I'm so tired of living in 'Home of the slave'
Aug 17th 2008, 3:03 pm
#61
Heading for Poppyland
Joined: Jul 2007
Location: North Norfolk and northern New York State
Posts: 14,540
Re: I'm so tired of living in 'Home of the slave'
Dunno - I chat with store clerks etc. all the time.
Like so many things about the US - it's a big place, depends where you are.
I had tremendous difficulty with some things over the phone to the UK (after I could ever get past the automated phone systems that didn't understand my accent
) - they were exquisetly polite, and "oh I am so sorry" - but in the end, utterly unhelpful at the same time.
Not everyone of course, I've had the opposite experience as well - for example, the fellow I booked Keith's hotel with in London was lovely.
Like so many things about the US - it's a big place, depends where you are.
I had tremendous difficulty with some things over the phone to the UK (after I could ever get past the automated phone systems that didn't understand my accent
) - they were exquisetly polite, and "oh I am so sorry" - but in the end, utterly unhelpful at the same time.Not everyone of course, I've had the opposite experience as well - for example, the fellow I booked Keith's hotel with in London was lovely.
ME: perhaps you could send me some information in the mail about this account, I have a meeting in a few minutes.
HER: Brilliant! Yes, I'll send you email and a brochure in the mail. Brilliant!!
Aug 17th 2008, 10:11 pm
#62
Banned
Joined: Jul 2008
Location: Bay Area, California
Posts: 826
Re: I'm so tired of living in 'Home of the slave'
I agree, over the phone with the English is sometimes a struggle. For some reason, customer service folk in the UK are overly effusive on the phone. I had a "courtesy call" from my bank in the Isle of Man - young woman with a Russian/Liverpuddlian accent - trying to sell me some dodgy investment product. She said "brilliant!!" about 20 times - as in,
ME: perhaps you could send me some information in the mail about this account, I have a meeting in a few minutes.
HER: Brilliant! Yes, I'll send you email and a brochure in the mail. Brilliant!!
ME: perhaps you could send me some information in the mail about this account, I have a meeting in a few minutes.
HER: Brilliant! Yes, I'll send you email and a brochure in the mail. Brilliant!!
That's the nice and amusing thing about Britain, people end up using the same verbal culture...west Indian conductors on red london buses, Italian waiters in Edinburgh, and in this instance a Russian customer service agent
I particularly enjoyed listening to the "cockney" Chinese Post Office worker in Shaftsbury Ave last time I was in the manor.
Last edited by Kali-forniarrr; Aug 17th 2008 at 10:16 pm.
Aug 18th 2008, 6:12 am
#63
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Nov 2007
Location: Bay Area, CA
Posts: 13,111
Re: I'm so tired of living in 'Home of the slave'
Speaking of genuine warmth from Americans ... I picked up a UK visitor at SFO today, and took her straight to a wonderful lunch at Scoma's in Sausalito. The American couple at the neighboring table, overhearing my visitor's obvious English accent, politely asked her, 'are you from England', 'are you enjoying yourself', then briefly mentioned that she herself had lived in England for a few years, and loved the place, etc. She finished by saying, simply, "I hope you have a wonderful visit". It was very simple, but my visitor remarked "wow! Americans are so friendly!" (she's been here before and had similar experiences). This was not a big deal, but - made her feel welcome, and, was just one element of a great day (the absolutely delightful fresh halibut was another element ...!).
Regarding business interaction, I think both UK and US businesses have tried to force a 'false friendliness' on their employees, and, from my experience, the Brit's are even worse at it than the Americans - I've called some UK businesses and heard such an unconvincing greeting that it was embarrassing. I've been responsible for some customer service operations in the past, and I've always told my teams to come up with a greeting they are comfortable with, then use it with genuine enthusiasm ... but I think some of the bigger operations are designed by brain-dead committees on drugs!
I do believe that American businesses have done a better job of instilling a 'customer service' mentality into their employees than the British have (in the same way that the Japanese have instilled a 'quality' mentality into their employees), and I think that is the root cause of the better customer service experience.
Regarding business interaction, I think both UK and US businesses have tried to force a 'false friendliness' on their employees, and, from my experience, the Brit's are even worse at it than the Americans - I've called some UK businesses and heard such an unconvincing greeting that it was embarrassing. I've been responsible for some customer service operations in the past, and I've always told my teams to come up with a greeting they are comfortable with, then use it with genuine enthusiasm ... but I think some of the bigger operations are designed by brain-dead committees on drugs!
