TimNiceBut

I've seen some really bad code come out of India, so I can't say I'm surprised. In the Monkeys vs Shakespeare typewriter Olympics, so far Shakespeare is still winning. And yes, a lot of companies want to pay peanuts for people they don't have to train and then are surprised when they either get life forms attracted to peanuts or no takers.

That said, I do get contacted out of the blue for jobs, and not usually in London or for Indian wages. There is work to be had down in Silli Valley, too, and up in Seattle. Seattle isn't that far from the ski slopes either.

snowbunny

I'm a bit geographically stuck, caught between my daughters and my boyfriend. We'll see how it plays out. One daughter now lives in the Bay Area (UC Berkeley); the boyfriend is in the Netherlands, so what I need is a Tardis or some damned cheap A-1 jet spirit.

TimNiceBut

Actually, I seem to be regularly stumbling over developer jobs - I'm a pretty experienced developer, call it a couple of decades experience - around Houston. Usually in the oil business.

Ozger

How do you actually get a job with an oil company if you don't already work in that industry?!

I've been the perfect candidate (obviously) for so many positions, but once I get to the "How many years have you worked in the O&G industry?" question on the application, and I truthfully put 0, some of the online forms actually stop your application and in effect say "We're sorry, you obviously won't be able to do a good job working for us in the Oil and Gas Industry because you've never worked in the Oil and Gas Industry . . . Goodbye" *sigh*

Bob

Because you by-pass all that online shit, just with every job application. That online stuff is there to make you fail to get noticed.

Use linkedin to find the hiring manager or person you're likely to work under and get in contact directly and across how your experience in other fields relate to what they are looking for.

Ozger

I agree, and I have done that, but finding the specific hiring manager in a company the size of BP or Exxxxxon on LinkedIn is nigh on impossible . . . but yes, I still agree the direct approach is best.

TimNiceBut

I wouldn't know because so far I wasn't compelled to move to Houston or Abilene.

I'm not out there actively searching for work and trying to fill in online applications. In the cases I was thinking of, it was usually a recruiter contacting me out of the blue after they saw my LinkedIn profile. A lot of recruiters and hiring managers seem to be trawling LinkedIn for possible candidates over here - I got many more contacts out of my LinkedIn profile over here in two years than I got in twelve years in the UK.

cluedweasel

It's interesting to see folks claim that IT people are a dime-a-dozen and jobs are difficult to come by. I've been looking for a junior systems administrator for the last 4 months. I've got around 40 applications, or which 30+ weren't even qualified for and the ones I did interview were clueless. Personally, I think it's a geographical thing. We're in a pretty isolated part of Oregon and the local talent pool isn't that big. A lot of people, especially those into winter sports and alcohol talk about moving here but usually chicken out. We've even got the world's best beer!
http://www.beverageworld.com/article...rlds-best-beer

Ozger

It's not just there. Even in Houston most of the the applicants I get are nowhere near qualified for the advertised position, and the ones that look good on paper (screen?) that I do interview have more often than not lied on their resume. Such a waste of everyone's time.

I would imagine that the salary associated with your junior admin role is a factor in people chickening out and not relocating . . . unless you offer assistance with it?

Appropriate IT Jobs are more scarce the further you get up the seniority ladder, which is my main obstacle in finding something at the IT Director level . . . especially when I'm looking somewhere relatively small in the North West, like Boise.

Bob

There are things that make it easier though.

Advanced search, search the company and location and type of position will knock the numbers down.

Google out blogs for relevant topics and link the company name, to see if you find folks that way, this also can get contact details. Do the same for twitter.

Sometimes, the easiest approach is also just local company website if it's a subsidiary and see if they list principles/board members and the like in the about company section.

If that doesn't score you a direct email, you can just search the company for their HR/recruiter as chances are they will have their email in their profile, so you now know what format the company uses for their email, whether it's first.surname@company or initial.surname@company etc, and just apply that to the names you've harvested.

Of course it's much easier if you've got people in your network that is linked up with folks who can pass you on, but if you're looking in a new field, it pays to be a little bit stalkery :/

AdobePinon

That's because the pay in Bend is generally lousy.

Ozger

"Lousy" pay is relative. For Boise, what I have decided is that I would take a 30% drop in salary to get back there for the improvement in the quality of life it affords over Houston.

Money isn't everything . . . especially when your kids have flown the nest.

For Bend . . . 20%

MGD166

I dont have the energy for the whole thread, but you should look into Seattle, there is a huge IT industry there, and if I remember correctly its pretty close to Baker. I personally live in colorado for 6 months of the year (winter) working up at Beaver Creek. Vail Valley is one of the most beautiful places I have ever been, what surprises most people is the summer, cool nights, perfect sunny days. Great people too.

Denver really isn't for me, but then again I hated going to London for work too.

AdobePinon

Sure. I'm just telling him why he ain't getting anyone.

For me, it would have been about a 50% cut to move to Bend. Instead, I got a 75% raise to move to NM. Go figure.

Bend was great before the cookie cutter houses. Still has rather good beer, and there are far worse places to be. I've only missed Jubelale one year since 1993.

AdobePinon

Now, as far as the OP goes, if he's still around....

The city will make a good stepping stone. Jobs are relatively easy to come by there. I've never known any skier / rider to be truly happy with Denver though. Boulder, maybe kinda, but not Denver. But if it gets you in the country...

Other choices.... Salt Lake is waaaaayyy closer to skiing, and contrary to popular belief you can get pretty much any kind of alcohol you want. Boise... not bad. Seattle - wet, but a lot going on, and puts a lot of good skiing within a drive. Portland - skiing a little flatter, but a great vibe. Plus, spring and summer skiing in the Cascades is pretty hard to beat.

So, that out of the way... next step if the riding is that important - mountain town. You'll meet two kinds of people in mountain towns - those who live there, and those who are just passing through - even if it takes a few years for the temps to work that out. OP will need to network through the real locals, and they can be a notoriously ornery bunch - and they know everyone. Screw up in one western mountain town, and you've screwed up in them all. Learn to get into the backcountry stuff, and you'll start to meet the right people. If you don't step on people's toes (which is very easy to do), eventually people will start pointing you in the right direction, and things will start to work out. You'll probably never get paid what you would like, but you'll have a great time.

Oh yeah, and there are medium sized towns between the cities and the mountain towns. You may need more than one stone.