The 5 year plan to £50k

[Housey]

But he has a point. The focus many have on this forum with getting a degree before they stand a chance of earning is misguided. Get good at what you do in work and then put yourself out there as he seems to have done.

 

[Nitefly]

Haha I don't disagree but being so crass with figures in a thread full of people (not just OP) who are on unhappy on relatively lower wages is just a bit but I'm sure it was all said with the right intentions.

 

[Richdog]

Haha I don't disagree but being so crass with figures in a thread full of people (not just OP) who are on unhappy on relatively lower wages is just a bit but I'm sure it was all said with the right intentions.

Please don't misunderstand my intentions. I quote the figures because I am posting it as a tangible example and hopefully a wee bit of inspiration of what normal people, even those lacking in higher education, can do if they pluck up the courage to drop everything and move away from the UK. There is genuinely no boasting involved, I'm not the kind of guy who needs approval from anyone else in that regard and I see myself no better or more capable as any other intelligent human being, which the majority of people on this forum are. It just is what it is.

Also as I said, the figures quoted depend on the exchange rate, and currently the GBP is very weak which affects the final figure. My cost of living though is the same or less than London, with the benefits of much lower tax.

 

[Deleted member 651465]

I'm clearly in the wrong career

 

[Housey]

I always find it better not to quote such numbers on a forum as it does come across crass. Ive never quoted earnings at all, preferring the 'i do ok or i earn well by most peoples standards' and only when i feel that is relevant. Always someone who will look at yours and im sure my anual income and see it as a good day in the office. When youve met or mixed with real money you realise how poor 99.5% of us all are.

 

[Richdog]

I always find it better not to quote such numbers on a forum as it does come across crass. Ive never quoted earnings at all, preferring the 'i do ok or i earn well by most peoples standards' and only when i feel that is relevant. Always someone who will look at yours and im sure my anual income and see it as a good day in the office. When youve met or mixed with real money you realise how poor 99.5% of us all are.

I think seeing the numbers as crass comes down to an individuals own insecurities and what seems to be a national bad habit of automatically negatively comparing themselves to others. I have never been a jealous or envious person, even when I earned £16.5k in software support hell in my mid-twenties I never bemoaned any of my friends who were earning 30k+, I just felt happy for them and wanted to do better for myself.

I also know full well what it is like to be broke. I had a period of unemployment in my early 20's where I was degree-less and basically sponging off my my parents, my relationship with them deteriorated and I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life, in fact I had the feeling I would never get anywhere. It was soul-destroying for a time.

My only intended message in this thread is that anyone, within reason, can do it and you should take whatever opportunity you have to better your situation even if it means walking into the unknown. Stop worrying what the people next to you have that you don't, and start making your own luck.

 

[Mr^B]

I have achieved the same thing, but primarily by working hard and continually re-skilling rather than changing companies.

Outright total comp comparisons are a bit crass, but here's the percentage increases year on year. decreases are due to bonus fluctuations. and one due to changing job (I took a pay cut to move to the right company/role)

Company 1 (Asset Manager) - I already had 5 years app support experience at this point.
01-02: 30% Internet Developer
02-03: -5%
03-04: 9%
04-05: 11%
05-06: 27% Front Office Developer
06-07: 9%
07-08: 11%

Company 2 (Hedge Fund)
08-09: -3% Software Developer
09-10: 25%
10-11: 15%
11-12: 2%
12-13: -4%
13-14: 30% Development Manager
14-15: 16% Architect
15-16: 20% Head of Development

That's what picking the right company, staying put, working hard, and keeping your skills up to date can do for your career. Just for a different approach.

 

[IvanDobskey]

No matter how much you earn, there's always someone who earns considerably more than you.

I try not to think about it and just be happy with what I have. I'm not rich but not poor either.

I'd certainly not go quoting my annual salary on an Internet forum though

 

[mid_gen]

Brits are such prudes about money! Anyway, this is my experience, and a pretty reasonable path for anyone who wants to earn good money with decent technical skills and a willingness to relocate.

Next step after year 11 would have been Vice President grade but I'd had enough by then. Game dev pays well enough and doesn't make me hate myself

Year 1 - UK IT Support £16k
Year 2 - UK IT Consultant £25k
Year 3&4 - UK BI Analyst £37k
Year 5 - UK BI Lead £47k
Year 6&7 - UK BI Analyst £550 a day contract
Year 8&9 - Hong Kong Dev Lead ~£5k a month NET
Year 10&11 - Hong Kong Dev Manager ~£6k a month NET
Year 12-13-14 - (Germany, game programmer)

 

[Josh]

Excellent, I love it when the willy waving posts appear.

Popcorn.jpg

 

[mid_gen]

Excellent, I love it when the willy waving posts appear.

It's a peculiarly British thing this prudishness when it comes to earnings. It's the first thing people ask you in Hong Kong.