I do believe that American businesses have done a better job of instilling a 'customer service' mentality into their employees than the British have (in the same way that the Japanese have instilled a 'quality' mentality into their employees), and I think that is the root cause of the better customer service experience.
Aug 18th 2008, 11:05 am
#64
gurt mint nit?
Joined: Nov 2007
Location: In my shed
Posts: 2,776
Re: I'm so tired of living in 'Home of the slave'
Isn't "contracting" 100% synonymous with not getting paid if you take time off? Basically, you either get a full time 'salaried' job, which comes with benefits, vacation/sick/pto, etc, OR, you go 'contracting', where you get paid by the hour and you take care of your own benefits. The general idea is, a salaried job pays much less per hour than a contracting job, and it's up to you to decide which option to go for. It simply makes no sense to say that you are contracting, and then complain that if you take a week off you don't get paid!
To use the temp option to gain (adequate) time off and therefore a decent work-life balance is an extreme solution, but until the yanks open their eyes, wise up and start demanding more rights, I think its the only viable one.
Other than quit every 6 months.
Which needs a bit of a resume whitewash.
Anyone contemplating this needs to consider the following:
1. Can you float the "ss health ins, boat" somehow?
2. What are your chances of finding similar employment in the area?
3. Calculate the differential in total comp pkg v's take home pay as a temp.
4. Carefully choose your words in any interview to "state your case".
5. Are you prepared to (at least temporarily) "cash-in" your career in exchange for the annual time off?
The benefits are:
1. You call the shots on how much time you take and when.
2. You tend to be insulated from corporate rubbish and office politics.
and
3. You become something of a niche "employee".
Its not for everyone, but if it looks sexy to you (you like being a bit of a mercenary) and you are prepared to take the risks, its deffo got real and valuable paybacks.
Good evening.
Aug 18th 2008, 1:00 pm
#65
Heading for Poppyland
Joined: Jul 2007
Location: North Norfolk and northern New York State
Posts: 14,540
Re: I'm so tired of living in 'Home of the slave'
Brilliant!
That's the nice and amusing thing about Britain, people end up using the same verbal culture...west Indian conductors on red london buses, Italian waiters in Edinburgh, and in this instance a Russian customer service agent
I particularly enjoyed listening to the "cockney" Chinese Post Office worker in Shaftsbury Ave last time I was in the manor.
That's the nice and amusing thing about Britain, people end up using the same verbal culture...west Indian conductors on red london buses, Italian waiters in Edinburgh, and in this instance a Russian customer service agent
I particularly enjoyed listening to the "cockney" Chinese Post Office worker in Shaftsbury Ave last time I was in the manor.
Aug 20th 2008, 3:01 am
#66
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Aug 2003
Location: Nevada b4 California b4 Colorado b4 Valley of plastic and sand, b4 London
Posts: 2,025
Re: I'm so tired of living in 'Home of the slave'
Nota Bene,
Vacation and Benefit vary from company to company, you certainly are not stuck.
Vacation and Benefit vary from company to company, you certainly are not stuck.
Land of the Free (except healthcare) and the home of the brave....or should that be slave.
I am living in California. I own a house, live near the beach and the weather is great.
I am currently contracting and have been for the last 7 months. I have has only 3 day off in the last 1.5 years. This is mental. If I take a week off work or call in sick I dont get paid nada.
Get another job with benefits I hear you say! Well trying to find a permanent job here with health care, sick pay and vacation is like looking for a needle in a haystack. Salary is cheap and they dont offer nothing in the way of benefits. It's all long term contracting.
I had a job interview last month. They offered me a job paying $19 bucks per hour which is not that great when you have a mortgage. Also, they guy offered me 10 days vacation a year after the first 6 months of probabtion period. He thought that was a great package deal and seamed impressed with himself.
In my mind I was just laughing. 10 days is rubbish
. When I was working in the UK for the NHS I had 29 days vacation + national holidays + free health care + what looks like unlimited sick time off as needed (none of this earning sick days). Granted, the NHS is more than most for the UK. Average is 21 to 25 days. But hey, that's still damn good. So stop moaning all you people living in the UK.
