Golden Handcuffs

[neilmiddleton]

I appear to have found myself in quite a tricky position. Currently I am working as a web developer, which I have been doing full time since '96 . However, where I am now I appear to be getting paid over the odds for what a typical web developer might earn (I guess in an attempt to keep me there) - but I am thinking of moving to a new place (been in the current job for 7 years).

Any ideas on the best way of getting out of this? I know it's a nice problem to have - but it's one I feel I need to resolve. Do I train up in more languages (and bet on my experience) - or do I think about possible contracting?

Any thoughts?

[JamieBeeston]

If money and security matter to you, Stay,
If you lust after a challenge and have no real responsibilities, then move.

As to what to learn, that will surely depend on what you want to do.

J

[aldi]

I guess 'take a pay cut' isnt the answer you're looking for How about a sideways move where you are as an intermediate position, i.e. start to move towards project managment or something?

[roadsweeper]

What about setting up on your own?

[Tripps]

aldi said:

I guess 'take a pay cut' isnt the answer you're looking for How about a sideways move where you are as an intermediate position, i.e. start to move towards project managment or something?

I'd agree with that, build up some skills and/or get training to move into a more specialist and better paid field sometime next year - there are worse positions to be in than that you are now and on the run-up to Christmas the number of vanacies will drop.

Contracting is web design right now doesn't seem particularly well paid from what I've seen, unless you have particular market knowledge to take into a positonn, such as banking.

Which technologies and design applications are you using at the moment?

Specialist areas and technolgies surrounding web design that you could branch out into and seem good at the moment are SharePoint specifically, Content Management (which seems very hot right now) and business process.

Or of course, you could always go in the direction of project management, which can command some very good contract rates.

Once other option might be to join a consultancy, as if you get the right projects you'll be exposed to lots of different technologies and businesses.