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25 Years Old and an Offshore IT Manager
dcblogs writes "The Chinese outsourcing market, at $1.7 billion last year, is growing at 38% a year, according to research by the Everest Group. This is creating opportunities for Westerners who want to go to China, learn the language, and help these Chinese offshore companies reach overseas markets. There are job opportunities for people with management experience or who are young and willing to gamble. Here's the story of one 25-year-old who started learning Mandarin on his plane ride over to China, three years ago, and is now an international development manager for an IT offshoring firm."
When I was 25, I was also a manager.
Ok, so it was the night manager at the local Taco Bell, but that's the same thing, right?
"Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former."
So... the chinese are outsourcing to Westerners? Does that mean outsourcing has become recursive? Are there actually people working somewhere?
And, "Chinese offshore companies"? does that mean they operate on a boat?
A 3 year long plane "ride"?
Yeah, the cats in America just don't taste right without a lot of ketchup.
You're probably right and, amusingly, like so many 20 year olds you presume that the old farts you're arguing with skipped from their teens straight to their forties and fifties without learning anything that you don't know already.
Now get off my lawn.
Most outsourcing goes to India, and the software quality usually is crap because:
1) The cheapest programmers are fresh out of college, where due to budget constraints they've typically they've had little if any actual hands-on programming experience! IIT is good, but most Indian schools comp-sci is a complete joke
2) The outsourcing shop turnover is very high (30%/yr typical) because the market is so hot. Employees just cross the hallway to a higher paying job at the drop of a hat
3) They endemically lie on their resumes, so even the little experince you thought they had is non-existant. Sad, but true.
The only IT outsourcing that I've heard sucess stories from are for testing (to detailed test specs) rather than for development. IOW think of them as cheap labor, and you'll be OK (as long as your specifications were thorough and unambiguous). Think of them as a cheaper alternative to your experienced and competent domestic team, and youll be disappointed.
"Every time you eat a Californian tomato you're exploiting low-wage Mexican workers."
With this in mind, I'll actively seek out as much produce from California as I can find! Thanks!