The 2025 Bum Thread

[NickK]

My sympathies, considering what a ballache doing all the forms is and the subsequent interview. Who was the company, if you can/don't mind saying.

I'll not say directly, but the role was a chief solution architect for a 'smaller' global consultancy that has a defence/gov wing rather than the larger defence contractors. So that presales role is one that they could absorb at a push if they failed to land something - given they have a number of CSA and CTOs in the organisational structure (looking on LinkedIn) and having done the whole presales ownership before it feels more like that.

 

[Noxia]

I'll not say directly, but the role was a chief solution architect for a smaller consultancy that has a defence/gov wing rather than the larger defence contractors. So that presales role is one that they could absorb at a push if they failed to land something.

No disrespect to yourself, this is just a recent memory but someone made a comment the other day that defence could save a load of money if they stopped employing contractors with 'architect' in their title as it seems to be an 'excuse' to add more £££ on the salary lol.

It sounds like maybe they were hedging their bets too, as the process takes a long time (varies), they have been trying to get someone through it in lieu of having someone with existing.

 

[NickK]

No disrespect to yourself, this is just a recent memory but someone made a comment the other day that defence could save a load of money if they stopped employing contractors with 'architect' in their title as it seems to be an 'excuse' to add more £££ on the salary lol.

It sounds like maybe they were hedging their bets too, as the process takes a long time (varies), they have been trying to get someone through it in lieu of having someone with existing.

"Architects of ivory towers" is an expression I've heard before. Agreed. I've held SC before and I know people that are DV pre-modernisation changes so I knew that application would disappear down the rabbit hole for months.

The record for me was a bank.. it took 5 months and 7 interviews, which included the HR contact leaving and not handing over her applicants - still I got the role.

 

[Noxia]

"Architects of ivory towers" is an expression I've heard before. Agreed. I've held SC before and I know people that are DV pre-modernisation changes so I knew that application would disappear down the rabbit hole for months.

The record for me was a bank.. it took 5 months and 7 interviews, which included the HR contact leaving and not handing over her applicants - still I got the role.

Euuuugh it's all soo tedious. I like that phrase too, going to use it when the time is right.
My record was 8 months from being told I was successful at interview, to actually starting. Bear in mind this was 2020 during lockdown etc so can't really complain.

For the first time ever I was claiming UC, and thankfully because I had the email saying I was successful for the job it meant I didn't have to check in with them every however many weeks whilst waiting for all the pre-check stuff to go through.
A very low point that year, from being made redundant in Dec 2019 to starting the new role in November 2020, tied in with lockdown and it was a period I try to forget.

 

[Steeps]

I feel a bit sick, nearly 11 years of a rollercoaster of a job and in a few weeks it's coming to an end due to a takeover. The typical life lessons of killing yourself doing overtime, every task going, taking flack for things which should have done differently and it ends with "you're not wanted" by the new management. At least I can take pride of building something they did want and it kept me occupied all this time, but I don't like endings like this when it's been such a part of my life.

There is potentially something new doing the same thing in the pipeline, but the uncertainty and the having to start again is going to be hard. It's made more difficult when it doesn't affect all the staff. The decompress when I'm not going to the office is going to be hard to handle.

 

[Itchytrigg]

Looking like I get to join the club, missing last months pay and today a meeting to say we can't be paid, they are going to sell up or close down. Trouble is, mid life crisis was starting to hit and I really don't know if I want to stay in software develoment but don't really have the savings/luxury to take too long making my mind up.

This was a new job I've had for a year and my previous was for 20 years, didn't even do a CV or have a "proper" interview for this one sooo...yeah!

 

[NickK]

well it’s been 12 months now, I’ve done a decent course in AI to have a decent understanding but in reality is seems that bubble is bursting but with companies still shedding staff and low budget appetite driven by the current global mess.

I’m tempted to look at focusing on sovereign private AI and cloud options, those present a key differentiator.
I won’t have the funding to train but there’s some nuances around the immaturity that can be harnessed.

 

[mid_gen]

I feel a bit sick, nearly 11 years of a rollercoaster of a job and in a few weeks it's coming to an end due to a takeover. The typical life lessons of killing yourself doing overtime, every task going, taking flack for things which should have done differently and it ends with "you're not wanted" by the new management. At least I can take pride of building something they did want and it kept me occupied all this time, but I don't like endings like this when it's been such a part of my life.

