Ask Slashdot: How Do I Stay Employable?

Posted by Unknown on Monday July 2, 2012 @04:05PM from the drive-your-enemies-before-you dept.

illcar writes "Hi, I am a 40-year-old working as a senior developer for one of the biggest investment banks. I have always worked as a full time employee in my career; however the last 5-6 years have been very tough for me because of office politics, outsourcing, and economic conditions. The financial industry is not doing well, and we may be at the brink of another round of layoffs. My family is growing, my spouse does not work, and I still don't own a house. I am worried regarding my job security & career growth. Considering Medicare does not kick in till 65, I am still looking at 25 long years of career. I am wondering what the best way would be for me to stay employable in the coming years?" illcar continues: "1. Should I stay technical, and be ready to work as consultant/contractor? How does medical insurance work in that case?
2. Should I capitalize on the domain knowledge, and move onto business/managerial side?
3. Will the MBA degree or alternate career help?
4. Any other suggestions?

Thanks."

2 of 708 comments (clear)

Re:Question: by Anonymous Coward · 2012-07-02 16:40 · Score: 0, Troll

I completely agree. Your parents didn't get an abortion, and now I have to read your crap.
Re:Question: by Anonymous Coward · 2012-07-02 18:33 · Score: 0, Troll

Have you ever thought marrying, having kids and a family are fundamental rights of a human (and even an animal)?
What if we allowed everyone who wanted to do that to do that?
Oh wait... we'd end up where we are now. Too many people, too few jobs. Planet overpopulated, using more resources than is currently sustainable. (And let's not have any of that fantasy crap about how many people the planet can theoretically support in whatever if-only-we-had-the-technology-or-magically-transformed-the-way-things-work-to-something-a-zillion-times-more-efficient scenario that idiots who want to deny that there is actually a problem bring up whenever it is mentioned that the planet is in fact overpopulated to a currently unsustainable level.)