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Increasing the Value of the Domestic IT Worker?

Posted by Cliff on from the competing-with-outsourcing dept.

KoshClassic asks: "To state it simply, in today's global economy, the IT worker in America is in direct competition with IT workers in countries such as India who are willing to do the same job for less. Much of this willingness has to do with standards and costs of living in these other countries, and without lowering ours or raising theirs, the American IT worker can not compete on even terms if the only consideration is cost. What should American IT workers be doing to differentiate ourselves from our overseas counterparts, to add the kinds of value for employers that will make them want to look beyond direct costs and see other benefits that will make it worthwhile for them to keep these jobs in the US? I'm not sure what the answer to this question is, but I am convinced that the answer lies in trends and industry wide changes, rather than just individuals polishing their own resumes. When an employer decides he needs to fill a programming position, what is going to make him want to fill that position in the U.S. rather than overseas, even before individual candidates are considered"

2 of 1,032 comments (clear)

  1. Bring management skills by Pranjal · · Score: 5, Informative

    .. if you bring management skills to the table you will be better off. The biggest challenge today is to manage projects across time-zones and successfully coordinating between the teams in US and India. If you can demonstrate that you can work in such an environment and can actually manage the tasks also you will be in high demand.

  2. Get a new Job? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    hm, maybe you should read some Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) numbers:
    Here is America's job future for the next 10 years:

    waiters and waitresses;

    janitors and cleaners;

    food preparation;

    nursing aides, orderlies and attendants;

    cashiers

    customer service representatives;

    retail salespersons;

    registered nurses;

    general and operational managers;

    postsecondary teachers.
    For further reading:
    http://www.vdare.com/roberts/economy_off shore.htm
    http://www.vdare.com/roberts/job_data.h tm
    http://www.vdare.com/roberts/where_jobs_go.htm