There is potentially something new doing the same thing in the pipeline, but the uncertainty and the having to start again is going to be hard. It's made more difficult when it doesn't affect all the staff. The decompress when I'm not going to the office is going to be hard to handle.

I think the single best life lesson anyone can learn is that no matter how much your employer talks about 'family', how good friends you are with your manager or any of that stuff.....when the money comes knocking, you'll be discarded without a second thought and out on your ear. Your job is only as secure as your notice period.

Sucks to be on the end of it though. I've managed to always move on before the axe happens, but not by much this last job!

well it’s been 12 months now, I’ve done a decent course in AI to have a decent understanding but in reality is seems that bubble is bursting but with companies still shedding staff and low budget appetite driven by the current global mess.

I’m tempted to look at focusing on sovereign private AI and cloud options, those present a key differentiator.
I won’t have the funding to train but there’s some nuances around the immaturity that can be harnessed.

Right now what people want is people that have practical experience in AI. Off the basis of a couple of LinkedIn posts I had people contacting me for consulting work, and a book deal. People want to know "how can I use AI to streamline my business". Notwithstanding the possibility that it may be "you can't" There is a lot of demand right now.

We have a position open right now for someone to work full time on our AI coding pipelines, just massaging the processes so the experienced engineers in the company can just crank out product as rapidly as possible.

 

[Steeps]

Sucks to be on the end of it though. I've managed to always move on before the axe happens, but not by much this last job!

Fortunately I got lucky with it being over 10 years. We allowed the new management to allow succession and retirement of the existing heads, but they're trying to kick everyone out early on rubbish deals. No one in the company is happy and a few of us are being offered an escape due to being shareholders. I'm not the most employable person and this is the 5th time I've been "your role is at risk of redundancy" but the first where the company is able to afford to pay it.

I wouldn't have a clue where to start looking now for a job bar starting at an Amazon depot and hoping they can see I'm more than capable of filling boxes.

 

[NickK]

Right now what people want is people that have practical experience in AI. Off the basis of a couple of LinkedIn posts I had people contacting me for consulting work, and a book deal. People want to know "how can I use AI to streamline my business". Notwithstanding the possibility that it may be "you can't" There is a lot of demand right now.

It's the first iteration, the first POCs, so all those ROI numbers are going to look shocking. Only issue is it was sold as a silver bullet but I already know the reality of it. I can be used but not for the unicorn reasons that many have attempted.
Next phase will be 2026 when they realise that the wider ROI is less, except where they invest and the cost for bespoke solutions ends up costing an arm and a leg. The AI vendors all cashing in the AI consultancy wings but traction is still conservative due to security and risk.

We have a position open right now for someone to work full time on our AI coding pipelines, just massaging the processes so the experienced engineers in the company can just crank out product as rapidly as possible.

Code completion and automation is probably the fastest route to ROI but it's like AWS compute was 15 years ago.

I'll code up some stuff and put it on GH/linkedin.

I've applied to a company doing the same as I've done previously with AWS, should be interesting to see if that gets traction or not. If not that's a good indicator something is wrong.

 

[Calpol]

I'm almost 9 months into my "bum" period.
I describe myself now as semi retired on account of being almost 55 and not seriously looking for another job. Financially things are ok as my wife works albeit as a nurse so hardly lifechanging salary. However we aren't quite shed of our parental duties and funding of further education. If that were the case I'd probably be "retired". I struggled the last few years with motivation for work despite being in quite well paid roles. I think I struggled to balance the right level of challenge and achievement with the stress of getting things done. To be fair I always had one eye on not working to say 60yo but it's quite a transition and not one I am fully adjusted to yet. Finding yourself potentially at the end of you career and reflecting on what you actually achieved that mattered is a weird place and I'm not sure how I feel about it. Physically and mentally I feel a lot better. Working full time took it out of me to the extent I was pretty exhausted by a Thursday evening. My tolerance for stupid people and their decisions also went from low to non existent.

The biggest struggle I have for now is coming to terms with the financial reality of not having a monthly wage which results in not having to think too hard about where we spend money. In theory I have more than enough to bridge the period between now and an Ok DB pension at 65 + state pension at 67 but the saving habit is truly embedded and I've worked out I don't really like spending! Tried reading Die with Xero but it hasn't clicked yet!

Hope you are all doing ok.

