Job search reality

Job search reality

Regarding Chuck Yoke’s column IT jobs still abound, if flexible: While it’s easy to say that being willing to relocate, become an SNA expert and accept $20,000 less than you were previously making will increase your odds of landing a job, the reality is decidedly different. IT cutbacks have occurred in almost every sector of the country. Why would an employer in, say, Houston even want to look at a networking person from Seattle when he had more than enough local candidates? The employer also probably already has r�sum�s from seasoned SNA experts and at the very least would be looking for someone with SNA experience.

As far as accepting a salary $20,000 lower than your last job – the employer would probably think you would only stick around until the economy got better and then bolt.

Gary Braver

Principal Consultant

Fastlane Networks

Newton, Mass.

Yoke replies: I agree that the willingness to relocate and take a lower salary is no guarantee of a job. Most companies in larger metropolitan areas are focusing on local candidates because there is a large pool of available workers, and employers in these areas might be skeptical of a candidate willing to take a lower salary. However, even in these areas, savvy employers are starting to realize that the salary bar has lowered and probably never will go back to previous levels, even if the economy turns around. Many employers are starting to see someone willing to take a lower salary as a realistic person adapting his outlook and lifestyle to the new economic conditions.

I also get calls regularly from recruiters looking for people with specific skills or experience that are not available locally. The majority of the calls are not for jobs in large metropolitan areas, where the number of potential qualified applicants is large. They are from small to midsize metropolitan areas where companies that could not pay previous competitive wages are looking for more experienced workers willing to accept a lower salary in return for job stability. While there are no guarantees, the willingness to relocate to these areas and accept a lower salary opens the door to these potential opportunities.

Regarding Kevin Tolly’s column Gigabit to the desktop: A decision you can’t escape: Companies that grow to become major players inevitably seem to reach the point where they attempt to lead the market in a “better direction.” Now we have Dell pulling an end run around network managers by installing Gigabit Ethernet cards in all its plug-and-play boxes and professing that Gigabit is the new desktop standard.

Cabling infrastructure will be a major issue. Troubleshooting will be an issue, too, because many popular network tools can’t do Gig. And jumping from 100M to 1000M bit/sec will not be as easy as the jump from 10M to 100M bit/sec was.

It sounds like Dell has been watching too many SUV commercials: “Filmed on a closed circuit with professional drivers – don’t try this at home – performance may vary.” Just read the fine print from Dell’s FAQ Web page: “Note: Actual data transfer speeds depend on the network design and traffic plus the system/PCI slot/processor configuration.”

Phil Parshall

Network technician, IT department

Roswell Park Cancer Institute

Buffalo, N.Y.