Most of IT management from managers on up are splendid examples of the Peter Principle in action, or rather inaction. Any creativity or free thinking of any kind gets quickly squashed and buried. Micromanagement to the sub-atomic level is in full force. Trying to get information on how or why systems are designed will usually get you one of two answers, The most popular answer is “I don’t know.” The runner up is most often “Well, that’s the way we’ve always done it!” New employees get no trading at all, so it’s either sink or swim. Forget about a training budget- it just does not exist. Turnover is so horrible that it’s laughable. Anyone that you run across that’s even mildly competent is planning to leave. Guaranteed. Retention is definitely not part of the game plan. They are more than willing to let what good people they have leave then replace them with the first warm body that shows up, usually in the form of a contractor. Far too many contractors in my opinion. The contractors I’ve work with there however, are for the most part amazing. Multiple advanced degrees seem to be very common. A good Education is very important in other countries, more so than in the US. These guys (and gals) are very hard workers.
