One more comment... maybe "outsourcing" will cease to be an issue soon.
Some companies (that will remain nameless here) are already creating
"design centers" in 3rd world countries. So the political problem is
solved; "We didn't outsource your job, we redistributed the existing
workload within the existing organization and can no longer justify your
continued employement."
But you wanted good news.... sorry about that.
"Allen T. Maddox"
<allen.t.maddox@GAI-TRONIC To: [log in to unmask]
S.COM> cc:
Sent by: DesignerCouncil Subject: Re: [DC] tech jobs overseas...
<[log in to unmask]>
04/01/2004 11:45 AM
Please respond to
"(Designers Council
Forum)"; Please respond to
"Allen T. Maddox"
In my passive observation in my neck of the woods I've seen a few different
trends that are scary.
1) Sure, tech jobs are going overseas (Eathlink moved 400 customer service
jobs from Lancaster PA to Indonesia). Most of the folks I've seen laid off
in the technical fields are pursuing other careers now. My brother for one
went over a year with out even an interview. He got his CDL and is driving
a school bus now (lucky basturd gets a company car and goes home for lunch
and gets snow days off). He doesn't make near the money he use to.
2) We temporarily lost a guy due to illness. He was out for a couple
months. By the time we found a contractor to sub in, he was back. There
aren't as many guys out there looking for work in this field.
3) The guys who I run into are in their late 40's, at least. No new young
guns.
4) I see a lot of labor force being taken by new immigrants. Now hear me
out on this first. I don't live in a "boarder town". I'm in the middle of
Pennsylvanian Dutch Country. There's a bunch of folks from South America
and Asia taking jobs that were traditionally held by Amish, because their
cost of living is so low the Amish held these jobs cheap. I don't begrudge
immigrants coming to the land opportunity, but, they seem to be doing a
disservice to themselves and previously establish cultures by working so
cheap.
5) I see what the statistics are calling cost of living increase and I
don't agree. Sure interest rates are down, but, there are more things you
"need to have" to maintain an expected life style, i.e. cable or dish TV,
cell phone, ISP. Sure I have health insurance, but the co-pay, employee
contribution keep going up and the insurers acceptable coverage is going
down. Need I go on?
6) I'm being continually told that I'm at the top of my pay scale. A pay
scale that has a buying power in today's market is less that my buying
power 5 to 10 years ago. Sure, going back to school is a option, but for
what? By the time I complete yet another degree part time, will it be
useful for a guy in his 60's competing with new grads in their 20's.
Getting off my soap box. Boy it felt good to get that off my chest.
Somebody give me some good news. I need a shot of positive information.
Allen Maddox
Sr. PC Board Designer
GAI-Tronics, Corp
610-796-5854
PO Box 1060
Reading, PA 19607-1060
[log in to unmask]
www.gai-tronics.com
>>> [log in to unmask] 03/31/04 03:57PM >>>
My $0.02:
I think outsourcing is inevitable. Tech jobs are no different than tennis
shoes as far as outsourcing goes. As a spender, you try to get the best
bang for your buck.
If the 'intangibles' (quality, customer satisfaction, etc.) drive the
bottom line down, you won't outsource for long; the job will come back
in-house. But if a beancounter can show that 5% of the customer base will
go away because they aren't happy speaking to a service rep with an accent,
but that overall profits will increase anyway, I'm guessing most companies
will choose to maximize profits. (If the average company is that concerned
with customer satisfaction, how did these automated phone systems ever make
it into virtually every business in America? Press 1 to answer...)
Anyway, I agree that some jobs will come back. But they may go away again
later as the out-source learns how to deal with the issues that lost them
the business. It'll be interesting (like a wreck on the highway is
interesting) to see which jobs ultimately show a better pay-off staying
in-house and which don't.
Some jobs may cycle back and forth forever. Having worked in Big Automotive
for the last 20+ years, you see cycles and fads. Matrix management.
Centralize, De-centralize, Re-centralize. These guys need to be near the
customer - they need to be near the factory - need to be near R&D.... It's
just that now the globe is the gameboard instead of the U.S.
If you want something (your job) to stay in-house, find a way to quantify
the cost of outsourcing-related communication problems, which is what most
tech outsourcing problems boil down to, one way or another. Demonstrate why
outsourcing will actually drive the bottom line down, not up. Be prepared
to make your case repeatedly (every time somebody different comes in
anywhere above you in the food chain). Hope that the inevitable test cases
prove you right.
I do think the best way to survive long-term is to become part of the new
process, which will include more and more outsourcing. Someone has to tell
them what we want and see if we got what we wanted., etc.....
It's all about the money.
-Chris (el CID)
"Brooks,Bill"
<[log in to unmask]> To:
[log in to unmask]
Sent by: DesignerCouncil cc:
<[log in to unmask]> Subject: Re:
[DC] tech jobs overseas...
03/31/2004 12:42 PM
Please respond to
"(Designers Council
Forum)"; Please respond to
"Brooks,Bill"
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