iSeries skill poll'.
With more and more of IBM's work on the eServer coming out of Rochester, the hardware and software technology are sure to be based in iSeries technologies and mindsets. With pSeries machines now getting built in Rochester and having more and more iSeries hardware in them, along with the advent of EIM in V5R2 solutions which are now thought of for the entire eServer line, it is likely that your iSeries roots will serve you well in the eServer line. Granted, technical folks need to be continually modernizing their skills. You should never think that you're going to be an RPG III programmer for the rest of your life. At least not if your under 50.
Mark Stacy
Infinium
Care to comment?
Want to respond to what was said? Want to add your own opinion? Send your comments to Michelle Davidson, site editor.