 

[Josh]

It's a peculiarly British thing this prudishness when it comes to earnings. It's the first thing people ask you in Hong Kong.

Oh no don't misunderstand what I meant, I'm not a prude, when seeing what people earn in a similar field it helps give me the drive to improve my own salary.

I just enjoy when people start posting them, it's fun to sit back and watch the numbers flying around.

 

[Richdog]

I'd certainly not go quoting my annual salary on an Internet forum though

Why, what difference does it make? What can people do with that information?

I quoted the figures for a specific reason which I have already justified.

Brits are such prudes about money!

Yup, in my experience it's a very UK-specific cultural phenomenon where people are afraid to appear like they are doing well, as though they are afraid of being penalised for having any sort of personal success. Resented, even. It's especially noticeable in the tabloid media where every mention of someone points out their personal fortune, or how many cars or houses they have. It's becoming a national obsession, and an unhealthy one at that.

 

[Mr^B]

I think it's interesting seeing other people's career paths (and salaries) - I don't know why I just don't feel comfortable posting my salary. Maybe a smidge of guilt seeing that most people are posting on how they have a target of £50k...maybe something else...I dunno. If anyone is actually interested I'll post it.

Most of my colleagues tend to move around a lot - work abroad, etc - and it certainly seems like a good idea if you get the chance to.

But then where I work currently, there are a lot of very capable people who have been here for a very long time (my paltry 8 years is looked down on). But the company is great, very forward looking technology-wise, and I haven't had the same role/responsibilities for more than a year at a time.

 

[randomshenans]

I'm with RichDog, but I suppose I've moved abroad too. But regardless of that, I didn't have a degree, like Housey has said. Just made some good strategic moves.

I went from '09 starting work in IT having changed careers, starting on 17k as Support analyst, to '10 - 26k moved to a field support engineer/managing clients (having made the most of training at the first place, and undertaking as much project work as I could), to going contract not long after, took me to 50k a year in a sys admin contract, to '11 when I moved to Basel for a SharePoint role, which took me to 120k, and since I've done a few different PM roles in this organisation in the Collaboration tools space, and have increased my rate since 2011 by about 60% so do pretty damn well.
It's not done for crass-ness at all, merely that if you make some good moves, it's possible quite easily ESPECIALLY without any responsibilities. I've got a wife, 3 kids and a dog!

I'd take that 40k, split it on 2 deposits for buy to let in an area that'll give you about 8-9% return. Get an agent to manage it, you'd not have to do anything and they'd take their 10%. It would put you in a great future position regardless and then you can work on your career.

 

[randomshenans]

It's a peculiarly British thing this prudishness when it comes to earnings. It's the first thing people ask you in Hong Kong.

It is very much a British thing. For me, I don't really care, as been said, it's not done in a sense of "look what I have" as it's not at all. I'm sure my outgoings surpass most too, but regardless, it's a case of it is possible. Don't limit yourself. You can see people are doing it/ have done it. Use that motivation and you can easily do it too.

 

[malachi]

Excellent, I love it when the willy waving posts appear.

Popcorn.jpg

Lol.

I don't think it is. Its just showing if people are willing to make the effort they will achieve more in life. Instead of sitting around in their comfort zone doing the bare minimum or doing whatever just to get by.

I don't have the best paid job, sitting here in Birmingham doing my 2/3 line support job is great. Its nice and cushy, I dont get bothered by managers, I sit here chill with great members of staff. But I have been here for 7 years and want to experience others things within the technology world and the way I want to do it, as I feel it will benefit me more is to move aboard.

 

[mid_gen]

Yeah, I chased the money for 11 years then decided there are more important things. The stress that comes with most jobs paying around six figures. I came very close to burnout, just walked out one day, took a few days sick and then left a month later to start my mission to get into game development.

Love it, I still earn a decent wage to live in a nice place, take nice holidays and buy toys. I have a great working environment, no stress, fun workplace and colleagues.

 

[Richdog]

Yeah, I chased the money for 11 years then decided there are more important things. The stress that comes with most jobs paying around six figures. I came very close to burnout, just walked out one day, took a few days sick and then left a month later to start my mission to get into game development.

Love it, I still earn a decent wage to live in a nice place, take nice holidays and buy toys. I have a great working environment, no stress, fun workplace and colleagues.

Burnout is a very real danger across almost all industries at the moment. It's happened for years but only now are we acknowledging it in society and starting to tackle as a genuine mental health issue instead of treating people like pariahs.

People were not meant to deal with stress on a constant hourly basis, our minds and bodies aren't designed for it in the long-term.

Good on you for making that change before it hit you.

 

[daz]

I'd take that 40k, split it on 2 deposits for buy to let in an area that'll give you about 8-9% return. Get an agent to manage it, you'd not have to do anything and they'd take their 10%. It would put you in a great future position regardless and then you can work on your career.

Personally I don't think this is a good idea with the recent tax changes.