Anyway, my original point is that I am so tired all the time lately. I can't imagine working like this for another 30 years. Things need to change. American people need to change the way they work and push for better benefits. Just look at the film Sicko by Michael Moore. Agree there has to be a balance somewhere. I think the US is so far behind in the is respect.
In times like this I think to myself 'how much longer can I live like this' and 'is this way of life really worth it'. Yes I own a cheap house. Yes I live near the beach. Yes I have lots of nice weather. No I don't get the time to enjoy it.
To make things worse, with have a German exchange student here right now. He talks to me about having 2 weeks in Spain blah blah blah....2 weeks off at Christmas to go skiing etc. It makes me remember how great Europe is and how much they value your life and enjoyment.
Am I losing the plot here? Would maybe taking a week off work help? Would visiting the UK again for a week help me remember why I left? This county is Home of the brave....brave enough to be a slave...a slave to work.
I have to give here more time and hopefully find a job with 10 days holiday (ooooh big friggin deal
) and see what happens.
Anyone else stuck in the US and feel like this? How does one get over it? Or maybe never?
I am living in California. I own a house, live near the beach and the weather is great.
I am currently contracting and have been for the last 7 months. I have has only 3 day off in the last 1.5 years. This is mental. If I take a week off work or call in sick I dont get paid nada.
Get another job with benefits I hear you say! Well trying to find a permanent job here with health care, sick pay and vacation is like looking for a needle in a haystack. Salary is cheap and they dont offer nothing in the way of benefits. It's all long term contracting.
I had a job interview last month. They offered me a job paying $19 bucks per hour which is not that great when you have a mortgage. Also, they guy offered me 10 days vacation a year after the first 6 months of probabtion period. He thought that was a great package deal and seamed impressed with himself.
In my mind I was just laughing
. 10 days is rubbish. When I was working in the UK for the NHS I had 29 days vacation + national holidays + free health care + what looks like unlimited sick time off as needed (none of this earning sick days). Granted, the NHS is more than most for the UK. Average is 21 to 25 days. But hey, that's still damn good. So stop moaning all you people living in the UK. Anyway, my original point is that I am so tired all the time lately. I can't imagine working like this for another 30 years. Things need to change. American people need to change the way they work and push for better benefits. Just look at the film Sicko by Michael Moore. Agree there has to be a balance somewhere. I think the US is so far behind in the is respect.
In times like this I think to myself 'how much longer can I live like this' and 'is this way of life really worth it'. Yes I own a cheap house. Yes I live near the beach. Yes I have lots of nice weather. No I don't get the time to enjoy it.
To make things worse, with have a German exchange student here right now. He talks to me about having 2 weeks in Spain blah blah blah....2 weeks off at Christmas to go skiing etc. It makes me remember how great Europe is and how much they value your life and enjoyment.
Am I losing the plot here? Would maybe taking a week off work help? Would visiting the UK again for a week help me remember why I left? This county is Home of the brave....brave enough to be a slave...a slave to work.
I have to give here more time and hopefully find a job with 10 days holiday (ooooh big friggin deal
) and see what happens. Anyone else stuck in the US and feel like this? How does one get over it? Or maybe never?
Aug 20th 2008, 10:38 pm
#69
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jun 2008
Location: San Francisco Bay Area
Posts: 10,678
Re: I'm so tired of living in 'Home of the slave'
Not necessarily. Employers usually make out fine in any economy. It is the middle class that shoulders most the burden to support other individuals. Why is it that Europe has consistently averaged 25-30% less in GDP per capita than the US over the past 40 years yet European companies are just as profitable as US companies?
Why are the Italians, Spainards, Greeks, and French at the bottom of the Happiness Index of industrial countries in survey after survey? You would think that the French should be very happy with a beatiful country, 35 hour work week, fairly good weather, high minimum wage, industries are protected, and laws that make it difficult to make empoyees redundent. Is it possible that the French are unhappy because no one likes to be perceived at the bottom of the social-economic ladder in their country and at the same time 20% of the French employees are working for minimum wage, or is it that they don't feel job satisfaction since their performance doesn't make a big difference, or possibly that they are tired of having 7-12% unemployment over the past 40 years, or maybe the average Frenchman can't usually afford to take French, Italian, Greek, or Spanish vacations during his time off?