 

[RxR]

My grandmother experienced employment ageism in her 50's. Her solution was to state she was 10 years younger and she got work, and worked (by choice) until she was 70.

 

[wingman]

My grandmother experienced employment ageism in her 50's. Her solution was to state she was 10 years younger and she got work, and worked (by choice) until she was 70.

I rate that haha, lovely little workaround, and once you have secured the job you "correct" the data.

 

[malachi]

My grandmother experienced employment ageism in her 50's. Her solution was to state she was 10 years younger and she got work, and worked (by choice) until she was 70.

Wouldn't need to do that now, as you can leave your DOB off your application or CV.

 

[wingman]

Wouldn't need to do that now, as you can leave your DOB off your application or CV.

I've purposely left my age off applications and my CV but for the opposite reason, I'm relatively young for the positions I'm applying for.

 

[malachi]

I've purposely left my age off applications and my CV but for the opposite reason, I'm relatively young for the positions I'm applying for.

Good we only need to disclose as little personal information as possible when applying for jobs now.

 

[NickK]

Scratch that job.. the interviewer was nice, and was attempting to help but if I'm not deep technical then I don't think I'll fit and by the end of the interview he thought the same.

I'd also just got off the plane and back here at past 3am this morning.. slept like the waking dead, ill like a dog still and this was the only spot.

Not sure this would have supported my expectations from a role either.

 

[NickK]

Considering going back to Uni todo a MSc in Cybersecurity and Ethical Hacking (NCSC certified course).

My history (in a nutshell)
* BSc (hons) Software Engineering specialisation parallel & distributed computation (including networks)
* 27+ years of industry experience, with SC secure service, cloud and data, including quantum cryptography.
* Oxford Uni Artificial Intelligence 6W course.

The value to me would be a certification. The focus would be creating a creating a consultancy specifically for ethical hacking and cloud/AI/quantum.

Thoughts?

 

[malachi]

Considering going back to Uni todo a MSc in Cybersecurity and Ethical Hacking (NCSC certified course).

My history (in a nutshell)
* BSc (hons) Software Engineering specialisation parallel & distributed computation (including networks)
* 27+ years of industry experience, with SC secure service, cloud and data, including quantum cryptography.
* Oxford Uni Artificial Intelligence 6W course.

The value to me would be a certification. The focus would be creating a creating a consultancy specifically for ethical hacking and cloud/AI/quantum.

Thoughts?

Doesn't make sense to me if you have enough experience working in IT already.

All that stuff you can self learn off the internet without going to the uni route just for a piece of paper.

 

[NickK]

One of the questions in the recent interview was - what are you doing to keep your skills sharp in the last year?

1. A short course - this did great as a boost for me personally.
2. Attempted to see if the local Uni was interested in bullding a local cybersecurity workshop with local small businesses, tl;dr - no by silence after initial discussions.
3. The question got me thinking after. The current environment is heavily weighted in doing applications which subtracts from skills. At the same time the role (they approached me) seemed to be quickly moving towards a "mandatory understanding of OWASP developer pipelines' hands on technical but at the same time they wanted someone to handle senior (ie C/SLT and have influence in presales). Within 5 minutes into the 50 mins, I'd already sussed the situation and getting into the weeds is not what I want.

The thought about adding a vetted and certified rubber stamp (NCSC certified) would add a "security aware" sticker.

It seems that the industry is starting to tire of AI, instead starting to learn where it actually can help, but this leaves a large security demand and finops demand. Especially with the current global situation.

One of the observations from the previous role (I owned the C-suite relationship, product, budget and execution) was having more technical terms understanding (specifically at a level of technical terminology) would short circuit some of the discussion time. Difficult when you have 42 services, and you have BAs and staff to get into that but that was the 360 from the architects and engineering. I don't know the finer details of some current AWS funky named features but I do understand reading the relationship between the customer and other stakeholders.
There in-lies I feel a problem - the current work environment is looking for execution "do" at a low level and not steerage "direction" both due to the current investments in transformation are small and the desire from employers is someone that knows their **** at a coding level but leaving the boat to hit the rocks, and isn't interested in someone steering the boat.

It doesn't help that my titles are "product owner" yet the role is product directorship. Which I feel leaves me in the lurch in a competitive environment as the HR/AI looks and assumes at the job title then gets turned off by the level, and vice versa for senior roles.