[lug] [CLUE-Tech] Super Computing Event: SC2001 (fwd)

[Sean LeBlanc]

On Tue, 13 Nov 2001, D. Stimits wrote:
> Date: Tue, 13 Nov 2001 11:00:46 -0700
> To: lug at lug.boulder.co.us
> From: "D. Stimits" <stimits at idcomm.com>
> Reply-To: lug at lug.boulder.co.us
> Sender: lug-admin at lug.boulder.co.us
> Subject: Re: [lug] [CLUE-Tech] Super Computing Event: SC2001 (fwd)
> 
> "J. Wayde Allen" wrote:
> > 
> > On Tue, 13 Nov 2001, D. Stimits wrote:
> > 
> > > I did, but unfortunately I don't have all of the skills. I don't
> > > remember the exact problems, but I know it wanted some scripting
> > > language experience I don't have or know. For example, I suppose I
> > > should learn PERL, and improve my bash skills. Hmm, I think it also
> > > required Fortran. I'm really a C/C++ person at heart; I can learn any of
> > > the requirements, but most of these jobs do not allow one to "learn as
> > > you go". The whole arena of scientific computing is interesting, often
> > > it requires specialized skills though, I wish there were more ways to
> > > work into these fields.
> > 
> > Ack ... this is how you DON'T get a job.  If you are interested and
> > willing to lean at least contact them.  You just might be persuasive, they
> > might have another opening, or ...?  At the very least let them tell you
> > no.  It will never happen if you've already decided it won't.
> 
> This is a good point, but I'm a bit demoralized at this point. In the
> last year, of every single job I suggested I'd learn and ask about other
> positions they might have, only one person has even bothered to send a
> rejection letter. Nobody else even replied. One recruiter was bragging
> on a job list how glad he was to be able to stick it to the programmers
> that were so snotty a year ago. Others have said they don't have time to
> reply to people who send resumes for jobs they are not qualified for,
> and end up adding comments like "requirements are strict" to their
> future notices. I really don't understand how things got so bad, I'm a
> bit stunned by this whole experience.

All I can say is, I feel your pain. I've been laid off only a little while ago
(Nov 2),
and I can already see this is going to be a real struggle. All the jobs that I
qualify for have just seemed to dry up...and the ones I do fit get flooded
with
so many resumes, that my chances of landing the job seem slim to none.
And already I can see the change in tone of postings of job descriptions. Some
of the recruiters have an outright arrogant tone, and don't even try to be
subtle at all about having the upper hand.

The thing is, I have a lot to offer in the skills area...as a contractor, I've
had
the opportunity to use lots of tools and languages. And I've done all the
right
things to build towards having a strong resume (BSCS, certifications).

But it doesn't seem to matter, at least not yet. So far, the only person I've
talked
to at all was some one-man outfit that needed some short term work done on a
VB/ASP/COM  web page, and even he had six resumes to look over.

I might be expecting a lot to have some kind of success at all so soon, but I
know
about a year or so ago, I would have already been flooded with calls. The only
response I've gotten besides talking to the man with VB/ASP/COM was one
auto-reply message.

Here's to hoping things turn around in the future...those of you with jobs,
I'd
suggest you hang onto them like grim death. It's ugly out here.

-- 
-
Sean LeBlanc, seanleblanc at home.com
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