Per capita GDP produces the money that is available to pay individuals and that defines the total amount that is available to be paid. For many in the upper middle class, they would rather have extra time off at the expense of a salary but when it comes to the middle class American (the $45,000 worker), I suspect that he/she would rather have his/her current salary instead of a 25% reduction in salary so that he could have more time off and have a better government safety net.
I'm not saying that one is better than the other but there are consequences of each of the governmental policies.
Why are the Italians, Spainards, Greeks, and French at the bottom of the Happiness Index of industrial countries in survey after survey? You would think that the French should be very happy with a beatiful country, 35 hour work week, fairly good weather, high minimum wage, industries are protected, and laws that make it difficult to make empoyees redundent. Is it possible that the French are unhappy because no one likes to be perceived at the bottom of the social-economic ladder in their country and at the same time 20% of the French employees are working for minimum wage, or is it that they don't feel job satisfaction since their performance doesn't make a big difference, or possibly that they are tired of having 7-12% unemployment over the past 40 years, or maybe the average Frenchman can't usually afford to take French, Italian, Greek, or Spanish vacations during his time off?
Per capita GDP produces the money that is available to pay individuals and that defines the total amount that is available to be paid. For many in the upper middle class, they would rather have extra time off at the expense of a salary but when it comes to the middle class American (the $45,000 worker), I suspect that he/she would rather have his/her current salary instead of a 25% reduction in salary so that he could have more time off and have a better government safety net.
I'm not saying that one is better than the other but there are consequences of each of the governmental policies.
Aug 21st 2008, 1:00 am
#70
Bloody Yank
Joined: Oct 2005
Location: USA! USA!
Posts: 4,186
Re: I'm so tired of living in 'Home of the slave'
Not necessarily. Employers usually make out fine in any economy. It is the middle class that shoulders most the burden to support other individuals. Why is it that Europe has consistently averaged 25-30% less in GDP per capita than the US over the past 40 years yet European companies are just as profitable as US companies?
By allowing for the onslaught of cheap goods from abroad, coupled with low consumption taxes and readily available credit, Americans are able to own and buy a lot of stuff and achieve near full employment with the service economy that is supported by those imports. It allows companies such as Walmart to be as successful as they are and to provide large numbers of jobs.
But this comes at a price. The trade off is this trade deficit that constantly requires ever growing amounts of foreign investment to balance it. (It is not possible to carry a trade deficit without a similar of investment to feed it.)
Europeans have made a different trade off: they have accepted lower GDP growth, higher structural unemployment, and higher taxes in exchange for less of the consumer consumption that would require far more imports to carry if they were to increase it.
While that stunts European growth in the short run, Europe should also be better off in the long run because they won't suffer from the currency collapse that the US should eventually experience when the planet assesses the spiraling level of US debt and decides that the US is no longer sufficiently credit worthy to get away with the low rates of returns that it provides on its treasury bonds.
Basically, we're living on a massive national credit card, which over the long run should prove to be unsustainable. Unless there are meaningful efforts to substantially reduce the trade deficit, this destruction of the dollar's prestige is inevitable. But you won't reduce that deficit without reducing the prosperity that you perceive as being a positive.
Aug 21st 2008, 2:58 am
#71
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Re: I'm so tired of living in 'Home of the slave'
While that stunts European growth in the short run, Europe should also be better off in the long run because they won't suffer from the currency collapse that the US should eventually experience when the planet assesses the spiraling level of US debt and decides that the US is no longer sufficiently credit worthy to get away with the low rates of returns that it provides on its treasury bonds.
Europeans have made a different trade off: they have accepted lower GDP growth, higher structural unemployment, and higher taxes in exchange for less of the consumer consumption that would require far more imports to carry if they were to increase it.
I disagree that the US has significantly more service workers than Europe since Europe is selling the same imported Chineese goods but at a higher price.
However, the US has a much larger hi-tech and biotech industry than Europe. Also approximately over 45% of the worlds venture capital for alternate energy is currently being invested in the Silicon Valley. These types of industries have always had difficulty being started in Europe due to no layoff or other governmental regulations.
It would be crazy for either the US or Europe to try to compete with low priced Chinese imports (either by import restrictions or government subsidies).
The trade off is this trade deficit that constantly requires ever growing amounts of foreign investment to balance it.
Last edited by Michael; Aug 21st 2008 at 3:06 am.
Aug 21st 2008, 3:20 am
#72
Bloody Yank
Joined: Oct 2005
Location: USA! USA!
