ianuxb

Hi there, myself and my partner (who already has a job) are moving to Cyprus at the start of October.

I am a Microsoft Certified Professional (have completed exams 70-270, 70-290, and CompTIA A+ (IT Technician)), but have literally just passed the exams and dont have very much hands-on experience. I am continuing to fund my MCSA status and hope to have it completed by the end of October. My previous 10 years have been spent as an administrator in the UK Royal Air Force.

I have scanned some of the job sites in Cyprus (i.e. GRS) and can see there are jobs out there, but obviously being in the UK its hard to gauge what chances I have of actually getting one of those jobs.

Can anyone answer any of the following questions:

Are there actually many IT jobs out there (for someone who doesnt speak Greek)?
What is the average wage for an IT person out there with only a little experience?
Does anyone have any contacts that they would kindly pass on?

Or as a better option - does anyone have a position available? I do of course have a CV available!

I dont expect many people to be able to answer these as I know IT isnt the biggest field out there, but any answers (or a job offer!!!) would be gratefully received.

Ian

Honest_H

Hey Ian,

There's quite a few IT companies around, most of them however are recruiting programmers, but I guess there's no harm in sending a CV.

Tsys Card Tech is one
and OpenWay is another.

Both have websites with contacts.

Hope it helps

ianuxb

Thanks very much for the info - no doubt I will be canvassing companies left, right and centre when I get over there.

I looked into the websites of those two companies and they seem like a good starting base.

Ian

Honest_H

NP, Tsys is an older company that OpenWave. OW is new in Cyprus and is on a massive recruitment drive. Tsys are now American owned and offer alot more potentials than OW.

If I hear of any more, I'll let you know.

ianuxb

I'll bear that in mind. If you do get any more info, feel free to message me on ianuxb @ hotmail dot com (dont know if this place will let you insert email addressed into a post or not).

Any help is always welcome, as the nerves are starting to set in now (only 7 weeks until I fly!!)

Ian

Honest_H

I hope everything goes well for you.

Where will you be? In Nicosia?

ianuxb

Thanks. Yeah, I will be living in Nicosia - in the Strovolos area (just by the big park that I think the Presidential Palace is in). My partner's work are paying for all our bills and rent, so we've landed on our feet really.

Just gotta get a bloody job so that I'm not bored out of my skull sat at home every day! lol

Honest_H

Fantastic, its a good position to be in. As least your not desparate for a job, will give you a chance to have a good look around, and also to do all the paperwork that Cyprus insists on.

Remember to pack all documents - include your mother in laws, cousins, cats death cerificate and you'll be ok. LOL!!!

ianuxb

Hahaha - I hear that some parts of the process can be quite laborious! Fingers crossed it wont be too bad though.

Luckily I am still being paid by my current job until the start of January, so I really can do some proper digging before jumping into a job. I hope to be able to canvas my CV around a load of companies in Nicosia (by hand and by email) in the first couple of weeks and hopefully something will come of that.

I really do hope that life over there turns out to be what we hope for. We are only intending to stay for 2-3 years, and I know we have probably picked the worst time ever due to water shortages etc, but I have lived there for 2 years before (in Limassol) and I loved the island. I just hope my other half (who has never been to Cyprus before) take my view!!

Honest_H

Good that your coming here with your eyes open and without the tinted glasses that most potential ex pats seem to have.

Also good that you don't have a permanent move in mind. We've been here for 3 years on the 15th Aug, and intend to leave in June next year. I think that its just long enough, although at the begining we did intend to stay indefinately, but we quickly learnt that it wasn't going to be a long term move.

I won't regret it, and am pleased that daughter number 1 has had the opportunity to attend a fantastic school, daughter number 2 was born here and has had a great start to life really.

Its a great place for a short term break from the UK, but its not for us long term. It does put things in perspective though, we now know that even with the current financial situtation, the UK isn't such a bad place to live, well, i can't speak for the mainland, but Northern Ireland is great.

Well, good luck, your moving at a good time really, weather wise. Hopefully it will start to cool down in a few weeks. End of Sept into October is very pleasant here. After that...... pray for rain!!!

ianuxb

Haha, yeah.....I will bring some indian rain dance books with me! lol. I suspect that if the water issue continues into next summer that we wont be staying for a third.

We were intending to stay within the UK, but seriously, the situation here is getting ridiculous with utility bills, car tax, food prices, petrol. I know its getting worse everywhere, but the UK Govt arent helping the matter at all by continuing to raise taxes, and to take no action against the companies who are raping the country for disgusting profit margins.

We intend to move onto another country when we leave Cyprus (I think Canada is next....haha, planning to leave before we even get there!), and then back to the UK in about 5 or 6 years when hopefully everything will have settled back down.

Thanks for the words anyway - it's reassuring the encouragement we have received from people all over the island through various forums, and I'm that so long as we keep a positive head and do the things we actually plan to do when we get there, then things will go swimmingly.

Ian