I8TheWorm's Journal: Middle of my Career as a Contract Programmer

I've written software now for over twenty years. I've done it professionally for fourteen, and have been a contract for ten. In the last four years, I've had three (like how all the numbers are descending? we'll get back to that) full time offers, but they were far from perfect gigs. As a contractor, you can take the less than perfect ones, as they'll end sooner or later.

In the late 90's, there was quite a shortage (at least in the Houston area) of programmers, and it seemed a great many people took advantage of that by either stuffing unqualified programmers into positions, or demanding way too much money. I did nicely, but never chased the exorbitent rates that other people I knew did, and I think that has helped me a bit rolling forward.

In 2001, the market for IT in Houston crashed miserably (9/11, Enron, Dynegy, El Paso Gas) and salaries/rates bottomed out, if you could find work at all. I was only out of work for four months, aided by my lower than some rate requirements I think. However, in the last six months, demand for qualified IT people has risen, and in the last two months, it has turned into an employee's market again.

So why has my rate not been able to nudge back upward in the last four years? My fiance complains about her 3% raises she's been getting, but that certainly beats 0%.

Well...

[Uber Banker]

As you describe it, your ph rate hasn't improved (0% growth), but you employment (and chance of keeping employment) has, so your end month 'take home', or volatility of this 'take home' surely has improved.