[clug] Jobhunting

[Stephen Jenkin]

On Fri, 20 Feb 2004, Paul Warren wrote:

> Hi there fellow Cluggers.
> 
> <not meaning to be rude by advertising myself on this lists>
> 
> After deciding to defer my studies for at least a year, I decided to 
> look for some full time IT emplyment.  And have been having some trouble 
> getting one!

That'd be right - keep trying, it's not you.  If you are on this list, you
have a big advantage - you are not a Microsoft only nerd.

Lastest figures from the ACS yearly survey by Peter Hind of its members
[not a representative sample] is roughly: IT unemployment rate is still
over 11%, worse for under 25 and over 45.  Programmers and Project
Managers worse.

The _first_ recession in IT was in 1991.  The students that graduated that
year in IT were _less_ likely to get a job that Chemistry and Geology
grads [35% couldn't get a job in IT].  It took 3 years for that to correct
itself.
The current IT downturn started mid-2000 and is only slowly
resolving.  The numbers of students enrolling in IT courses at Uni peaked
in 2000 and has declined by ~30% each year.  This year wasn't quite as
bad.

> 
> I've emailed and presented in person, resumes to a host of employment 
> agences (pimps), and have so far had 1 opportunity through them, which 
> wasn't even for IT!  Which I didn't get.

Conventional wisdon is that "75% of job are never advertised".  Doesn't
apply in the Public Service - due process is required.

> I've also been looking on seek.com, carreerone.net, jobsguide.com.au and 
> applying for just about anything related to computers!

Seems you are looking pretty hard and doing all the right things.

> I did have an interview today for a position as a java developer for the 
> national library, but I didn't have enough experience in Dynamic web 
> page stuff for them.

This 'dot point compliance' is a bane in our industry...
Pitch everyone you know for 'Work Experience' or 'Internship'.
TAFE have some programs - you could try talking to them.

> 
> My questions:
> Am I doing the right thing?
> Anything I'm missing?
> 
> Should I go back to being a kitchen hand?

If you know you are good, don't walk away from IT.
Keep doing whatever keeps a roof over your head, while you pound the
pavements.

Daniel of codefish is probably a good person to ask these questions of...

> My resume is online at www.geocities.com/qvack_82/resume.html
>
> 
> Cheers
> -- 
> Paul Warren
> u3292467 at anu dot edu dot au
> www.geocities.com/qvack_82/
> 

My ramblings need to be taken under advisement.  I've 30 years IT
experience and have been looking for a proper job for last 2 years [only 3
mths work in 24 - not good]

HTH
sj

Steve Jenkin, Unix Sys Admin
0412 786 915 (+61 412 786 915)
PO Box 48, Kippax ACT 2615, AUSTRALIA