Posts: 4,186
Re: I'm so tired of living in 'Home of the slave'
Europe maintains a trade balance. If they can continue to maintain that if/when there is a dollar collapse, they'll be in infinitely better shape than the US because their currency will be stable, while the dollar plummets.
Reserve currency status is critical. Once upon a time, when the sterling was the reserve currency, a pound was worth $5. Now, a "strong" pound is worth not even half of that amount.
The sheer enormity of the current trade deficit makes it clear that a weak dollar does little or nothing to reduce it. The ultimate problem is that the appetite for foreign goods for exceeds the US' ability to produce anything that the rest of the world wants. The proof is in the numbers, and the US trade deficit is larger than every other nation's combined.
The fact that they maintain positive GDP growth over the long run suggest that this tax rate is at least supportable.
It's fairly clear from the size of the US budget deficit that US tax rates are too low. We cannot support our spending without taking on a level of debt that is so severe that we can't help but depress the value of the dollar as a result.
What's even crazier is what we are doing right now. The US continues to import goods that it can't afford to pay for. On a national level, they can't buy it without selling Treasuries to match, and on a personal level, they can't own it without a negative savings rate. If anything, we need a VAT to get people to curtail their spending.
Sounds like its time to increase the fuel tax. Less fuel consumption --> fewer oil imports --> lower trade deficit.
Reserve currency status is critical. Once upon a time, when the sterling was the reserve currency, a pound was worth $5. Now, a "strong" pound is worth not even half of that amount.
When the US currency was very strong in 1999 ($.85 to the Euro) at about 35% over parity, companies such as Airbus made major headroads into the world markets. Now at $1.50 per Euro, Boeing once again has a major price advantage. If the dollar drops to $2.00 per Euro, companies such as Airbus could no longer exist without major government subsidies. Everything eventually works out in the long run.
It's fairly clear from the size of the US budget deficit that US tax rates are too low. We cannot support our spending without taking on a level of debt that is so severe that we can't help but depress the value of the dollar as a result.
Even though currently over 3/4 of the US trade deficit is caused by oil imports ($120 per barrel * 14 million barrels per day * 365 days = $615 billion per year of approx $750 billion deficit) and until the oil issue is resolved, very little can be done about the deficit.
Last edited by RoadWarriorFromLP; Aug 21st 2008 at 3:31 am.
Aug 21st 2008, 3:25 am
#73
Lapine Member
Joined: Nov 2004
Location: Austin, Texas in my own little world
Posts: 21,691
Re: I'm so tired of living in 'Home of the slave'
There are a few newer folk here, so I'm extending my story a bit....
I'm American, with two daughters from a first marriage to an American. My second husband, who's a member here, is Dutch.
I am in high tech, and disagree that it's a "good field" -- because of the enormous downward wage pressure and job loss from H-1Bs and outsourcing. Like the OP I am a contractor, not by choice but because it's what I can find in my field. Because of child custody issues I'm city-bound; I had a job offer from Canada last week, but I can't take it unless I am willing to leave the kids here. I love the city where I live, but job opportunities are scarce.
I want out of this country so badly I could scream, but I won't leave my kids behind. My husband will be eligible for US citizenship in a few months, but I must wait nine years before I can begin a new life.
I'm on the verge of crying thinking of school starting next week, because of the horrendous hours involved between getting the kids to/from school and working. I can't take off work -- not because I can't afford the pay, but because that will move me higher on the next-to-make-redundant list. And they aren't kidding; I've seen several colleagues get the chop already.
It's not just non-native Americans who are feeling enslaved; I feel it too because I know it's different elsewhere.
I'm American, with two daughters from a first marriage to an American. My second husband, who's a member here, is Dutch.
I am in high tech, and disagree that it's a "good field" -- because of the enormous downward wage pressure and job loss from H-1Bs and outsourcing. Like the OP I am a contractor, not by choice but because it's what I can find in my field. Because of child custody issues I'm city-bound; I had a job offer from Canada last week, but I can't take it unless I am willing to leave the kids here. I love the city where I live, but job opportunities are scarce.
I want out of this country so badly I could scream, but I won't leave my kids behind. My husband will be eligible for US citizenship in a few months, but I must wait nine years before I can begin a new life.
I'm on the verge of crying thinking of school starting next week, because of the horrendous hours involved between getting the kids to/from school and working. I can't take off work -- not because I can't afford the pay, but because that will move me higher on the next-to-make-redundant list. And they aren't kidding; I've seen several colleagues get the chop already.
