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I would probably avoid looking into Clojure or Scala to make money based on popularity. Problem is that these languages are 'cool' which means that there is considerable amount of good programmers playing with them in free time and willing to take a job where they could code in that. Let's say that there are
- 2 million java programmers
- 2.1 million java jobs
Doesn't look good? But if you compare it to (completely random numbers)
- 50k Clojure programmers
- 1k Clojure jobs
Then the fact that there is 40 times less Clojure that java programmers is not going to help you much.

If you are trying to game the popularity, you need to find languages platform which are in some demand, skillset is rare and they are horrible to work with. With that, you may get into job which you will hate, but you will be paid a good money and have job security.

Look what is happening with game development. So many people want to work there that you work very long hours and pay is very low. I knew some people who were willing to get pay cut to switch from Java to Scala. They weren't learning Scala to earn more, but to have fun again.

From my experience, domain you work in has a lot bigger factor in salary than platform. Investment banking people will earn same money, regardless if they code C#, java, C++ or python, but might get considerably different packages based on domain knowledge and actual skill. Game developers will be paid badly regardless if they do Flash, Android (talking about salaries, not indie games) or C++.

Switching language in same industry can give you maybe 20-30% salary increase? Switching industries can double or triple it.

Examples:
C# developer with 5 years experience in banking
http://jobview.monster.co.uk/C...
600-700 GBP per day (which gives 130-150k yearly)
plus plenty of other 500-600 GBP per day jobs.

Web C# jobs outside banking (same city)
30-50k GBP yearly
and no offer for daily contracts.

Learning Scala just to move from 30k to 35k job is not worth it. If you want money, go for proper industry. Learn languages/platforms if you want to have fun in work - but then base it on what you want, not what is best paid.

• 3727 Web
• 2805 c
• 2483 sql
• 1441 Windows
• 1115 .NET
• 1069 c#
• 1061 java
• 985 javascript
• 957 ASP
• 812 linux
• 745 C++
• 666 unix(!)
• 571 php
• 426 flash
• 365 embedded
• 261 perl
• 224 apache
• 216 ARM
• 193 python
• 100 matlab
• 65 ruby
• 34 rails
• 16 cobol
• 16 fortran
• 0 lisp

So, don't bother with lisp. .NET is popular, but not enough to get over the M$ factor. And unix at 666 W.T.F.??? Looks like C and SQL, same as last decade!

Java: More than 1000

Not that job listings are a particularly good indicator of anything, but from Monster:

• C++: 943 Jobs
• C#: 819 Jobs

The C++ ones include plenty of new systems.

Not that job listings are a particularly good indicator of anything, but from Monster:

• C++: 943 Jobs
• C#: 819 Jobs

The C++ ones include plenty of new systems.

I migrated from the LA to London 2 1/2 years ago under the Highly Skilled Migrant Programme, which, if you qualify, is a very good way to enter the job market in the UK. You earn points based on your education level, number of years graduate (post university) working experience, salary, and other factors (bonus points for being young, an MD, or MBA from a top 50 school).

Once you get it, you can enter the UK without a job, look for a job for up to a year and switch employers at any time. Work permits are also possible but are much more restrictive since you need employer sponsorship, they need to "prove" that no one local could have done the job and to change employers requires a new work permit.

There are a number of good IT job sites in the uk (http://jobserve.com, http://monster.co.uk/ http://jobsite.co.uk/ http://progressive.co.uk/ etc...). I applied to many and got very few responses until I put down a friend's address and phone number in England. I was then able to get some telephone interviews, but didn't get a final job offer until after I moved over. Even though I was fortunate to get a job offer relatively quickly, I didn't start work for almost a month and a half, and didn't get paid for over 2 months (salaried payment in the UK is almost always monthly, often in arrears, which takes a bit to get used to). Contract work is also an option.

A very good website for the HSMP and UK immigration in general is http://www.immigrationboards.com/ a free discussion board, part of http://www.workpermit.com/ a worldwide immigration service (which I didn't use but might be an option for you).

Best of luck!

Is that real search results or just something you pulled off the top of your head, because as of today the stats for the UK are:
vb.net : 139
C# 449
Java 770

Is that real search results or just something you pulled off the top of your head, because as of today the stats for the UK are:
vb.net : 139
C# 449
Java 770

Is that real search results or just something you pulled off the top of your head, because as of today the stats for the UK are:
vb.net : 139
C# 449
Java 770

I'm also curious about this idea that mathematics opens no career paths. My peers now work in finance, IT, bio-tech, engineering R&D, and numerous other interesting and/or well paid fields. A few did go on to do PhDs, but certainly not the majority.

This was definitely the perception in the UK back the mid-1980's. A quick job search reveals that there are around 85+ jobs requiring mathematics skills, with only one or two requiring Ph.D's. The other positions are for junior accounting assistants, admins and teachers. Not very inspiring.

http://www.ieng.com/warp/public/146/pressroom/2000 /mar00/sp_030600.htm
http://www.jvp.co.il/investments/optical_port.html
http://company.monster.co.uk/cocouk/
http://www.individualinvestor.com/tbd/article.asp? ID=2510