[oclug] OT: Anyone Know If Anybody Is Hiring...?

[Brad Barnett]

On Tue, 25 Nov 2003 14:19:38 -0500 (EST)
"Rod Giffin" <rod at giffinscientific.com> wrote:

> Brad Barnett said:
> > On Tue, 25 Nov 2003 12:23:21 -0500 (EST)
> > "Rod Giffin" <rod at giffinscientific.com> wrote:
> >
> >> Brad Barnett said:
> >> > On Tue, 25 Nov 2003 11:31:38 -0500 (EST)
> >> > Phil Tanguay <ptanguay at magma.ca> wrote:
> >> >
> >> >> On Mon, 24 Nov 2003, Dana Webber wrote:
> >> >> > I have been "promised" a job if I get the GCIA cert.
> >> >> > http://www.giac.org/GCIA.php
> >> >> >
> >> >> > One interesting point is that most of the viruses are targeted
> >at> >M$> stuff, but most of the virus detection is done with Linux.
> >> >>
> >> >> I would be careful of any job that you have to pay money up front
> >> to get into. Sounds like a devious marketing tactic to sell their
> >> certifactions, to me...
> >> >>
> >> >
> >> >
> >> > A very good point.  Even a simple hand written contract, witnessed
> >> and signed between the two parties is better than nothing too...
> >> >
> >> > Much better, I might add, for part of the judge's job is to rule
> >> based upon the intent of the contract.  The simpler the contract,
> >> the easier for all parties to read intent...
> >>
> >> I'm having a little difficulty following the thought pattern in this
> >> thread right about now. ;)
> >>
> >
> > Dana has not indicated with whom the job he has been promised is with.
> >
> > Phil is indicating concern over the fact that there are many *false*
> > job postings and placement ads that are designed to lure people in,
> > their only desire being that you pay for said service.  Said service,
> > in this case, is a certification agency.  A certification agency that
> > has absolutely no links to it on Google from any recognizable site.  
> > A certification agency that is not respected world wide, from the
> > looks of it.
> >
> > If it is, it is certainly the best kept secret out there.
> 
> Your explanation is sufficient, I was just having difficulty connecting
> the dots.  It makes sense now.
> 
> I'm curious to know what other people are experiencing in the IT job
> market.  Is it getting any easier to find jobs out there?

I've seen more 3 month and 6 months advertised contracts, Linux specific,
out there in the last few months.  Competition does still seem to be quite
stiff for them, however.

> 
> The industry itself (the companies themselves) seems very healthy, but
> the problem with finding IT jobs in the Ottawa/Gatineau region hasn't
> been the lack of job growth necessarily, but the number of ex-Telecom
> employees who flooded the market a couple/few years ago.
> 
> It's been awfully difficult for the software dev and IT support
> industries to absorb some 15,000 extra bodies without displacing other
> people.  And it's not fair to either the IT guys or the Telecom guys.  I
> know people with 20 years experience as telecom engineers who are now
> working for 15-17 bucks an hour now doing entry level to mid-range
> desktop and network support.  There are two guys I know that have
> masters degrees in electrical engineering who are installing alarm
> wiring for a local contractor.  And, I know some high end software guys
> who have seen the bottom drop out of the per-diem rates they used to get
> for doing consulting work.
> 
> The rates for doing Business Intelligence software work seems to have
> been especially hard hit - Pre Y2K this could get you $1200/day and
> more. Right now I've seen it go for $350/day.  It's not a bad salary,
> but consultants don't have any employment guarantees, don't qualify for
> EI, and receive no benefits!

Benefits are definitely annoying.  I can't believe the cost of a
dental/medical plan if you are intent on purchasing one outside of a
corporate environment.  Last time I checked, it was over $100 per month,
yet the precise same plan was $50 per month ($25 company, $25 employee) at
the last firm I worked at.

Very annoying.  Has anyone found a good, reasonable dental plan for the
self employed?