It's not just non-native Americans who are feeling enslaved; I feel it too because I know it's different elsewhere.
Aug 21st 2008, 4:04 am
#74
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jun 2008
Location: San Francisco Bay Area
Posts: 10,678
Re: I'm so tired of living in 'Home of the slave'
The sheer enormity of the current trade deficit makes it clear that a weak dollar does little or nothing to reduce it. The ultimate problem is that the appetite for foreign goods for exceeds the US' ability to produce anything that the rest of the world wants. The proof is in the numbers, and the US trade deficit is larger than every other nation's combined.
With the current weak currency, US exports are significantly up for the first 6 months of the year but high oil import prices have kept the trade imbalance high.
Even though the US has a large trade deficit, it does not have a large external or national debt in relation to GDP. Most economists consider the external and national debt much more important than a trade deficit. If that was not the case, the USD would currently be much lower and unstable than it currently is. External debt accounts for all cash flow into and out of a country (trade, financials, investments, profits, etc.). If the external debt and national debt are the most accurate indicators of a countries economy, the US may not be in as bad of shape as you may think.
Aug 21st 2008, 5:17 am
#75
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jun 2008
Location: San Francisco Bay Area
Posts: 10,678
Re: I'm so tired of living in 'Home of the slave'
There are a few newer folk here, so I'm extending my story a bit....
I'm American, with two daughters from a first marriage to an American. My second husband, who's a member here, is Dutch.
I am in high tech, and disagree that it's a "good field" -- because of the enormous downward wage pressure and job loss from H-1Bs and outsourcing. Like the OP I am a contractor, not by choice but because it's what I can find in my field. Because of child custody issues I'm city-bound; I had a job offer from Canada last week, but I can't take it unless I am willing to leave the kids here. I love the city where I live, but job opportunities are scarce.
I want out of this country so badly I could scream, but I won't leave my kids behind. My husband will be eligible for US citizenship in a few months, but I must wait nine years before I can begin a new life.
I'm on the verge of crying thinking of school starting next week, because of the horrendous hours involved between getting the kids to/from school and working. I can't take off work -- not because I can't afford the pay, but because that will move me higher on the next-to-make-redundant list. And they aren't kidding; I've seen several colleagues get the chop already.
It's not just non-native Americans who are feeling enslaved; I feel it too because I know it's different elsewhere.
I'm American, with two daughters from a first marriage to an American. My second husband, who's a member here, is Dutch.
I am in high tech, and disagree that it's a "good field" -- because of the enormous downward wage pressure and job loss from H-1Bs and outsourcing. Like the OP I am a contractor, not by choice but because it's what I can find in my field. Because of child custody issues I'm city-bound; I had a job offer from Canada last week, but I can't take it unless I am willing to leave the kids here. I love the city where I live, but job opportunities are scarce.
I want out of this country so badly I could scream, but I won't leave my kids behind. My husband will be eligible for US citizenship in a few months, but I must wait nine years before I can begin a new life.
I'm on the verge of crying thinking of school starting next week, because of the horrendous hours involved between getting the kids to/from school and working. I can't take off work -- not because I can't afford the pay, but because that will move me higher on the next-to-make-redundant list. And they aren't kidding; I've seen several colleagues get the chop already.
It's not just non-native Americans who are feeling enslaved; I feel it too because I know it's different elsewhere.
I don't believe that the OP indicated that he was working in hi-tech. However, he also said he lives along the Russian River, a remote area about 100 miles away from the Silicon Valley. If he is in hi-tech and has the skills for the Silicon Valley (communications, operating systems, networks, encryption, etc.) and is willing to move, I doubt that he would have a problem getting a permanent job in the $100,000-$150,000 per year range plus stock options, bonus, and good benefits.
Have you tried to find employment in the Silicon Valley? Back in the 70s and 80s, hi-tech was located primarily in the Silicon Valley but had smaller hubs in Austin, Boston, and Minneapolis. I know most of the hi-tech jobs have disappeared in Mineapolis and Boston but I'm not sure if Austin has still much of a hi-tech area.
I've lived in the Silicon Valley most of my adult life and never had a problem finding a good hi-tech job even in the worst of times. Currently the local hi-tech job market appears to be pretty good.