JavaLobby runs a discussion on how flexible are the working hours for IT professionals these days.

Unless you are a pregnant woman or a single mom/dad, there is only one reason why employers offer you flexible hours: they can ‘t find anyone with these skills in their geographical area who is willing to work in the office during regular hours.

Employers are street smart – they won ‘t throw in an extra perk unless they absolutely have to. So here ‘s my advice: either get pregnant if you can, or be the first to learn new technologies. These new technlogies do not necessarily have to be mainstream. They may not have huge job market demand, but your skills in this technology has to be a lot better than the others ‘.

I run a consulting company with two partners, and one of them lives in Florida, which is not the best place for IT employment. But he does not like cold weather and always work for clients from home. Would the clients want him to be onsite every day? Sure! But they agree to this telecommuting mode just to have him on the project.

It ‘s easy to earn for a piece of bread in IT by just being a little better than average.

If you want to eat bread with butter, it ‘s not too difficult either – just be better than 70% of other progeammers with similar skills.

If you want to eat bread with butter and red caviar, beat the 80% of the competitors.

And to replace the red caviar with the black one, beat the 90%.

These formulas work only in the countries that have IT market – if programmers are not needed, well they are not needed no matter how good you are. In this case move to a different geografical area if you want to keep your trade.

To get to these caviar levels you have to sell your soul to THE Computer. Do not want to do this? I do not blame you.

This caviar sign reads “Life Accompished “