In a way, I thought about this when I changed my career the last time.

I had worked in what I will call "high end" tech support for some proprietary (and some less proprietary) networking equipment.

My job generally paid great and customers paid big support contracts, good deal for a good 20 years. But Tech Support is never glamorous, executives eventually think of them as just problems (even if they're solving problems) because that's all they hear. Quality management jumps to other more glamours departments and so on.

I was not so sad when a layoff occurred (company sold for parts and most of support was cut because more people on balance sheet looks costy). eventually and I learned to code late in life and got a new job / career.

Amusingly while I was learning to code a former coworker. (one of the people developing the products) at a company who bought some of the products I supported for a good 20 years reached out and said I should apply for a remote support job. I wasn't enthused but I did thinking they might make a good offer ... I never heard anything back. I was maybe one of 100 people who worked on those products in that capacity, I could have gone to work and done the job fabulously in an instant. Former coworker asked around was told "he doesn't have masters degree in CS". I wonder how those CS masters guys cost?

I got a lot of stories from that coworker how support was a complete disaster for a long long time at that company.

People rightfully complain about tech support, and I always think "Yeah they're bad because anyone who knows how to do it ... does not stick around."

> People rightfully complain about tech support, and I always think "Yeah they're bad because anyone who knows how to do it ... does not stick around."

The say "pay peanuts, get elephants" exists for a reason.

A related thought I heard was "pay police and army well, because you don't want them to start looking for ways of making more money...".

Outside the assembly line, you aren't just paying for the work themselves but for the character of the person providing. Drive the wage down low-enough and only the desperate apply. I know that locally, one of the first jobs the agency can get recovering homeless drug addicts is a call-centre job. That explains a lot.

>Yeah they're bad because anyone who knows how to do it ... does not stick around

Can confirm! I'd also like to add that the employer is happy to keep you in that position for a decade or more (as long as the client keeps paying) but one job over an extended period of time reads very poorly on a resume. Switching is a disruption necessary for growth.